Ireland is, has you can see, full of surprise, most people think that Ireland is a cold and rainy country, well...it is! but not just that, it is full of colors (different shade of green most of the time), there is more sun than we can imagine, and I don't talk about the landscape which is magnificent! A perfect Country for a Road trip!!
1. THE GIANT CAUSEWAY
The Giant Causeway is one of the most popular sites of Northern Ireland, it is also part of the World Heritage site. Carved from the coast by the giant Finn McCool this place is steeped in legend and folklore myth. It is also the perfect place for a hike with gorgeous landscapes!
2. MALIN HEAD
The Northern end of Ireland, Malin Head is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Ireland, completely lost, Malin Head is like a very small village, we had a hard time finding our host house because there was no street name, we had to ask five persons to find it, we went ringing at people's door and even ask the bartender! We ate, what is for me, the best seafood I ever tasted in the Seaview Tavern restaurant! If you want to visit and hike, at the far north of the village there's the Bamba's crown a tour built in 1805 by the British admiralty before becoming an aid station for navigation. Next, to it, you can find a path that leads you to the Hell's hole a chasm where the wave comes crashing.
3. KYLEMORE ABBEY
Right next to the Connemara National Park, Kylemore Abbey, founded as Kylemore Castle, was originally built by Mitchell Henry to his wife as a gift before she tragically died of a disease in Egypt. Mitchell Henry never remarried and built a Cathedral next to the Kylemore Castle in her loving memory, so that the world would see his love for her across time! Kylemore castle became Kylemore abbey when the nuns who fled Belgium during World war I moved in. This place is really beautiful and you have to go there if you go on a road trip through Ireland!
4. THE CLIFF OF MOHER
Another very touristic place, but once you go there you absolutely understand why everyone wants to see it! and if you really don't like the crowd, don't worry most of the people stay at the beginning of the cliff, take a 10 minutes walk and you'll see less and less people, the view is spectacular and you won't regret the one hour and thirty minutes hike to go to the very end of the Cliff of Moher, and there's barrier to keep you from the edge! I really did enjoy my visit of the cliff and if you go there I'm sure you will too!
5. SLIEVE LEAGUE
If nevertheless, you don't want to go to the Cliff of Moher, here's an alternative, the Slieve League are one of the highest polychrome walls in Europe, take the one man's pass and climb these beauty to the highest you can, with a beautiful view they have nothing to envy to the Cliff of Moher!
6. DINGLE PENINSULA
Welcome to the far west of Europe, when we arrived there, searching for Slea head and not knowing we actually were on it, this place just reminded us of Neverland, with those beautiful Island a bit everywhere and the opal water and green cliffs, it seems to be paradise! After visiting the full of life, the town of Dingle, take your care, or the bus and go there, it isn't far from Dingle and you'll enjoy every second of the trip. Speaking of Dingle they have gorgeous ice cream, according to the National Geographic traveler, it's "unlike anything you've ever tasted" and I definitively agree! and if you don't want to go there for the Ice cream, go there to see Fungie, Dingle's Dolphin.
7. THE GAP OF DUNLOE
This is a really good place for a morning hike, go there early to avoid people and enjoy the beauty of it for yourself! we were there around 8 or 9 o'clock and we were alone in the world! step on the wishing bridge to have your wish granted by the end of the year and then start walking trough the gap, along with the walk you'll see sheep and horses, there are five different lakes and if you scream hard enough you'll hear the echoes! is it a very long walk is you do it from the beginning to the very end, personally we only walk until we were Inside the Gap, we didn't cross it to continue the walk behind.
8. FAIR HEAD
Next to Ballycastle, Fair head is a rocky headland at the north-eastern corner of county Antrim in northern Ireland. it is completely lost in the countryside and to go where I stand to take this picture you have to go through some barbed wire, only helped by two wooden steps and rocks, it is an adventure, once you go through it, you have to walk five minutes through mud and high grass and climb until you see the very edge! we were there at 7 pm and we were still completely alone!!
9. DUBLIN
I started my road trip with Belfast and trust me when I say that between the two capitals Dublin wins every time, it's like you've always heard it is, full of life and culture, music at every corner, at night Temple Bar is illuminate from everywhere, you get that Irish atmosphere with live music, traditional songs, tasty beers (Guinness of course, Kilkenny and others, try the cider as well), go visit the prison, the Trinity college as well as the Book of Kells, then the muséums and the Guinness Storehouse, but when you to to the Guinness Academy, don't make the same mistake I did, they'll give you a diploma at the end, don't forget it on the table when you leave! you just have so much to do in Dublin, you'll need at least a week to fully enjoy the City!!
10. THE COUNTRY SIDE
Don't hesitate to get lost in the countryside, you'll see far more than if you stay on the beaten path! GET LOST!! You'll see it's fun and it is the best way to visit a country!
