Oh my. So much driving.
If we had to do this trip again, we’d drive less. Jared is a trooper and did a great job but it was a TONS of hard, hard driving.
We (or I should say I) woke up early and I made breakfast with bread and jam. We then tried to pack fast so we could head out to the Ring of Beara. We chose this ring because it was supposed to be just as beautiful as the ring of Kerry but not as long.
Our first stop on the ring of Beara was the stone circles (Uragh?). We had our first experience driving down the windiest, tiniest road! I’m my god. Jared did great and we finally found the stones. The view was incredible - yellows and greens and water...Mom didn’t want to walk up the windy hill to the stone circles so Jared and I braved the short journey. The circle itself was small but beautifully situated, on a rock in the middle of the bay with a view of a dramatic waterfall in the background. It was windy and foggy and Rainey - if it had been blue skies it would have been too much (and probably too crowded). There was an apple at the bottom at the largest stone - perhaps an offering.
We got back in the car and continued on the ring of Beara - which was stunningly beautiful. As I said, it was rainy and gray but still beautiful. We did the shorter route (55K), through the Healey pass. We drove down by the water and then cut over through the mountains. The Healey pass was through the mountains - we climbed, climbed, climbed, through the craggy rocks and tons of sheep. Sheep kept leaping out onto the road and the rocks in front of us. We had to stop a few times to let the sheep cross. The Healey pass itself was TERRIFYING. The steepest turn was by a huge clif on a tiny one lane (but dual way) road. I couldn’t even look. Jared did great - I don’t know if I could have done it.
I”m glad we drove it but it was scary going - equal parts scary to beautiful.
We ended the ring of Beara XXXXXX
