Day 9 Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry was just awe inspiring! So many beautiful sites. We got a very early start, so no tour buses! I took so many photos! The text for today will be short and I'll just post photos (except I forgot to load some before I came downstairs, so I'll post more tomorrow--sorry!) The Ring is a drive around the Iveragh Pennisula. It goes from mountains to beaches with beautiful lakes in between and lovely little villages--truly a spectacular part of the Emerald Isle! A few highlights! Our first stop was at Kells to see the gardens, all 40 acres. Stunning! Pictures will follow. We immediately met the gardener, a bit of an eccentric, the kind of man that probably buys the same kind of socks, shirts and underwear that he has bought for years! But then, I love eccentrics! He put us on the trail, promising that we would not get lost. We ended up spending 2 hours there.  The plants were huge and blooming, just gorgeous. If you are any kind of gardener, put the Kells Gardens on your bucket list...I have never seen anything like them. A few picts from Kells:

The picture of the gate reminds me of the book, "The Secret Garden" that I read as a young girl.  I loved that book, an excellent read for any young dreamer!

Hope you can see the pink, purplish plants covering the side of this mountain. I asked my gardener friend what it was. He said that the bloody stuff was a (blah, blah, blah) also known as a Rhododendron, but it was a highly invasive weed that had been planted over 100 years ago to form a wind break. It was in full bloom and gorgeous! He also said that the last winter here in Ireland had been a once in a lifetime winter, very hard, so many of their plants were damaged. Didn't see too much damage myself. There were beautiful camellias as tall as trees, huge clumps of azalias, ferns that had grown into trees, and a maiden hair fern as tall as me (no short jokes, please!) 

On to the Ring....our next stop was to catch the ferry over to the small, but beautiful island, Valentia. The first town you come to at the ferry landing is Knightstown, built for a group of Knights. It was an extremely charming village, as most are here on the Emerald Isle.

We exited Valentia by Portmagee, then stopped at Waterville for fish and chips. Waterville has a monument dedicated to Charlie Chaplin because he once lived there for a time. More pictures of the scenes around us at Coomakesta Pass, and then a side trip to see Staigue Fort. Many ring forts are on the ring, with Staigue built in the Stone Age. The drive to get there was a bit hairy with a one lane road all the way...I sucked air lots of times as we had to pass another vechicle!! 

Last 2 stops were at Ladies View, so named from the admiration of the view given by Queen Victoria's ladies in waiting during their 1861 visit, and Torc waterfall...well worth the 200 yard climb!

Isn't Torc Falls beautiful? Just like the beautiful pictures I have seen!
I have so many more pictures of the Ring, over 80, but I am tired, Phil is hungry and impatient! So, I will close for tonight from the Emerald Isle! Tomorrow we head towards Limerick with 2 stops, the first to drive the Dingle Pennisula, and the next at Bunratty castle, which stands on the site that was in origin a Viking Trading Camp from 970!  Supposed to be the closest to a real medieval castle we've seen! I cannot believe the treasures that the Emerald Isle still holds for us. 4 more days here and then, Home Sweet Home! out to a pub now--even though it appears to be raining, our first bit since we've been here. Wouldn't you know it, my raincoat is in the car parked somewhere far, far away! Hoping our hotel in Limerick has wifi--false advertising here at the Arbutus! till tomorrow....d