Friday Wind Up

First off, thanks to everyone for reading the blog and thanks for all the comments. We don’t always respond to every comment, but we read and enjoy every one. Secondly, this will be the last blog post of any depth for this trip. We leave Dungloe tomorrow morning for a Saturday night in Limerick. I may post something from there or I may not. It’s essentially just a travel day. Sunday morning we fly to Boston where we spend a brief night at the Airport Hilton before a 6 am flight home Monday morning. If I remember, I’ll post a “home safe” message on Monday. But I may forget. Next up on the blog will be our annual September/October trip to Depoe Bay, Oregon and Trinidad, California.

Friday was cloudy in the morning and essentially stayed that way all day. We set off early to do one last leg of the Wild Atlantic Way. This time it consisted mainly of the Fanad Peninsula including Fanad Head. Fanad Head is not the northernmost point in County Donegal. That would be Malin Head. But Fanad Head is close to as far north.

Our first stop was an overlook in Dún Lúiche on the highway heading toward the more westerly coast. Dún Lúiche, known in English as Dunlewey or Dunlewy, is a small Gaeltacht village in the Gweedore area of County Donegal, Ireland. It sits in the Poisoned Glen, at the foot of Errigal and on the shore of Dunlewey Lough. The Cronaniv Burn flows along the southern edge of the village.

Then it was on to the coast. More overlooks provided more spectacular views.

Remember the Silver Strand which I described as possibly the most beautiful beach in the world? Well, next up today was Ballymastocker Strand on Ballymastocker Bay. It may be even more beautiful. We first viewed it from above.

Then, a bit further along on the drive, we parked and walked on Ballymastocker Beach and the dunes and the rocks. I was enthralled with the designs that the tide had left on the sands.

Next we stopped at Saint Colmcille’s Well. Saint Colmcille was born in Gartan, Co. Donegal on 7th December 521 A.D. He was a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages, High King of Ireland. Tradition has it around 550A.D. he was travelling in the Fanad are when he lost his prayer book. He came across a deer drinking out of this Well and his prayer book was impaled on the deers antlers. Delighted at having found it, he blessed the Well. The Well has been a place of pilgrimage ever since. In 563 A.D. he travelled to the Island of Iona, Scotland, where he established a famous monastery. He died in Iona on 9th June 597 A.D. We visited Iona and his monastery years ago.

Moving on, we stopped at the Great Pollet Sea Arch. It was a long walk through a private farm to get to it from the parking lot. Nice, but probably not worth the walk. Still, we need the exercise. Wait, I’m 80. Maybe I don’t.

Next was Fanad Light at Fanad Head. Click on that link to see fantastic photos in various lighting conditions. We had snacks (pistachio cakes) in the visitor center as a lunch substitute. You can go into the lighthouse (at an extra cost). We didn’t. Here are lots of pics (including one selfie).

After another stop for more pictures at the Harry Blaney Bridge which spans Mulroy Bay between the Roguill and Fanad peninsulas of County Donegal, we headed home.

Back at Sea House dinner was crackers and cheese and fruit and wine. Lots of packing up to do. It’s been a grand five weeks, and we enjoyed sharing it.