The show must go on - Galway Bay

I had planned to see a little more of Ireland with Michelle & Dwane last weekend. However, with Eyjafjallajökullour playing havoc to the European airspace, they had a surprise weekend in London instead! Well, as the title says, the show must go on and I continued on with our plans to head to Galway Bay. I drove almost 1000 kms over the two days enjoying the narrow country roads. I headed to the North-West of Ireland, primarily around Connemera National Park and further north to Curruan peninsula and Achill Island.

It's not surprising that this region is known as the wettest county in the country with 2400mm of rain annually in some of the mountain ranges. Well, I was blessed as I had sunshine all weekend. I even managed to get down to a t-shirt, the first time since August! It was a shame to not have fellow travel companions, but the silver lining came with the volcanic enhance sunset over Galway Bay.

Here are some pics from the weekend: Kylemore Abbey was originally a castle built in the 1800's - it has a stunning setting, nestled next to a lake; locals feeding the swans in Galway harbour; on the road with the Twelve Pins in the background; and Furnance Lake - a gorgeous lake in the middle of absolutely no where!

Wee Jasper

Some people may recognise this name on a sign post that you pass as you drive towards the ski fields. If you don't remember seeing it, look out for it the next time you are travelling near Canberra. Well, this name is no longer just a sign to a small country town... it is now more affectionately known as the inspiration for the newest addition to the Carruthers family, Jasper.


I had an enjoyable Sunday with the Carruthers clan, including Deb, Tris, Lynne, John & weeee Jasper. After the morning service at their local Anglical church, we were treated to a home-cooked roast, complete with yorkshire puddings... a roast is just not a roast without these delights - thanks Lynne! Unfortunately I wasn't able to lend a hand in the kitchen as I had they were otherwise occupied. :)

In the afternoon, we had an afternoon stroll in the nearby Cassiobury Park. Canals are a way of life for many in the UK and travelling along these waterways can be hard work. After talking through the mechanics just a few minutes beforehand, we had the opportunity of watching a few people navigate their way through one of the many locks which separates the varying levels of water along the canals.

Here's a step by step guide on how to conquer a lock...
Step 1. Make sure you have some strong muscles on board - very important in any situation! :)
Step 2. Open the first gate and pull your boat into the lock.
Step 3. Once inside, close the first gate & open the paddles on the second gate to let the water drain downstream.
Step 4. Once the water levels in the lock are level with downstream, open the second gate and exit.
(OK... so this is not rocket science, but it was good to watch in any case!)

Hit the road Jack

Over the Easter long weekend I explored a little more of the beautiful Emerald Isle. It was great to be behind the wheel again, singing to the long weekend driving tracks on the radio and exploring the countryside. My destination was the Dingle peninsula on the south-west coast. The majority of the weekend involved driving, turning down random un-marked roads and discovering some of the locals secrets.

Based on a recommendation I did don my hiking boots for a leisurely 14km walk from Kate Kearney's cottage to the Gap of Dunloe and the Hidden Valley (photo to the right). Being prepared was the name of the game and I was thankful for my wet weather gear once the skies opened on my return journey. I did contemplate climbing Purple Mountain (which is actually purple!) but the fact that I couldn't see it, I didn't think there was much point.

On Easter Sunday, I joined the locals for a church service in the Dingle's Cathedral. It was overflowing with people & with seating for an estimated 600 people, I figure that most of the local folk were there. After a drive to a local 3 mile beach which is perfect for kite-surfering enthusiasts, I headed to one of the many pubs in Dingle for a cosy afternoon by the fire. I wasn't reading for long before conversation with the locals was flowing - the Irish are a friendly & funny bunch! It was a great relaxing weekend.

Here are some photos of the Emerald Isle: View of Brandon Mountain (952m high) from Conors Pass (a road not to be taken by those scared of cliffs, on-coming traffic & narrow roads!); Ross Castle in Killarney National Park; typical houses in Dingle; the coastline from Slea's Head; and the Gap of Dunloe.