Day 7 - Killarney and the Ring of Kerry

This morning we set out on The Ring of Kerry, a scenic 120 mile drive. First stop was the Kerry Bog Village, a recreated late 1800's village. They are also trying to save the Irish Bog Ponies from extinction although we only saw one in the field. One of the cottages had a peat fire going in the fireplace and another had a young girl playing the accordion. There were lots of horse drawn farm equipment which I know Tim's mom Janice and Wayne would love to see.

Irish Wolfhounds

We stop in a few towns and also at the Skillig Heritage Center. We inquired about their boat trip out to the Skilligs but the water was too rough. Skillig Michael is an isolated 700 ft tall, jagged pyramid rock that was an ancient Monastic settlement with beehive huts and a couple of Monasteries. We watched the film about the Skilligs and it was wonderful. Some of the places we have stopped and watched the films have been uninteresting and, if you remember, we about had a mutiny a few days ago about watching any more films, but this one was truly interesting.

We were on a mission today. I was determined to find the Skillig Chocolate factory that I had read about. They make all kinds of truffles, but I had my heart set on their strawberry/champagne ones. I had browsed their website and had been looking forward to shopping there for days. Well, it was not to be. After much trouble finding them out in the boonies on a one lane road the small factory which was really just a house was closed. On down the road in a proper village we saw a sign “Skillig Chocolates” sold here. That store had also closed by the time we got there (5:30). What is wrong with the people, do they not know we stop for chocolates and sheep in the road? Disappointed, we continue our way around the ROK.

Staigue Fort, the best preserved and largest in Ireland. Walls are 12 ft thick at the base. It was built over 1500 yrs ago.

Molls Gap

Ladies View