Smoked salmon is a staple of the Irish diet, and the
generous piece served with breakfast this morning was absolutely
delicious. Then it’s just a short drive
to Muckross House, the 65 room Tudor style mansion situated on Lake Muckross in
what is now Killarney National Park. This
morning’s hike takes us from the house to Torc Waterfall, and the views of the landscape
look like something you’d see on a jigsaw puzzle box with blue skies, mirror reflective
lakes and mountain backgrounds.
A couple hours later we’re back where we started and wander
the grounds, appreciating the manicured gardens, exotic vegetation and house
itself. One plant that really intrigues
us is the Chilean rhubarb, thick and spikey with broad leaves, resembling a
stumpy palm tree.
We leave the park and set out to finish the last bit of the
Ring of Kerry we didn’t get to yesterday – Killarney to Kenmare. We head up and over the mountain pass,
stopping at to take in the scenery at Ladies View. I cut the ignition and pop the door open when
an older gentlemen, who introduces himself as “a Kennedy from Donegal”, spontaneously
starts chatting with us. We end up talking
for 10 minutes about Ireland, the States, travel and dining. He even gives us restaurant recommendations for
some of our upcoming stops before saying polite goodbyes. Back in the car, we realize that Kennedy is not
an anomaly, but just a good representation of the open and kind people we have met
throughout this trip.
Exploring Kenmare is fun, lively shops, colorful buildings
and some fantastic fresh goat cheese with lunch at Davitt’s, a traditional
guesthouse with an attached pub. The goat
cheese here has been another surprise to us, and our salad features a big, warm
round of the best example we have had yet.
On our way back to Killarney, we stop at Kissane Farm, a working sheep farm,
to watch the award-winning Border Collies work their flocks. Before the demonstration starts, the dogs
come over to us to teach us how stick is played in these parts and we realize they’re
warming up the crowd like a comedian before the taping of a late night talk
show. We’ve never seen sheep dogs in
action before and it’s fascinating and funny to watch them corral the
individuals into one unit, then move them right where they need to go.
Driving back we take the opportunity for one last hike, a
two mile out and back along the lake to the Meeting of the Waters. A nice trail and blessedly flat.
Back at the hotel we take full advantage of the spa facility
again, letting the water, steam and air reinvigorate our tired muscles. Dinner in town at The Laurel, followed by
Trad, Irish abbreviation speak for “traditional Irish Music”, at Dunlow
Lodge. Days are long here, maybe two
more hours of light than back home, and on our way back to the Muckross, we
catch the last purple rays of the sunset.
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