Coastal Road

As Internet access at Wildberry Cottage can best be described as spotty, I want to share my wild ride down road 67 to County Clare. Before you read further, understand that this road, outlined by stone walls and the rugged coast, is barely wide enough to allow two cars to pass one another. Throw a cyclist or a hiker into the mix and its a treacherous go!


An uneventful highway drive found me hungry in Kinvara, County Galway and I stopped at the Pizza Cafe. Yes, stone baked pizza in the heart of the Burren as well as an eclectic mix of food. The proprietor/tess is a bit testy [Asked a customer, "What kind of Irish Merlot do you have today?" "None, said Gerry. "The Irish don't make wine; they make whiskey."],  the waitress sullen, but the food is wonderful. The proprietess, Gerry, and Mr. Ted suggested I drive the coastal road to Doolin, "a mere 24 miles, young lady." Young lady: that seems to be the preferred term with which to address even not so young ladies in Ireland. 24 miles? 2 hours later . . . 

But the drive was spectacular! I would've driven this road for 20 hours!

When you see the Burren, you'll understand why everything here is stone.

I knew, by the smoke that so gracefully curl’d
Above the green elms, that a cottage was near;
And I said, “If there ’s peace to be found in the world,
A heart that was humble might hope for it here.”
~Thomas Moore

Fanore church ruins

Tomb in the Burren

No way to describe the scenery. My camera died as I rounded the coastal corner toward Doolin; more photos of this area to follow at a later date. Turn left off of 67 at the 

Ballinalachen castle ruins

Up and down the hills of a one-car road, until you reach Wildberry Cottage

My neighbors

Frankie Sheedy met me with scones and bread, a key to my cottage, and directions to the closest grocery store. "Are stores opened on Sunday?" "Of course," replied Frankie. "We used to be Catholics, now we're just money hungry. And you know, we're in a recession.  But for goodness sake, stay away from Lisdoonvarna. It's the month long match making festival, it is. You won't come out."  

So I headed to Ennistymon instead. Susan, I'm eating Irish farmer's cheese from the Wicklow Mountains. There were Irish lamb chops, that I'm going back for another day, produce and meats and fish and cheeses . . . And a nod to Gerry at the Pizza Cafe, I'm drinking Chilean wine.