Ireland Day 9 – Dingle to Galway

Today was mostly a day of driving. We got up around 6:30 AM and had breakfast at 8:00AM. We were on the road to Galway by 9:00AM. To avoid driving around the peninsula, again we took Conner’s Pass which is one of the quickest way across the peninsula and involves going up Dingle’s highest mountain, using a narrow one lane twisty road. From there we joined up with a more “major” two lane road before joining a “N” road which is a very major road but not quite freeway. Our first and only stop today was the Cliffs of Mohr. I wanted to stop at the oldest working windmill in Ireland, but it was closed today.

Along Conner's Pass

I was last at the Cliffs of Mohr in 2006, it has changed. When I was first there was a basic gravel parking lot and some gravel paths with signs saying don’t fall off the cliff. Now it is like a Disney attraction with way too many tour buses and people. It has a visitor center, with a museum, gift shop, café, and little convenience store. It also has a few permanent gift shops along the edge of the center. The paths are now paved with steps and a golf cart that runs people who don’t walk well up to the one tower and back. It turned commercial and into a destination instead of staying a nice little roadside viewpoint. From there we continued along the Wild Atlantic Way up to Galway, with a slow down so I could grab a picture of a castle out the car window.

Cliffs of Mohr (cell phone photo)

Castle from side of the road (cell phone photo)

Our hotel is a five-star hotel and former manor house just outside of Galway. It has a golf course, a 2.5-kilometer walking path, spa, restaurants, a parlor to relax in, and falconry on site. I actually could stay here at least two days and just enjoy the hotel. We will be having dinner in the Pullman restaurant, which is a restored Pullman train car that used to be part of the Orient Express. No, we have no idea how a train car from the Orient Express ended up in Ireland.

Tomorrow, we head back to Dublin for our last full day in Ireland.

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