Ireland Day 4: Navigating North

We hit the road at 9:00 am on Day Four with a long travel day ahead. Originally, we had planned to stop in Galway, and wished we had more time to venture out to Connemera, but we had too far to go and were still pretty jet lagged, so we skipped both places. 

We aimed ourselves for the Belleek Wood, outside Ballina, known for a hike with fairy houses. The woods were lush and green, with a full canopy of trees overhead and moss underfoot. It was the perfect atmosphere for fairy spotting!

After our enjoyable hike, we picked up veggie burgers and ate on the nearby sandy beach in Enniscrone. Adventure Girl played in the sand, making a train. :)

Back on the road, we made our way through Donegal and circled the coast. We liked Donegal from what we saw of it and would be interested in spending some time there in the future. For now, it was just a grocery stop. 

We pulled into Teelin at 5:30 pm and unloaded. The sky was clear and bright, inviting us to go check out the Slieve League Cliffs before settling in for the night. Never knowing when Ireland's weather was going to turn, we decided we'd better make the most of it. We were unsure if we were in for a quick stroll from a viewpoint, or a true hike, but we just went for it!

It turns out there is a parking lot at the entrance and you hike up a road for about 40 minutes to reach the viewing platform. In the evening, it seems that the workers leave their posts and people move the gate to drive up. Unsure of what to do, and always the rule followers, we parked and started to hike. The views were so breath-taking and the evening so perfect, we were not disappointed. It felt great to move after being in the car all day. 

Being avid hikers, we weren't too turned off by the incline. The windy road allowed views to unfold for us as we went. Sheep grazing alongside the path provided entertainment and many photo opportunities when we needed a quick break. 

At the top, you reach the edge of the cliff and can see down into the basin below and the highest point of the Slieve League Cliffs. These are the sixth-highest seacliffs in the world. They stretch straight-down into the deep water below. We knew we just had to get another look at them, again from the water, so we booked a boat tour for the next day...