IRELAND and SCOTLAND - Day 5 - October 5, 2023

 A DAY IN THE ‘IRISH SUNSHINE’ - GAP OF DUNLOE - Day 5 - October 5, 2023

Today was our first vendor provided tour. When we booked it several months ago in sunny Southern California, we did not have a real appreciation for what it’s like to participate in outdoor activities in the Irish autumn. After today, we’ve a much better idea of how it is.

We woke up this morning with sunny dispositions, but that was as far as the sun went for the rest of the day. It was windy and slightly rainy as we went from our lakeside hotel (Lake Hotel Killarney on the shores of Lough Leane) to downtown Killarney to wait for our shuttle bus.

The Gap of Dunloe is a mountain pass that runs generally south to north on the west side of Lough Leane. It climbs up about 1000 feet in elevation and descends into a valley that takes you to a river that empties into the aforementioned lake.

Our tour consisted of the shuttle bus to the start of the gap road, then a 7 mile horse and buggy ride over the gap and down into the valley, and ended with a 1.5 hour open air boat (think: dory boat) ride to Ross Castle on the east shore of the lake, and a short shuttle ride back downtown.

By the time we got to the start of the buggy ride, the rain was coming down steadily and the wind was blowing at around 15 to 20 mph. It was lovely weather for buggy ride together. And togetherness was the feeling we got when the four of us squeezed into the horse drawn vehicle that was probably designed with only 2 or 3 passengers in mind.

Our driver, Patrick, was cheerful and seemed unconcerned with the weather conditions. He introduced us to our horse, Paddy, and then helped us get into the carriage. Patrick pulled a tarp over our laps, mounted the step at the rear of the carriage, and we were ready to go.

Paddy groaned slightly as he began to pull us forward as Patrick shouted encouraging commands.

Visibility was not optimal. The rain and wind increased as we traveled toward the gap. However, because of the rain, there were lots of waterfalls coming down either side of the valley. The sound of rushing water complemented the sounds of Paddy’s hoof beats and the mild howling of the wind.

When we got closer to the gap, the road became much steeper. Patrick stopped the carriage and told us we’d have to get out and walk up to the top of the gap because Paddy could not pull us all the way (this is pretty standard practice here). This gave us a chance to get some relief from the bouncing rig and stretch our legs.

There were lots of sheep grazing on the hillsides and they didn’t seem too concerned with the weather. We were able to snap some photos on the way up to the top of the gap as we looked back down toward some of the lakes we’d passed on the way up.

A couple hours later, we arrived at the drop off point near the border of Killarney National Park.  There was a small cafe there where we got some warm soup and waited for our boat to arrive.

When it was time to get on our boat, the rain and wind were beginning to increase. Our friendly boatman handed us each a life vest and covered our laps with a tarp, and we were ready to go (sound familiar?).

Our boat was about 15 to 18 feet in length and had seating capacity for up to 12 passengers. Today, they had two boats and 12 people and let us ride 6 in each boat. As I mentioned, the boats reminded me of the open dory boats you see down at the Newport Beach Pier. Nice and comfortable on a sunny day. Not so much in today’s weather.

Our initial route took us through some narrow rocky inlets and marshy estuaries. Then, we hit some open water with some honest to goodness waves and whitecaps. With the shoreline mostly obscured in rain and mist, it felt like we were out in the ocean somewhere.

An hour and a half later, we could see the outline of a 15th century castle become visible as we got close to shore. Ross Castle was our landing spot. We hopped ashore and found a nearby rain shelter as we waited for our shuttle bus.

Tonight we have wet clothes hanging around our hotel room. Tomorrow, we head out for more adventure.

NEXT: Torc Falls and Dingle Peninsula, then Galway