Today we walked between Caherdaniel and Sneem, around the coast and through three valleys.
Distance : 23 kms; Weather : fine
Breakfast at the Derrynane Hotel with views back towards Caherdaniel.
We started today on an old road called the Butter Road which was used to transport butter by donkey and cart to Cork for export to England. It was also reputedly the route Daniel O'Connell took in the early nineteenth century to promote his Irish Catholic cause for the right to sit in the British parliament.
Walking the Butter Road around the base of Coad Mountain
The view to Cove Harbour
Mark and I made a detour to Staigue Fort, another excellent Celtic ringfort. It is 2500 years old
It is 27m in diameter, 5.5m high and the walls are 4m thick. It was probably a nobleman's home
An artist's impression of Staigue Fort in its heyday
Back on the trail we met up with 2 girls, American and Irish, who have been walking at the same time as us. Their mothers attended college together and now they are good friends. Delightful company as we climbed another hill into another valley.
Much of the country today was pine forest (owned by a Norwegian company), sheep pasture and bog.
At the end of a 3 km tarred road we came to the outskirts of Sneem and the wonderful B&B owned by Maureen Murphy (a Galway lass, much to John's delight). A welcome cup of tea on the terrace.
The busy town of Sneem by local artist, Jo-Ann Yelen.
M&M
16/7/2014
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