Westport to Achill island part 1

And the last few pics taken in a little bay near Keel. Great views of the cliffs, a beautiful sandy beach and the mountains behind you. 

Westport to Achill island part 2

Croagh Patrick dominates the bay between Westport and Newport. It is were St Patrick did a stint being a hermit. There is still a little building on the top, don’t know whether that is the original one though. Definately have to climb that one day. 

The bay and Achill island are a beautiful mixture between impressive cliffs and mountains and lush little islands, the best of both worlds.

Westport to Achill island part 1

Friday we went west again and picked up were we left of in Westport some time ago. There was so much to see that I feel it deserves multiple posts. The first is about the houses and buildings we saw. The tower was owned by the pirate queen Grace and is just north of Newport

Clifden to Westport

Today we continued our discovery of Ireland by taking off were we left off in county Galway and moving up to county Mayo. We drove to Clifden passing the Twelve Bens mountain range were we briefly stopped at an farmers auction were cows and sheep were sold. Apparently a bale of hay costs 2,50 euro in Ireland. The bales kept following us throughout the day (see the picture of the curragh with the bales in the bow)

Unfortunately the weather was very cloudy/foggy and hence the mountains that are the backdrop to practically everything weren’t very visible. We saw the only fjord in Ireland at Leenane and stopped at the Doo Lough were 400 people died during the famine. Last stop was Westport were there is a bay with loads of strangely formed Islands. But you have to climb Croagh Patrick mountain were St Patrick went on Pilgrimage.

We didn’t get to see everything and we past some of the sights so we need to go back and I have promised J to stop at the following places:

• Avoca shop (Letterfrack)
• The weird little island with the Saint statues just beyond the Avoca shop
• Kylemore abbey