Glenveagh National Park + The Curious Sheep of Ireland

I was somewhat obsessed with capturing the many sheep of Ireland during our trip. As a result, I ended up with about a hundred pictures of sheep butts. 

Enjoy.

We started out the day with the intention of seeing Glenveagh Castle which is conveniently located in Glenveagh National Park. This castle sounded lovely what with a tour of the interior and extensive gardens PLUS a large herd of red deer which I was intent on seeing.

 The thing is, we haven't updated our GPS since 2010. Because we're cheap. We usually don't have too many incidents because the same roads have existed here for several hundred years thus, the maps don't change. However, it has slowly become evident to us that a lot of new highways have been built in the United Kingdom in the past three years and this sometimes presents a problem. Like when the regular road is closed and we are redirected to a highway that no longer exists. Do you see where this is going?

Although this was not the incident above, our GPS did lead us not to Glenveagh Castle, but to the middle of Glenveagh National Park. Where there is nothing. It doesn't really help that Glenveagh Castle doesn't actually have an address and, in fact, when you Google it, you are sent to Glenveagh National Park. Needless to say, we never did make it to the castle due to a three hour detour on account of the curvy and mountainous single lane road the runs through the park. 

Another fun fact: Several years ago, Northern Ireland decided that not enough people spoke Irish (yes, the language is referred to as Irish, not Gaelic, so there). In attempt to remedy this, they replaced all of the old English road signs, etc. (in the County Donegal anyway) with Irish. So that made it extra easy to find our way with a GPS that didn't know where it was going and a map that cut off right at the National Park border. Super. 

Just to be clear, I actually found Glenveagh National Park very beautiful and enchanting. There was hardly anyone on the road except sheep and it just felt very remote. We also got a pretty view of the lake upon which the castle resides (but not the actual castle, sorry). I was just a little bit mad that we didn't get to see the castle, but whatever. I've seen castles.

We played a lot of Flogging Molly on this particular car ride because that is the closest thing we had to anything pertaining to Irish culture. And it was fun. I'm not exactly sure how they got on our iPod though because I don't actually listen to Flogging Molly. Anyways..

I also have to give a shout-out to my dear husband who has the uncanny ability to come to stop the car the instant I see an adorable lamb who needs to be loved and photographed. Attaboy, Forrest, you can stop on a dime.

The lambs themselves weren't very cooperative. 

Since when did baby animals become so suspicious?

Troy Hall

Troy Hall is the place we stayed after our long day on the Antrim Coast (Seriously, that was only one day. Three posts.) It was dreamy, you guys. And sort of magical. We had our own little garden too. And if it hadn't been 10 degrees outside, we may have used it. Also, the view. Just look at it!

Our room had a sitting room which was in the turret on the left! I have never wanted a turret more in my life. Really. Turrets are the best thing ever. Especially when they are used solely for drinking tea and eating biscuits (those are cookies, Americans).

Troy Hall is in Londonderry which is also called just "Derry." I can't tell you how confusing this is when the guidebook says one thing and the GPS says another.

Londonderry is a great city. It has these huge walls that are at least 20 feet across in places that you can walk on and see the whole city from above. The only reason I know this is because we drove downtown to find a pub for dinner but wouldn't you know it, all the pubs stopped serving food at 6:00. All of them. So we were left to walk on the walls and eat Subway for dinner. Plus I forgot my camera. So this was a pretty useless story.

But this was my favorite place to stay!

Dunluce Castle

It seems to me that Friday is a good day to post about a castle. 

One time, part of this castle fell off into the ocean. During dinnertime. Oh, and it was the kitchen that fell so it was kind of a big deal.

Dunluce Castle is yet another wonderful Antrim Coast site. It has been owned by the same family since the 13th century! As with any proper stone structure in Antrim, it wouldn't be complete without pieces of the Giant's Causeway used as building material. I mean, what kind of noble would you be without some of that famous hexagonal stone?

 

I really loved that we were basically the only people at this castle. We were the only people on the guided tour once again and we all know how I feel about that. The tour guide seemed kind of lost as far as things to tell us because we had no questions. Either that or I am just reeeeally intimidating. 

The only thing I really remember was when he told us about how the castle is haunted. The Lord of Dunluce locked his daughter into a tower because he found out she was going to marry a servant. They gave her a broom so that she could sweep to keep herself occupied, which I guess is better than nothing. Except who likes sweeping?

She was finally rescued one stormy night by her love in a small boat but, whoops, they got caught in the rushing tide, crashed into the rocks, and died. It was tragic. So now she haunts her tower and people hear the sound of her sweeping. Because doing household chores is the best way to spend your afterlife, apparently.

There was also a cave underneath the castle that led out to the ocean (that may have been how she escaped!). But it turns out that pictures of a dark cave aren't very exciting. And they don't really look like pictures of a cave either. So I found a photo somewhere else and this is what it really looks like.

via

Cool, right? We weren't able to go in because the ocean was too high and there was a sign telling us not to. 

But I did go in a little.

SO, I am finally done with Antrim and we are now moving south into County Clare and the Cliffs of Moher.. eventually.

Ah, Antrim

Greetings to you from somewhere in Spain! I wrote this over the weekend and scheduled it to post midweek as I will be most likely without the internets for our entire trip. Who wants to pay $.75/minute on a cruise ship? No, thank you. I am using this trip as an opportunity to completely disconnect and just be with that Forrest of mine for a whole week. 

Unless I find free wifi somewhere, of course. For Instagram. 

We'll see.

And now for the Antrim Coast!

The Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland is b-e-a-utiful. I mean, just look at those cliffs. And you can see Scotland, guys! The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge was only about 15 miles from the Giant's Causeway. It is/was used by fishermen who needed to get to that tiny island to check their salmon nets. It used to be only one rope to walk on with a rope hand rail! It's not that long, but I think it would look a little longer to me with only the one rope to hang on to. It was kind of a disappointment since Rick Steves rated this attraction with three triangles (which means a must see attraction) and some of the locals in Belfast had really built it up for us. I mean, if it was 20 feet longer maybe? I don't know. The island was cool, anyway.

The day looks pretty warm, but don't be fooled. We were still freezing our booties off. I don't think I could get enough of this coastline though. 

Ireland* is the prettiest.

*(And by Ireland I mean both Northern and the Republic of.)