Burren Scenes

Saturday dawned bright and sunny, and we woke early and went down to take some pictures by the lake. Then we headed off cross country to the north-west coast of Clare. Most of these photos are just typical Burren scenery. The first two were when we took a high back road from Killinaboy to Carran. After the previous overcast days it was lovely to see some sunshine brightening up the landscape. The tour buses were out in force too - I suppose St. Patrick's Day probably marks the start of the season.

 

 

Corcomroe Abbey. It only occurred to me this year that that must be why the mountain behind it is called Abbey Mountain. There's a lovely walk along the side of it, and we've climbed it too. About two and a half years ago we picked so many sloes from a sheltered slope on the mountain that we have not yet finished the sloe gin. The next year we only managed to find a bare half pound in the same spot. It's funny how it goes - one year in Avoca C and a friend managed to find one single sloe after a lot of looking, and the next year we picked and picked till I had to go back and cook dinner for all the rest of the crowd who had been out hill-walking and canoeing.

 

This view looking over towards Galway was taken from where we park when we pick (or hope to pick) sloes. Unfortunately the best of the day was already over by now - just imagine this scene with sunshine instead of cloud.

 

High and Dry

 

 Low Tide

This photo was taken at New Quay (I always have to remember not to pronounce it the way the Cornish pronounce Newquay). The pole near the left with a yellow box on it was a defibrillator - we passed several like it. When we stopped for me to take this photo, C parked on the pier and I had to walk back a bit. I was rewarded with some Great Northern Divers as an extra bonus.