The Skellig Islands – an extraordinary experience!

May 21, 2009

The Skellig Islands are an extraordinary place to visit.

Most people have never even heard of the Skellig Islands (a UNESCO World Heritage site) found about 16 kilometres (10 miles) off the coast of southwest Ireland. But what a find and what an experience!! Skellig Michael, the larger island, was the home of Christian monks in the sixth century. They lived in beehive stone huts built near the top of the 600 steps that cling in places to the cliffs. Next door on Little Skellig Island is the largest bird mass I have ever witnessed – so be prepared to duck and cover to avoid the bird poop.

IMG 0315 The Skellig Islands an extraordinary experience!

Some of the 600 steps on the Skellig Islands

You need a dose of Irish luck to even make it to the islands. Trips run at most 100 days of the year. The boat ride out on a calm day is enough to make the average traveller seasick. I can’t even imagine the size of the waves and swells on the 265 days of the year that it isn’t safe to venture out to the islands.

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On the boat to the Skellig Islands

Boats generally leave the very pretty seaside town of Portmagee for a 45 to 90 minute crossing depending on what size boat you are in. Choose the faster boat. I was so scared at times looking at the size of the waves that I was having second thoughts about the trip. Swallow your fears and GO. This is one amazing site like no other on the planet.

IMG 0380 The Skellig Islands an extraordinary experience!

The pretty town of Portmagee

The boats head for Little Skellig first. It’s home to 28,000 breeding pairs of gannets. That in itself is a memorable sight but consider the fact that the wingspan of a gannet is 6 feet across.

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Gannets galore!

Next it is a quick jaunt over to a small landing dock on Great Skellig Island. You are allowed about 2 hours to visit the site. It is a steep and unprotected hike up  to the beehive huts near the top. Many people have a difficult time navigating the steep steps. There are no handrails and anyone handicapped by vertigo will be challenged. Some people can be seen descending on their butts.

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Stairs near the top of Skellig Island

Bring a lunch, wander through the beehive huts, watch the puffins take off and land at their nests on the cliff face and marvel at how difficult life would have been here 1500 years ago. Give thanks you weren’t the poor cow whose home was the 200 square feet of flat grass halfway up. And a little note to let you know that there are no bathrooms on the Skellig Islands.

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One of many Puffins on Skellig Michael

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The view of Little Skellig Island

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Beehive huts on Skellig Island

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The view of Skellig Michael

Other blog posts from this trip you might enjoy:

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Europe, Hiking, backpacking, walking | Leave a Comment 

Feast day of St. Brendan-patron saint of travelers & sailors

May 16, 2009

Today, May 16th is the Feast Day of St. Brendan, the patron saint of travelers and sailors. Near the town of Cahirciveen, one of the towns you pass through on the Kerry Way in southwest Ireland, is a stylized monument to St. Brendan’s legendary journey.  Almost 1500 years ago Brendan and his companions supposedly left the Dingle peninsula (one peninsula north) and set off for America. Controversy exists on whether he was the first to make it across.

IMG 0267 Feast day of St. Brendan patron saint of travelers & sailors

Mounument to the Feast of St. Brendan

In fact his journey was replicated in 1976 by Tim Severn using a curragh, an Irish wooden boat over which hides are stretched. He successfully made the journey to Newfoundland  indicating the feasability of the jouney all those centuries ago.

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Hiking, backpacking, walking | Leave a Comment 

The Doolin Ferry and a Whiter Shade of Pale

May 5, 2009

I think I now know where Procol Harum got the title for the famous song. I believe it was while crossing on the Doolin ferry from Doolin to Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands off the coast of western Ireland.

Connemara and the Burren 054 The Doolin Ferry and a Whiter Shade of Pale

The very small Doolin Ferry

A few days ago about 15 of us plus our bikes boarded the passenger only ferry in Doolin for the 90 minute crossing. Within minutes of leaving the dock I had to put my stomach on lockdown orders. So did everyone else. That’s when I noticed that the seats were welded, not bolted to the deck so what we were to experience was probably pretty typical.

287296359 1804251205 The Doolin Ferry and a Whiter Shade of Pale

At first everyone was quite jolly and laughed as gear scattered with every hit of a wave but when the waves started washing over the back deck it wasn’t quite so funny. Then I think we are all secretly wondering why on earth we are going over to these desolate, god forsaken islands.

Fortunately after about an hour we got into the lee of some of the smaller islands where it was tempting to remove the lockdown orders. That wasn’t to be as the strength of the waves picked right back up in between islands.

Once we did reach Kilronan some of the locals said they were too scared to take the Doolin ferry and preferred the larger one out of Rossavael. However the Doolin ferry permits a nice circle bike tour out of Galway but wish we could pick our travel weather in advance.

Once on Inishmore there are quiet roads verging on goat tracks at times for truly lovely cycling.  You can visit Don Aonghasa, a spectacularly situated fort dating back to 2000 BC.  Cycling along the coast is also possible for about six kilometres and all the while you can enjoy the vistas and the incredible patchwork of rock walls. Birdlife is first rate too.

Connemara and the Burren 062 The Doolin Ferry and a Whiter Shade of Pale

The often wet and very rocky Aran Islands

You don’t usually need to reserve ahead of time for the Doolin ferry and it will be an unforgettable jouney.

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Europe | 1 Comment 

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Palm Springs, a desert resort city of 40,000 plus people, is located 100 miles east of Los Angeles and 130 miles northeast of San Diego. It is one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley with mountains surrounding it on all sides.

Inside Cabot Trail Biking Tour Guide you will find the following

1. Fantastic scenery, especially along the western coast of Cape Breton Highlands National Park

2. the climb in the afternoon of North Mountain rewards with excellent scenery too

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