Gap of Dunloe

We set off on another day trip adventure. This time to the lakes of Killarney and the Gap of Dunloe. We starting out in a 1930’s (?) era bus headed to Ross castle.  Then to the boat for a ride around the three lakes of Killarney. First sight is Ross Castle from the water. Nine of us plus the driver in the boat. Water is a little choppy, a bit windy and quite overcast. The 3 lakes flow from upper to a shorat river to the middle to the lower. We started in the lower which is known as the lake of learning because of an old monastery on an island where the monks apparently wrote a number of books. Rhododendrons are an invasive species here. The guide said in a few weeks the hillsides would be red and purple with their blooms. The lakes are connected via narrow channels. How see in the pics a bridge over the channel connecting lower to middle. Was a fair current through that channel.

At the channel/bridge from middle to the river leading to upper, the current was so strong that the guide had us disembark, walk to the other side and re-embark to continue. Pics show a bit of that current. Yes, we took a selfie - not my strong suit. Upper lake was more placid. At the top end of it, we stopped for lunch.

Then we started a trip through the Gap of Dunloe on a little horse cart pulled by Wilma. Weather started moving in on us, so from here on out it was pretty misty. The trip was 7 miles, first uphill to the actual gap, then downhill on the other side. Series of small lakes on the downhill side. Driver said the hills would be all green in a couple of more weeks other than some of them that would be purple with blooms of heather.

Evening was spent in the town and then retiring to the B&B before our return to London the next day. Read more