Few sticks but plenty of stones

After a hike into town for a latte at the only place we could find open and serving, it became clear why most of the lodgings are Bed and Breakfasts. Good thing we know our way around grocery stores 😉. We decided to drive around the Dingle Peninsula, a scenic coastal drive similar to the Ring of Kerry only on a much smaller scale. IMHO it was better, with much less traffic and plenty of places to pull over to admire the spectacular view. Fortunately Dermot, our host, told us to drive the loop clockwise, as the road was not very wide and frequently down to one lane. We’ve learned to laugh at the posted speed limits, as they seem to be a challenge for those with a death wish. We are usually way below as is much of the traffic. There’s no shame in pulling over and letting someone go by who is on a mission. We passed up opportunities to pet lambs, watch working sheep dogs or tour potato famine cottages. How depressing would that be??? We did stop to check out the ring forts called Beehive Huts dating back to 2000BC and occupied through 1200AD. These circular huts are architectural marvels resembling beehives made of stone. The craftsmanship was incredible as they are constructed of circular layers of flat stones without any mortar in a method called corbeling . Each successive layer of stone is slightly closer to the center as they are built upwards until just a small stone is required to close the top. Long flat stones strategically placed form doorways. On the exterior the stones have a down and outward tilt to shed rain. The huts even had a niche in a wall for a fire I suspect. No wonder they have stood the test of time. Can’t imagine what life must have been like, but you’d have to be pretty darn tough to survive in that environment. We’re happy to return back to our comfortable lodging, hot showers, and delicious seafood dinners.Leggi altro