We started our journey in the early afternoon. The morning had quite a nice sunshine then it started to rain heavily just around noon but when we started our trip it was sunny again.
We followed along a short footpath before walking just straight across some fields. There really aren't a lot of ways for pedestrians around.
We did have to walk on the street for the last part of the way because the fields were getting too swampy.
While on the road the temperature suddenly dropped and we could even see our breath then it started to hail! For like 20seconds, before the sun came out again.
The weather in ireland is really something else.
Aftet about 2hrs we reached the path that would lead us towards the abandoned knocklofty hotel.
What we did not expect to see were some children running around in the distance. We thought they are probably just going on a walk with their parents but as we got closer it turned out they were right in front of the hotel.
And they weren't alone.
Yes the hotel was abandoned but there were multiple cars and campers parked infront of it. A small community of people, dogs, kids, was just hanging around.
There really wasn't a way to avoid the as the kids quickly noticed us. They asked quite suspiciously what we were doing here and told us to 'keep walking'. I talked to them and asked if there was a way inside but they just said that the front door was closed.
As if there wasn't a single side entrance in this huge mansion.
We went to the front door since the other people were already kind of looking at us and we didn't just want to sneak away. The front door was indeed locked and I asked the campers if there was a way in.
But they just said that the front door is locked and we shouldn't be here because the house is private property.
I am sure these people were here completly legally.... It all seemed very shady and we were clearly not welcome here.
So we walked away and explored a bit around the hotel. There were many more abondoned houses down the road and we actually found a few entrances inside. But just into the houses, none of them led into the hotel.
We decided to turn around where we came from and try to walk across some more fields to get to the mansion from the other side.
It was here that svea spotted and open gate which led us into an overgrown garden and a half open window.
Svea didn't hesitate to open the window completly but it actually came loose and she could barely catch it before it would have shattered unto the ground.
We now had a small way inside and one after the other entered the mansion.
Here there were swimming pools, jaccuzis and showers. We were being very quite because the 'legal campers' were just on the outside the building and really didn't seem to want us here.
And we found out why.
There was still running water. All the showers and faucets were working and there was shampoo, towels and toothbrushes laying around. These people were basically living here.
We only got into a small part of the house and not the main area. So we decided to climb back out again and try a different way.
Though we where noe looking and listening for anyone that just might decide to take a shower.
We found another hidden wax into the back garden of the house. We had to fight through a lot of overgrown plants but we managed to get right behind the hotel. We were in the main garden now.
Then suddenly the garden door opened and the people that were outside by the campers came into the garden. We hid into the bushes and went completly silent.
Then we waited for 2 maybe 3 minutes until they were out lf view. They probably went inside the house. But we weren't going to test how much they liked it if we went into 'their' home. So we took our chance and got out of there.
We had some real adreneline hiding there in the bushes but we got out unscaved.
The way back we laughed about the adventure and everything that just happened. Hannah even said she is probably going to tell her host family that we just went on a long walk and didn't do anything dangerous.
We had a good time and got home just when dinner was done.
Tomorrow our work continues at the child shelter and I am looking forward to it even though I had a great weekend.
