Connemara National Park, Kylemore Abbey and lots of rain on the way to Achill Island

15.06.2022

Connemara National Park

Our first stop today is at Connemara National Park. An interesting but small exhibition about the history of peat deposits and extraction is the first part before we start a 1.5km short circular walk in drizzling rain.

Given the rain and the diminishing view of Diamond Hill, we turn around after half the distance and opt for a forest trail.

Unfortunately, there's not much to learn here. A few trees are labeled with names, but there's no information about their origin, age, distribution, etc. Half of the circular walk is a staircase that you climb upwards. Overall, our visit would have been much better with good weather. The weather forecast is terrible and the sky is getting darker. We continue the 6km to Kylemore Abbey.

Kylemore Abbey

The most visited sight in Ireland is Kylemore Abbey. What looks like a decorative replica in Disneyland is actually the home of Ireland's oldest Benedictine abbey. Here, 150 nuns live, practice, and work.

And apparently, the income from thousands of tourists is a compatible system. The parking lot is almost full and the crowd in the bus park gives some expectations... In the castle, you can visit a few rooms, the rest is used by the nuns.

The building dates back to the mid-19th century and was built by a wealthy industrialist and has been owned by the Benedictine nuns since 1920. The site also includes a Gothic church and a huge garden that can be reached by shuttle bus. To us, it doesn't seem worth the 15 euros entrance fee, so we rush into the café as the constant drizzle turns into continuous rainfall. After a warm soup and an hour of waiting for better weather in vain, we head north.

We follow a coastal road, passing by lakes, catching glimpses of peaks, and about 90km after starting in Clifden, we reach the bridge to Achill Island.

In Connemara and also on Achill Island, sheep are often seen roaming freely. So, in addition to driving on the left side of the road, you also have to watch out for sheep.

The room is ok, the bathroom is around the corner down the hall. Downstairs in the house, there's a kitchen for guests and a pub, a lounge, and a hall that serves as a breakfast room. The rain doesn't stop and continues to pour outside our window for hours.