instead of going to Letterfreac via Clifden.
It was a misty evening but here and there light broke through the clouds, light so reflective of the West of Ireland.
We arrived at Leenane and drove by spectacular Killary Harbour, the only fjord in Ireland.
We passed Kylemore Abbey and Connemara National Park before arriving at our destination Rosleague Manor.
We were welcomed by the quiet, friendly dog of the house. The manor is one of the historic houses of Europe. It's location is spectacular overlooking Ballynakill Bay.
We were assigned a large garden suite. It was very comfortable and cosy - a perfect place for a winter break!
We walked down to the shore.
It must have rained a lot here recently as the grass was waterlogged. We continued by road to the pier and called in at the Avoca shop before returning to the manor to dress for dinner.
We had an aperitif in the conservatory but as it was now dark, we couldn't admire the gardens outside. We then adjourned to the dining room. Dinner was 5 courses and of excellent quality. All the ingredients are sourced locally - the manor boasts its own pigs and a walled kitchen garden. Starters included rillettes of lamb and cured mountain lamb for me and the best crab claws I've tasted for CC. Soup or sorbet followed - I can't comment on the soup as we both had the most delicious sorbet. My main course was mouth watering lobster, simply served with salted butter and a juicy fillet steak for CC. For desert, a most generous cheese board with many accoutrements and a delicious local carageen ice cream. Tea and petit fours completed a fantastic meal - if I had a quibble it would be that the petit fours were disappointing. A bottle of St Emilion proved to be a fine accompaniment. I won't trouble you with photos.!!
This morning, Sunday, commenced with an appetising breakfast. There were the usual selections - an excellent granola and local smoked salmon were among the highlights of the self service table, followed by poached egg and kidneys for me and an Irish breakfast for CC - I must compliment their brown breads - they were among the best I've eaten.
All the talk here is of Ophelia - a tropical storm said to hit the south and west coasts tomorrow morning. We are due to return to Dublin but if the red alert for this area comes to pass, we may have to extend our stay!!
After a brief respite to enable me to do my exercises post my fractured humerus, we drove into Letterfreac. Here is situated the infamous reformatory school that reflected the brutality of the borstal system, where children were removed from their families for such crimes as truancy from school or their mother dying. Today it is used as a woodworker training centre.
We continued to nearby Connemara National Park.
There is an excellent Visitors Centre which explains the history of the area. Having completed our visit there, we went outside. The weather was questionable? The Apps were forecasting rain but in any event we decided to take a walk in the Park. There are three - one easy, another of medium difficulty and the third more difficult with a steep climb. In consideration of my incapacity, we walked the first two. The scenery was stunning looking down on the bays below from every vantage including the old bog road.
The walks were not very long about 3km a piece but as we missed the turn for the Diamond walk, we had to retrace our steps. We spent a pleasant two hours walking and though the rain threatened to fall now and again, it did not rain.
A return to the Manor with the Sunday papers proved irresistible. Now I am sitting by a cosy turf fire relaxing for the evening and yet the rain has not come ......
Monday morning 0430 and I heard two German tourists depart for Dublin. At 1030, it appeared calm so we set out for Galway and called on friends. A wind was blowing but not strongly. In Galway, they were expecting the hurricane to arrive at 15.00 hrs. We decided to quit Galway at 13.30. It hadn't yet hit the Midlands as yet and we were informed that Dublin was quiet. The motorway was windy but not excessive. We arrived safely in Dublin.
It was a most enjoyable week- end.
