The Ring of Kerry: Reprise, in reverse (and in the sun)!

Setting out from our tiny, cottage-hostel on Caherdaniel (complete with a peat fire in the kitchen and a dog that had followed hikers over the mountains), we were greeted by the sun! It was our first completely sunny day in well over a week...

Morning light over the fishing villages...

As the sun rose higher, the colors and views just kept getting better!

Mountain farms and a ring fort ruin (center)...

If I disappear to Ireland, look for me here on the Kerry coast with the Skellig Rocks (home to monastic ruins and puffins) in the background...

You might recognize this view of Bellinskellig's Bay... without the fog! (Compare to previous postings...)


Or again, Dingle Bay, without the rain...

After adventuring down several unmarked roads inland from the Ring of Kerry, we ended up at Castlemaine Harbor for our lunch, the Slieve Mish Mtns of the Dingle Peninsula in the background...

... there joined by friendly, beach-running, bird-chasing setter who persistently tried to persuade us to let him be our guest at lunch. We named him Finnegan. (He did do us the favor of finishing off our everlasting brown soda bread, then almost 4 days old.)

Arriving in Killarney, we hiked a short bit into the national park
On our way to Torc Mountain...

Sprawling rhodedendrons of dubious reputation, guilty of overcrowding more fragile species and yet gorgeous...

Torc waterfall, a great place to sit for hours...

(Happily demonstrated by the couple of sweethearts blissfully unaware that they are now in everyone's pictures!)

Yes, we've been on the road for a few days!

Then back to regional landmark, the Muckross House...

Some people seem like they have all the luck, but having to impress Queen Victoria on a 2-day visit were was more than this family could handle... bankrupted and could not stay on to enjoy their work.

So the rest of us do instead!

And though considered rogues elsewhere, in the Muckross House gardens the rhodendrons prosper in every hue... Sadly, here my camera battery gave out!