Breara Penisula

Rang through to Creveen Lodge campsite on the Healy Pass, Beara, spoke to Mary, 'To be sure to bring food' said Mary, so we stocked up on food before we got.

We arrived late after many stops to admire the coast and ancient monuments along the way along with seals basking on the rocks, we drove down the Healy pass, narrow mountain pass that squiggles around hairpin bends and along lumpy spines - It was dark, foggy and raining - felt like an 8 mile toboggan run. Luckily we only met two vehicles coming the other way but had to slow several times for sheep - who did not expect vehicles on their road. We could see the spectacular rock and the many vertical waterfalls - but not the view or the drops off the side of the road. I was quite pleased it was dark. The Healy pass was constructed to aid the delivery of food during the potato famine.

When we woke we found we had a most outstanding view across the glen, framed by mountains looking out to sea, wonderful. Our camp site is set in the Caha Mountain range on the Healy pass, spectacular.

The campsite has three lovely collie dogs that are there as working dogs as it is a sheep farm, they came rounding up anyone that a--rrived onto camp and came around making sure we were tucked up for the night and then again that we were awake the next morning. We had a lovely robin with us for the two nights, the dogs ate the bread we put out for the robin. Ela was actually parked mid dog run - high speed dogs shooting past whenever a delivery or car arrived on the site - luckily we escaped being swept off our feet.

We drove the full ring of the Ring of Beara, apart from a narrow pass road that we were too wide for. The orange of the landscape and the turquoise of the sea was stunning. Eyeries on the pass is a lovely village on the rugged rock landscape, the house all pastle colours, to aid the husbands finding the right house after last orders. We had lunch in Castletownbere at McCarthys bar, which also doubled as a store, fantastic place, Guinness and Crab Sandwich.

Castletownbere is a working harbour (Berehaven Harbour) - and is the largest fishing port in Ireland. Many, many large bright coloured trawler fishing boats here with their catch, they are used to foreign visitors from far and wide. It is the 2nd safest natural harbour in Ireland. The area is the setting of Daphne Du Maurier's Hungry Hill book, which is the name of the highest peak in the Caha Mountains.

Next stop is Dantry, for a good night out, parking in the port - where it is 10 Euros per night with electricity and water, showers at the nearby hotel - right on the waters edge listening to the clang of the sailing yachts - lovely.