Connemara

I’d added on a couple of days to my stay in Galway and I wanted to take advantage of them to get out into the nearby countryside. I had limited time and there was a lot I could see. I’d thought of using public transport, but that would limit what I could see and I’d have to make decisions myself of where to go. So taking to my friends who live in Galway I decided I’d book on a couple of coach trips. That’s not normally my preferred approach to tourism, but it seemed to be the most efficient way of getting a feel for the sights. The downside being that I would be tied to the tour company’s choices and timescale, which tends to be – “we’ll stop here for 10 minutes while you take some photos”. But weighing up the pros and cons I got out the credit card and for the first day booked a day trip to Connemara, the wild countryside of lakes, mountains, sea and, of course, bogs, to the west of Galway. According to Wikipedia, with a population 32,000 Connemara has 20,000–24,000 native Irish speakers, making it the largest Irish-speaking Gaeltacht.

Inevitably, the majority of the other passengers on the trip were elderly Americans (although there were some younger people, including two twenty something Australian sisters). Mind you, sadly, I guess I could be classified as an elderly Englishman these days!

We drove out of Galway passing Lough Corrib and soon the mountains started to come into view

The first main stop of the day was at Leenaun, a small settlement at the end of the rather magnificent Killary Fjord, also known as Killary Harbour – “the only Fjord in Ireland”, allegedly – which forms part of the border between Connemara (County Galway) and County Mayo to the north.

Killary Fjord from Leenaun

Leenaun

We stopped for half an hour; enough time to take some photos and to have a moch in the two gift shops. There was a pub and a few houses, but not much else.

Back on the coach and after a short drive we stopped at a viewpoint to snap a few more photos.

Killary Fjord

Killary Fjord

The main stop of the trip wasn’t far off now. Almost everybody was getting off at Kylemore Abbey, but two of us stayed on the coach for a few more miles, disembarking at Letterfrack, the gateway to the Connemara National Park, ready to walk up Diamond Hill, also known as ‘‘Bengooria’, and in Irish, Binn Ghuaire’,

The route up this hill is the second most popular trail in Ireland after that up Croagh Patrick. There are 4 waymarked trails on the 1,450ft hill, starting from the National Park Centre. We had just over two hours before the coach returned. We were warned that if we weren’t at the pick up point when the coach returned it would leave without us, and advised to “take the blue route”, which walked up the lower slopes of the hill on a well made pathway. The longer Red Route, which takes in the summit, which includes a steep climb, and the full walk from the Visitor Centre and back down, apparently typically takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours to complete.

After a short walk to the Visitor Centre from our drop off point we started off following the signs for the Blue Route

On the way up to Diamond Hill

There were good views of the countryside as we climbed gently up the well made gravel track.

We reached the high point of the Blue Route, about half way round, with its large “Centre Rock” after about half an hour. We were going to have some hanging around to do if we carried on around the route back to the Visitor centre – an opportunity for a brew in the cafe and a look around the exhibition about the Park.

The Centre Rock

But my eyes were drawn to the summit. As J always tells me, “if you see a hill you just have to go up it!” so I, inevitably decided that was what I was going to do, continuing on towards the summit on the Red Route. I thought that if I kept an eye on the time, I could always turn around if it didn’t look like we (for Tom, the other coach tourist, decided to join me) could always turn back.

It was fairly easy going at first, but the final section was a steep climb and we had to keep moving if we were to make the summit and still get back to the coach in time. So there wasn’t a lot of time to stop and take in the views, but when we did they were pretty stunning. Photos can’t do justice.

Looking down to the Atlantic

What I hadn’t realised was that as we reached the bottom of the conical peak the path became a one way system – no turning back after this point.

But we carried on.

We made it to the top on schedule. It had been a bit of a rush, faster than my normal climbing speed, but the views were outstanding.

Looking down to Kylemore Abbey at the head of the two loughs

and looking over to the mountain range known as the Twelve Bens (or Twelve Pins).

After a short stop for photos, it was time to set off back down. A steep descent from the summit, but, fortunately, work had been done to create a decent path which allowed us to keep moving quickly.

At the bottom of the cone we were back on flatter terrain. Bog! Fortunately a boardwalk had been laid down and we were able to pick up the pace. Unusually for me, we were the speedsters overtaking the other walkers.

Reaching the Visitor Centre we had another twenty minutes or so before the bus was due to arrive – we’d done the whole route in more or less two hours. We didn’t have time for a stop in the cafe or take a look round the exhibition, so after a toilet stop we headed back the last half a mile or so to the village centre. We then had a wait of about 10 minutes before eh coach arrived, having already picked up the other passengers from the Abbey.

We were now on our return route but the tour hadn’t finished. Before reaching Leenaun the driver turned south for a scenic drive past mountains, loughs and bog towards the coast.

Taking a short photo stop in the middle of nowhere!

after which we carried on to the coast and then followed the coast road heading towards Galway.

Our final 30 minute stop of the day was at the small coastal village of Spiddal (An Spidéali in Irish).

We parked up near the touristy craft village, stopping for half an hour which allowed for browsing and purchasing of souvenirs.

We continued along the coast road and arrived back in Galway on schedule during the evening rush hour!

I’d enjoyed the trip, despite the rush. I’d got a good feel for the area and had seen some of the main sights. I would have liked more time for the walk up Diamond Hill so I could properly savour the landscape. I’d like to go back sometime and do some proper walking. That would be challenging – there’s few proper paths up in the mountains and across the boggy lower terrain. And the weather isn’t exactly to be fine and sunny! (We were lucky with a good day, although we drove through some heavy showers heading through the boggy land towards the coast). But I like a challenge 😂