Achill Island is one of the most beautiful places we have visited. It came highly recommended by #ourvantasticfamily and it lived up to the hype. The first place we headed was right to the end, and the beach at Keem Strand.
We had been warned that it was a steep climb up and then down to get to it. I was looking forward to a fun drive, but it was not a single lane road, so not as much fun as I hoped. The views were dramatic – a 200 metre drop off the side of the road straight to the sea. The beach was gorgeous, and as people wandered around, wrapped up in coats and hats, the pull of the sea was too much for me, and I went in, but in my jumper and hat. I am braver now, and used to the cold water, and would definitely go for a swim.
We wrote messages to our grandchildren in the sand, which we later sent as postcards. We also wrote a good luck message to my boy, who was coming up to a Muay Thai Fight.
Sadly there was no parking on Keem Beach, so we went back up the island and parked behind Keel Beach overnight.
Keel was another gorgeous beach. We were able to park up just behind it and stayed two nights. It was just too lovely to leave. After crunching over the pebbly dunes, the beach was huge, with beautiful skies. We spent time walking along it, and I took the opportunity to complete a work out and stretch in the sand as the sun set. There is no more perfect way to work out at the end of the day. Of course, I then went to take advantage of the vitamin sea.
We visited a village, abandoned during the time of the famine. It was surprisingly complete, considering the time that had passed, but was eerie. It felt like it was full of ghosts. It’s horrible to think of a life so desperate, an entire village upped and left, just to find food and survive. And even more scary that it is still happening around the world today.
The Ballycroy National Visitor Centre was our next stop. We took a short walk up to the view point and a drive round the Letterkeen loop.
With the sweeping views of the pine forests, it drew us in, and we found a park up and walked. The walk started at a bothy. It was a cute, stone built building, giving shelter from the elements in Wild Nephin National Park. The walk took us through muddy puddles, alongside a stream, over bridges, across boardwalks at the more boggy places and along a gravel road, where a stag joined us, but all too briefly. A flash of his majesty then we were spotted and he was gone.
“For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream………” Vincent Van Gogh
Wild Nephin is dark sky area. We stayed for the night and it was truly magical. There was no light at all and it was so peaceful. We booked on to a night sky walk, which left from the bothy. Sadly it was too cloudy for the stars, and very wet and windy, so the we just had a chat with the organiser instead, and a German traveller, who had joined us. We really wanted to do the walk, so planned to come back the following week, but when I messaged the guide, it was still cloudy and overcast – then we were too far away to travel back. Maybe we’ll be back there one day.
After the most peaceful of nights, we were low on power, so found a campsite. We also needed wifi as Aiden was fighting at the O2. He won – so proud of him and all he has achieved. When he was at primary school the SEN told me he was not as bright as I would like him to be, and just needed to accept it. He has more than proved her wrong, with 3 A levels, a job in the army, in which time he has been a Cold Stream Guard, completed the Trooping of the Colour, qualified as a paratrooper and then found his niche in the PTI core. He also realised his ambition to become a professional Muay Thai fighter – and that day, at the O2, he won.
The campsite is in Ballina – Belleek Caravan and Camping Park, Ballina, Co. Mayo was lovely. It had excellent facilities, excellent wifi and, out of season, it was very quiet, we returned 3 times in the end. While there we topped up the power and water, emptied and filled the water tanks, did the laundry and, as it was windy, I completed my workout in the laundry room. It wasn’t very big, but bigger than the van.
Staying fit is important to me and at this time I couldn’t run, due to a knee injury, so I was doing regular work outs. I use a combination of a work out plan my son has drawn up for me, and Nourish Move Love | The Best At-Home Workout Routines on YouTube. At the time I was only carrying resistance bands, but since we have jettisoned the bikes, I now carry a set of weights as well. I work out anywhere – if I’m lucky, I get to use beautiful parks and beaches. Other times, it’s the carpark we are staying in, the side of the road and even, on this occasion, the laundry room. I can even do a full workout in the van. It is cramped, but possible.
Having recharged, literally, we headed back out on the Wild Atlantic Way and found one of my absolute favourite places. At Dunmoran Strand we could park up next to the beach. There were no houses nearby and very few cars coming and going. We took a long walk along the beach, collecting shells for jewellery making. (I still have most of them (see blog Money, money, money,”) and watching the sinister looking sea foam on the edge of the waves.
The rocks were covered in snails. We gave up trying to walk on them, as it was impossible, without becoming a snail serial killer.
The heavens opened just as we got back, so it was one of the occasions where I did my work out in the van. The rain cleared up for the sunset, and I was back on the beach, and in the waves. I spent ages enjoying the cold water, the huge sky and the birds. I was completely alone on the beach, in the half light of the evening, and it was perfect.
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