After the hike, our AirBnB turned out to be even nicer than we could have hoped: The place itself was lovely, calm, and picturesque… but the nearby seaside was the real highlight. We took a walk down just at sunset, and were treated to a singularly stunning lightshow as the sun dipped below the horizon. Beautiful low-tide, with none of the traditionally accompanying smells, and a whole TON of really cool fossils kept us curious as the evening cooled off.
I mean, seriously. The light! The coast!
It was nearly too much, but thankfully we survived and took these photos to bring back to you:
It’s my birthday, and we’re going on an adventure!
Ben Bulben is one of those really pretty spots in Ireland that I’ve heard about a dozen times, but never felt particularly drawn to actually visiting. I mean, it’s been on the list, but… yeah. Other places have taken priority, other trips, or just the chaotically overwhelming nature of life in Ireland has stayed my hand.
Until today!
The plan was simple – Andrea and I had a car rented, an AirBnB booked, and our gear packed. Hiking boots had been bought and tested, gear checked, and routes selected. We’d drive out, do a quick walk around the base of the massif, and then have a nice restful evening before starting into the main hike up the next day. The weather looked good, if a bit sunny, and we were excited for the excursion.
Then, when the rubber actually hit the road?
It went beautifully. Simply beautifully.
And as an added bonus? We were the last ones in the parking lot!
Adventure is out there! Out West! Out in the wild frontier!
I mean, it’s also in Westport, a cute little Irish town a ways North of Galway.
This time, we adventured a bit differently. Normally, we’d rent a car, do a drive, and pop around to various spots around town, or around the region. This time, though, we decided to go a bit more slowly. We didn’t have plans, we didn’t have a car, and we didn’t have specific destinations in mind. Andrea had found a perfect train itinerary that took us to a lovely Bed and Breakfast, booking directly with the hosts after ensuring it was a fairly easy walk from the train station.
Simple, easy, and relaxing was the goal. An escape from the city, an escape from the chaos, and an escape from the constant go-go-go anxiety that we’d both been battling over work for the past months.
It worked well. It worked quite well.
We walked, we enjoyed the cute hospitality of the bed and breakfast, and we took our time. We found small little gems around town – from pretty squares to a restaurant run by a Bulgarian couple, serving up a fusion of Bulgarian cuisine and Irish cooking! We walked, took in the views, and found a really cool boat tour that took us around the harbor, through the history of the port, and to see the seals sunning themselves nearby.
Crazily enough, I think my favorite part of the trip was the train rides there and back, though. Somehow the views were just perfect both times, and the sense of calm serenity as we just relaxed and let the conductor do their thing was exactly what was needed.
