More swampy matters - bogs part 3

Turf is a very inefficient source of heat but Irelands’ main electrical plants are heated by peat. Yet, as we drove through the peat lands, a tiny portion of which is being conserved, we noticed signs against wind mills. 

The fellow who started the Irish conservation movement (now supported by EU) was Dutch. A scientist, he was studying bogs but had to travel to Ireland for field studies since all the bogs in Holland have long gone. When he realized Ireland’s bogs were about to go the same route, he financed a conservation effort which earned him international recognition. Ironically, much of the peat moss still produced in Ireland is sent to Holland for use in their tulip beds. 

The other side of the fence - bogs part 2

While out in the countryside wandering the bog lands, we heard the tractor start in the neighbouring property. We knew they were harvesting peat and we waited for the tractor hauling a load of cut turf to come down the same narrow road we had parked on. We talked to two young fellows - one the boss, the other a camera-shy helper. Their enthusiasm was touching. They even insisted we take a 'sample' piece of turf home to Canada with us. These local guys work hard to harvest the peat and sell it in their community. He figured his truck load would sell for about 300 euros. It is weather-dependent - they have only managed one cut this year. A good year would be three cuts.

They also told us that there are much bigger industrial operations that can harvest far more in a cutting than them. We had already seen fields with huge swaths of cleared bog.

Getting bogged down - part 1

After spending much of our past three weeks surrounded by boggy landscape, we decided today to head across country to find the Bog of Allen Nature Centre. We were admitted to the damp-smelling stone building (no heating on when groups are not expected) and were treated to a private lesson about the formation and ecology of these 10,000 year old bogs. These important ecosystems are critical in flood prevention and carbon sequestration - Ireland has 50% of Europe’s remaining bogland. 

The peat bogs have been a critical source of fuel in Ireland for centuries. During WWII the army was sent out to harvest peat to heat the towns and cities when ships could no longer transport coal. Much of Ireland still depends on it - especially if the cost of oil is high. 

We went out to two sites of conserved bog lands after our session and wandered freely in the fens with its beautiful subtle colours of the Irish landscape. Fens have been cut but then left to turn into meadows which attract butterflies. 

We followed board walks over the raised bog which in summer is alive with exotic sun dews, orchids, frogs, and salamanders. 

A Day Trip to Wexford

Wexford is on the south-eastern tip of Ireland, location of some of its best weather. It was a beautiful sunny day today and only windy on the waterfront. Wexford is not as high up on the tourist must-see list as the neighbouring Waterford - perfect for us. We didn't see one t-shirt or souvenir shop.
When we talked to the woman at the TI and I suggested we might just drive by some of the highlighted sites she mentioned, she replied calmly but firmly, "Oh no, you wouldn't want to do that. We agreed after our walking visit.  The streets might win the "narrowest street' award of any town we've visited. And apparently they still follow the fish bone pattern established by the Vikings who settled here. The streets fan off the winding main street and meander themselves. The city has adopted a system of one-ways which is the only sensible thing to do but hopeless for new drivers. We found walking with a map enough of a challenge.

We love these familiar streets - you could be on the main street of any Irish town we've seen

Narrow? Even the sidewalks.

The Pikeman - commemorates the failed Irish rebellion in 1798. This farm weapon was all the locals had to use against the British forces, armed with canons, muskets and horses. 

Medieval Church now in ruins. Graves go back to Cromwell's invasion. 

Second instalment for gardeners

I had two gardens on my Irish wish list. Powerscourt, because of its National Geographic ranking, and Mount Usher Garden which has its fans too. The two gardens are utterly different. Mount Usher is a renowned Robinsonian garden - a garden designer who turned away from the formal controlled garden to a more naturalistic style. It was also a move from expensive and labour-intensive use of annuals to gardening around the use of perennials. The garden contains hundreds of rare and exotic trees and shrubs. You "feel" you are in a garden in this one, wandering through 22 acres of paths which meander alongside the Vartry river. There are clear numbers at the base of the champion specimens and a guide with name and description. My favourite was the Caucasian wingnut....

Colour is only just beginning to start. Many of the trees are described as having brilliant and stunning fall colour but they were still a dark green with no hint of the glory to follow.

Chilean Myrtle, one of the oldest surviving plantings in the garden - 1890. It is covered with tiny white blossoms.

Numbers found at base of 87 different species of trees

One of many different species of Gum trees - this one, the Urn Gum, is notable for its beautifully patterned bark. It is over 100 years old, planted in 1911.

A rainbow of weaving

We had a much quieter but beautiful day today. Avoca hand weavers was our first stop where we had a tour of the mill which has been in production almost continually since first weaving cloth for the miners who worked the copper mine in the region in the late 1700's.

Evening walk in Glendalough

Climbing with Billy Goats Gruff

We have booked our B&B for five nights and are slowing down before our final stop in Dublin. We've picked Laragh, a small town close to Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains in order to take advantage of the beautiful hiking trails in the area.
This morning, the forecast was for no rain and some sun so we set out for a trail along the Upper lake at Glendalough. When we got out of the car we realized there is more to Irish weather than rain! The wind was gusting and we were fighting an uphill battle getting ourselves on the trail. We were soon in  the trees and somewhat protected but our only consolation was the fact we'd have it at our backs on the way out.
The trail took us along the lake then followed a trail up to an abandoned 1850's copper mine. More stone ruins! We spotted a few birds on the way as well as feral goats - leftover from the goats kept by the miners. They are the image of Billy Goat's Gruff - with long horns and beards perched high on the hillsides and only clearly seen through binoculars.
We were almost alone heading out but coming back we ran into a Dublin high school group. Our hilarious encounter was with a group of eight or ten who liked our accent and ended up teaching us a few Irish phrases. The most fluent of them proudly told us about his brother who has left for a job in Canada and now lives in Waterton! They were heading to the top of the mountain (steep hill) and were going to swim in a lake on the other side!

Looks deceptively calm...

Wild goats

Ruins from 1850's copper mine

And a few more pictures....

Flocks of noisy black birds have followed us around Ireland - They are all in the crow family and we finally got close enough to identify two of the types. These noisy little guys (half-way between crow and robin in size) are Jackdaws. They love nesting in abandoned castles and monasteries and would be squawking above us as we wandered around the ruins. These two are looking for some of our lunch on the patio at Powerscourt.

And this charming fellow is a Rook! Think of him when you next play chess. He talked to us with a surprising repertoire using little convincing sounds trying to get some of our lunch. He is bigger than a crow, smaller than a raven. 

When we set out early this morning, it looked like smoke on the horizon. We soon realized it was mist lifting off the boggy ground. We've had so much rain that stepping out of the car onto what looks like a green shoulder lets us sink ankle-deep into soft mushy ground....

For Gardeners

When researching Ireland I found out that National Geographic published a ranking of the world's best gardens. I don't know the criteria but the first four named are: Versailles, Kew, Powerscourt in Ireland, and Butchart's Garden in Victoria!
So of course we had to check it out. The Powerscourt Garden is 47 acres located in the 1000-acre Powerscourt Estate in Wicklow. House and grounds were originally designed in 1730's and the ornamental grounds in 1870's. It took 100 men, 12 years to build the terraces. The garden leads down from the house to terraces with rose gardens, pools and fountains. An amazing backdrop is provided by Sugar Loaf Mountain, an unusual cone-shaped mountain with a plain granite top. Best example of "borrowed scenery" you'll ever see.
In a bad news/good news story, we have no good pictures of the view from the house because it faces south and the sun was shining!! But the garden design is spectacular and the beds still pretty fabulous.

Boggy river or sticky toffee pudding?

Ireland is covered with bog. The evidence is seen in the rivers. They are the colour of strong tea. We got up close to a beautiful little stream in Sally Gap. The colour reminded me of the sticky toffee pudding sauce.

A few things left over from yesterday...

A beautiful little Robin. Much smaller than ours.

11th Century Church built on burial place of ancient Irish clan - the O'Tooles.
The graves stones are the oldest we've seen - some have eroded away to stumps. 

A protected Oak grove, even Irish oak suffer from the dreaded gall wasp. 

Sally Gap

After Glendalough, we drove through the Wicklow Mountains looking for Sally Gap. This countryside was used by dissidents during early Irish/English struggles in the 18th Century. The English built the road to have access to those Irish fellas. It still has serious warnings about the condition but we found it no different than all the crazy narrow roads in Ireland. I can only imagine the beauty of this drive in the spring when the heather is blooming.

Start of the drive up into the Wicklow Mountains

Here comes the rain...

Followed by the most stunning rainbow at Sally Gap

Then, the sky cleared again!

Glendalough - home of St Kevin

Glendalough (valley of two lakes) is found in the Wicklow Mountains and home to an ancient monastery established by St. Kevin in the 6th Century! Of course we were curious! 

The day started out sunny and we left our B&B early to avoid the crowds. It was much cooler today - about 10 degrees when we started out - 4 degrees cooler than what we’ve had up to now. But the sun! After yesterday we were thrilled to have it back. 

The trails took us through the ruins of the monastery, up the hillside of ancient oak trees, and along two lakes - upper and lower. Absolutely beautiful. We circled back around noon to watch cars being allowed into the car park one at a time as a car left (and nine tour buses lined up in their area). Someone told us the season is pretty much over - no charge for parking after today. It didn’t look like end of season to me…. 

St Kevin's meagre quarters - cave with sheepskin blankets and fire. Not a lot different from weekend campouts of a modern Kevin - Btw, June 3rd is St Kevin's feast day - remind me and I'll bake you a cake...

The tower is one of the best preserved and tallest in Ireland

Walk along the lower lake

Further along the lake, Reefert Church, built around 12th Century. It stands on the site of the ancient O'Toole clan

Style characteristic of earliest stone churches in Ireland

Moving day and gale-force winds

Today was moving day. There was also a gale - strong winds and heavy rain so good we had nothing planned. For the first time in Ireland I didn’t take one picture! 

We are now in a B&B in Wicklow about 100 km south of Dublin. We have almost come full circle. We hoped to find a self-catering apartment for a week before our last three days in Dublin but no luck. The explanation: a movie being filmed in the area is filling up all the long-term spots.

We will probably just continue to stay in B&B’s but might venture further into the Wicklow Mountains or Glendalough so we can do some walking.We are told the weather will be better tomorrow but from the forecast it looks like we will continue to experience full-on Irish weather - change by the hour.  

Cobh to Cashel in the wind

Cobh was the last port the Titanic stopped at before its voyage. It has the second largest harbour in the world (after Sydney). But we decided we'd learned lots about the Titanic in Belfast and the wind was howling making seaside walking not fun so we headed north to The Rock of Cashel.
This remarkable ruin is in scaffolding but still dramatic enough to impress. It was originally the seat of ancient Irish kings, then turned over to church before falling to the Anglo-Normans. A variety of architectural styles are revealed as layers were added. Interesting details still survive and a fascinating video of the history of Cashel was almost like reviewing the history of Ireland.

One of the steep streets of Cobh

Fist-sized carvings perch high up in the Cathedral of Cashel

Fallen and lichen-covered crosses make me think of totems decaying in the coastal BC weather

The Rock of Cashel
Work being done on Cormac's Chapel - one of the earliest Romanesque-styled churches in Ireland.
Various styles added and squeezed around older portions. 

Menacing clouds followed us all day. The wind was blowing but no rain.