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.