July 30 2017
We got up promptly at 10 or 10:30 to get a good start on the day and headed off for our B&B in Doolin. This entailed hugging the coast on roads that got narrower and narrower and narrower. No kidding, we thought we’d seen the last “road narrows” sign but we passed as least 2 more after that! Buses were scraping the stone walls to pass each other (what buses were doing on this road in the first place was a bit of a mystery to me until I figured out that the one we were following was actually a city bus making regular stops in various towns along the way! The other buses were tours and were frankly insane.).
Lots of room on the castle ramparts!
We made a pit stop at Dunguaire Castle which is a small, single-family castle for the less-well-off. It was privately owned until well into the 1900’s until Queen Elizabeth helped herself to it, apparently a “normal” thing to do.
After that, it was even narrower (!) roads along the coast until we got to Doolin. The countryside reminded us of Newfoundland, actually, including the clouds and wind. Still … gorgeous!
In Doolin we braved the cold and rainy weather to take a 1-hour boat tour to see the might cliffs of Moher up close and personal. Mitchell and I decided we had to be in the outside seats so we ran up and grabs seats in the front. Jeff sat a row behind us which lead to the following exchange:
Mitchell: Dad, why are you sitting back there and not in the front with us?
Jeff: What? Have you never been on a boat?
10 minutes later, Mitchell and I are in the front getting slammed by ocean spray as our tour boat crashes through the Atlantic ocean waves.
Jeff: Told you.
Me: Worth it!
The cliffs are 700 feet at their highest point and pretty impressive. They are famous for being home to the cave featured for 20 seconds in Harry Potter, where Harry and Dumbledore travel to retrieve a Horcrux. Many seabirds live here as well, including Puffins which Mitchell was excited to see. It’s good when your 18 year old is excited by puffins.