Exploring the area around Galway

Sky Rd. map

After a good nights sleep, we went downstairs to have breakfast. We had coffee, Chris had pancakes and I had scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and Irish Soda Bread. I think I got a little addicted to the Irish Soda Bread, especially Elizabeth's at the Bay Cottage B&B.

After breakfast we headed toward Clifden to find the Sky Road. The Sky Rd. is a beautiful narrow road with gorgeous views that leads to Connemara National Park.

It was rainy and overcast most of the way but still beautiful. Bright yellow shrubs filled the hillsides with sunny color. Ancient stone ruins dotted the countryside.

Clifden

Didn't take long to get to Clifden so we decided to park the car and poke around. It's a pretty cute little village. I took a few photos and we were on our way after visiting the local grocery store.

With a little help from Siri and google maps we found the Sky Rd. and continued on our way.

What a beautiful drive; water, wildflowers, more ruins and incredible views. I wish it had been clearer so we could see more but it was gorgeous as it was.

By the time we reached Connemara National Park we were beginning to get pretty hungry. They have a little café at the visitor's center so we decided to have lunch there. Worst food we had on the whole trip! That's all I'm going to say about it.

We were given information regarding where we could pick up the trail head to do the hike we had decided to do and we headed out.

Me on the trail

It wasn't a really long hike just over 3 miles but it was really nice to be hiking on a trail instead of riding in a car. It was still drizzly and there were very few other people on the trail, it was nice. 

There was a longer hike but we had a lot to see before returning to our room in Galway. 

After our visit to Connemara we headed on toward Kylemore Abbey in Connemara near Cong. We had a couple exciting moments along the way when we lost cell service and weren't sure which way to go but it all worked out.

Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey and Gardens was built by Mitchell and Margaret Henry. The story goes that Mitchell and Margaret visited Connemara while on there honeymoon and decided that they wanted to live there someday. The castle is built on the site of the Kylemore Lodge where they used to stay.

We got there too late to visit the walled gardens but the abbey, mausoleum and church are magnificent. 

Kylemore church

We self-toured the Abbey's restored rooms and then took the path up to the church which was built in honor of Margaret Henry and designed to look like a mini cathedral. 

Mausoleum

Margaret Henry, Mitchell's beloved wife and the mother of their 9 children, had tragically died of dysentery 16 days before her 45th birthday on a trip the Henry's had taken to Egypt. Mitchell loved her so much  that he couldn't bear the thought of her being buried in the "cold, hard ground" of a foreign country. He brought her embalmed body back to her beloved Connemara. 

Ryan's Hotel and The Crowe's Nest

We had to leave Kylemore, go in search of food and head back to our B&B in Galway. We found a lovely little bar in Cong to have our dinner. It was called The Crowe's Nest and was part of Ryan's Hotel. We each had the salmon with chips and salad which was quite good and a Guinness.

After dinner we made our way back to Marless House.