By Kristen
After an evening in the quaint town of Cashel, we made the
most of some built-in free time in our itinerary and found a short hiking trail
in County Clare. Ireland has a vibrant hiking trail system and this particular
selection was part of the National Looped Trail system, the perfect option for
us to enjoy a walk to fill an hour or two of time. We hiked a four-kilometer trail
called the Clare Glens, working up one side of a small river through the woods
to a waterfall and returning on the opposite bank. After a few days of nonstop
shuttling around Ireland, it was lovely to simply walk and enjoy some country
quiet, fresh air and the sounds of the wind in the treetops.
The other side-effect bonus of this hike was an
off-the-beaten-trail tour of Counties Tipperary and Clare, following some
absurdly narrow and bending roads to little villages looking classically “Irish”—neat
stone houses, tidy gardens, quintessential pubs with the swinging wooden sign.
As it turns out, most of the stereotypes about little Irish towns are kind of
true. We passed countless stone-fenced fields filled with sheep, cattle and the
ubiquitous spotted draft ponies, enjoying the off-and-on sunshine.
After our hike, we wound our way to the city of Limerick for
lunch, spending a few hours wandering the busy streets of the central city. My
two friends and I spent our time walking the old cemeteries around St. Mary’s
Cathedral while others in our party used their time at the shopping outlets.
While it’s hard to form an opinion after such a short time in a place, I much
preferred Dublin as a city—Limerick didn’t have the same authentic, original,
historic feel. Again, with more time to explore, perhaps I would change my
mind.
From Limerick, we turned northward, stopping at Bunratty
Castle to tour. After our incredible experience at the Rock of Cashel, Bunratty
with its reconstructed and re-furnished interior was jarring and unexpected.
This castle is technically referred to as a tower-house, used as a small
fortress for the ruling families for several centuries until the mid-1600s. We
began our tour on the bottom floor and worked upward, exploring the castle’s
narrow spiral staircases all the way to the battlements on the tops of the
towers to look over County Clare. While the historical reconstructions in the
castle itself as well as the folk village below helped to illustrate what life
might have been like somewhere in its timeline, I personally much preferred the
stark majesty of Cashel, all alone on its windy hilltop.
We continued our journey to the city of Galway, the
countryside getting just a little wilder: the land itself was rockier, more rugged.
I can see now why this was called the “real” Ireland—the land is barely
contained between the handbuilt stone walls. Our hotel is a few kilometers from
the city center, so I can’t see the bay leading to the Atlantic from here.
Tomorrow, however, we will have the closest view possible as we ferry out to
Inis Mor, part of the Aran Islands!
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