Friday 14 July

So this morning we retraced some steps from last night, especially around Lough Gara. Although it was morning the weather was gloomy and visibility not a lot better than last night. We did the walk to the 'fairy bridge' which was high on Mary's list. It was indeed a very pretty place but I have to admit I didn't see any fairies. We took lots of photos as the construction and stones were unusual. Then we visited and photographed the Island Castle before heading a few miles north to Sligo and the megalithic tombs. Remains excavated so far date between 3000BC and 90 AD. The grave area is .6 x 1KM with 30 passage tombs surviving and 25 or so previously damaged or looted. Some remarkable geographic influences such as spaces in the tops of mountain ranges either side showing further distant ranges with prehistoric grave sites on opposing ridges, visible right through in apparent alignment.

Mountbatton Gatehouse

Mountbatton Gatepost

 We headed back to the coast and I took photos of a beautiful Gatehouse and gateway that we later found out led to the former estate of the late Earl Mountbatton.

We often find interesting GRAND gateways, beautiful gate posts, in the most unlikely places on narrow country lanes with only paddocks in the distance behind them. We can only imagine the homes they once led to.
We lunched in a beautiful seaside village (Mullaghmore), with a walled harbour. I said...."Isn't this beautiful.... Imagine it in summer"...then realised that summer is what it is supposed to be! I had another delicious seafood chowder.