Annascaul to Dingle (20km/13.5mi)
The section from Annascaul to Dingle was the second prettiest hike of the Dingle Way, with intermittent light rain and a long stop at the rocky cliffs surrounding Minard Castle. I could easily envision a Count of Monte Christo scene here or at the very least some smugglers bringing in French wine.
This was our third day straight of walking 10+miles, which we had NEVER done and these flat-landers were pretty sore early on that morning. Dining options along our route were limited so when we stumbled on Kate’s Cross, a VERY tiny gas station/convenience store, we were thrilled with their simple offerings. A table, some chairs, a toilet, and toasted ham & cheese sandwich with coleslaw — bliss!
At some point we reached a field where the instructions said “walk across the field,” but the entrance to this field had a large “beware bull” sign. Needless to say, we moved quickly.
This was also where we discovered why you need waterproof boots to hike Ireland. It’s not just the rain, it’s the mud and the boggy terrain.
The last two miles before Dingle were beautiful, with hills full of sheep and rapidly moving rivers. The road into Dingle, however, was a long steep walk that seemed to last forever.
I had shin splints at this point and was so miserable that Eric claims I started muttering to myself and castigating the local livestock.
I think I said something like “these damn sheep, all they do is sit around all day and not have to move. They don’t know how good they’ve got it!” I was so discombobulated by the time we reached the town that when we stopped for ice cream and a toilet break, I forgot to lock the door and some poor bloke opened the door to a full moon.
That night (and the next) we stayed at Allan’s B&B. Our host Alan was shy but very nice. His home was new and a little far from dining, but it was very comfy and had a great room upstairs with a nice view of the harbor and movies and books galore! For dinner we splurged at Out of the Blue, where we met a lovely couple from California whose daughter was recently diagnosed with RA. We had a trio of Turbot, John Dory and Halibut, scallops, seafood chowder, and plum tart.
