Adventure #10: Sligo, Yeats Country

Clear skies and temperatures in the low 50s over the weekend beckoned us to take another day trip before the winter rains and lower temperatures returned. We drove to County Sligo, home of the legendary poet WB Yeats, about two hours north of Galway. Sligo and Leitrim are the northernmost counties in Western Ireland, and we visited some of "Yeats Country's" top sites, which took us into both counties.



We drove through the city of Sligo, then stopped first at Glencar Lough's waterfall, which was very nice but not photo-friendly, which bummed out Damon. The views of Glencar Lough across the road with sheep grazing were quiet serene though. We then drove along the N16 to see the picturesque Benbulbin Mountain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benbulbin
We stopped near Drumcliff Bay at the Drumcliff church and cemetery to see WB Yeats's grave, where there are also ruins of an old monastic site including a beautiful High Cross. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WB_Yeats

The R291 highway runs along Sligo Harbour out to Rosses Point, the entrance to Sligo Bay, with a small lighthouse and many walking trails. It reminded us a lot of Salthill. I tried to get artsy with my little camera, snapping shots of dry-docked old boats, while Damon was photographing the lighthouse.

Inland from Sligo Harbour lies Lough Gill, another beautiful lake with Parke's Castle on its north shore. The 17th-century fortified manor house is a starting point for boat trips around the lough; it was closed, but we walked around and took some nice photos - more artsy stuff from me here, sorry!

Dooney Rock, a small mountain (or large hill, I guess) on the south side of Lough Gill with walking trails and beautiful views of Benbulbin was out last stop of the day. The lake waters were so peaceful the surface mirrored the puffy white clouds in the sky. We hiked up to the top before heading back home. We'd hoped to have time to visit Westport, a village on the west coast, but we'll have to save that trip for another day.