While I was in Donegal I did so much walking that it almost felt like I'd been walking to the moon and back again. And my feet ached (believe me, I still have blister-plasters on my feet...), but it was a pleasant pain because I knew what caused it and that it would do me good. And it was always rewarding to come back after a long walk and just put my feet up. I guess you don't want to hear more about my feet, so let me get back to the story.
Donegal is the most northern county in the republic and its most northern point is Malin Head (this may comes as a surprise to many: this point lies even more north than Northern Ireland!)
This point is so wild and almost magical, and when you stand there you can see the Atlantic, with the next part of land far, far away (I think it is Greenland...)
Can you see Greenland?
I hope you can excuse me for me mixing around my recollection of what went down at which time. It's just who I am, I like to tell my story with detours and extra thoughts...
Well, let's get back to Malin Head. As you might see, we had fabulous weather and almost no wind, which is fairly strange since this location is known for its harsh weather...during the 16 days I spent in Ireland, we had bad weather ONCE, and the fact that we believed that it was going to rain prevented it from doing so.
But Ireland is filled with beautiful scenery, dark forests and wide fields with either horses, cattle or sheep, and I soaked it all up like a sponge. Even if I took many pictures, can I not fully describe the magic that lies within the Irish landscape. It's green, alright, but there's something more. Something that cannot be defined, but still leaves a mark in ones soul. It's beauty in its purest form.
The wild waves at Malin Head
Isn't this green??
I can almost expect to see a fairy or any other magical, mythical being in these hills that seem to go on forever. No mountains that block the view
All around Ireland you can find traces of civilisation, of people that formed the history, people who we tread in the footprints of. History lives in this country much more strongly than back home in Norway where people see history as dead and boring. In this country you can feel the history speak to you from every stone and tree, from walls and tombs. You hear it in songs and stories, and people show who they are through history.
This picture below show a place called Grianan of Aileach, which is a socalled round-fort. This lies on one of the hills between Buncrana and Derry, and from the top you can see so far. If anybody dared attack this place they had to be invisible, because you can see all sides of the hill, no places to hide.
Amazing construction
Right outside it can you find a holy well that has supposedly been blessed by St Patrick (I think he was a pretty busy lad, since everything that's holy in Ireland has either been visited by him or been blessed by him...)
After coming down from this we (Steven, his father and me) went over to this small forest where once in a time (last century) there was a rail-road there that was going from Derry to Buncrana. It was now a bird sanctuary, and is was so peaceful to walk among the trees that were covered in ivy. The light that barely made its way through the foliage, made me feel that we were going through Fangorn forest from Lord of the Rings. It was light green and I hope that the picture below captured some of the magic.
Steven in the magical forest
But Ireland isn't only green forests and fields, it has also some truly amazing beaches. I'm really grateful that Steven showed me these, because I haven't been to places like these in many years. To smell the salty wind and feel the waves caress your bare feet, it's almost impossible to describe. You have to experience it!
So three times while I was in Donegal, i got to experience the beauty of the ocean, and I sincerely hope that I can go back one day and just sit there.
An empty beach by Lough Swilly; a perfect place for thoughts of love and beauty
And the water wasn't very cold either....
A hidden secret; the only thing that can be heard is the waves that crash upon the shore
Steven almost had to drag me away from this, because if he hadn't i would have stayed there until the end of the world ^^
So this was the second chapter of my Ireland-story, and I guess that the next will come shortly
Until then, auf wiedersehn
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment