Unstable Cliff Edge

Day 3: Day Trip to Galway and Cliffs of Moher

On our third day in Ireland, my mom and I woke up bright and early to catch a cab – to catch a bus – to leave for Galway. We stopped at a local coffeeshop near our bus stop–a totally non-descript place. The owner was just pulling fresh pastries out of a hot oven as we walked in and it smelled heavenly. We ordered two lattes that were just as good as what you would find anywhere else in Dublin! Come to think of it, I’ve never really been disappointed by coffee or pastries anywhere in Europe. Anyway, after a little confusion, we made it on the bus to head west across the country for Galway. It was a beautiful ride through the countryside of Ireland.

IMG_3005_2_2

Famous rock walls that line most of the fields and property lines in Ireland

After about two and a half hours, we arrived in Galway and checked in to our hotel. Our hotel was directly across from the coach station from where we were to leave for the Cliffs of Moher. We had a little downtime, so we sat in the bar area of the hotel (a really quaint place with the warmest staff) and ordered more coffee and pastries (apparently, we hadn’t had enough yet?) The man serving us was just another example of how incredibly happy and helpful Irish folk can be. We all joked about how it was not an ideal day to visit the Cliffs due to the strong winds. He spun it around and said that the wind would cause the ocean to be rough, thus creating beautiful scenery. Always positive, I love that. Anywho, we boarded the bus soon after that and headed for the Cliffs on a large bus.  Along the way, we passed Dunguaire Castle depicted below.

IMG_3011_3

Dunguaire Castle (also known as a Tara House)

It was a beautiful ride. We passed by mountains, rolling fields, LOTS of sheep, stone walls, everything you would imagine Ireland to be. We also drove through beautiful, old, and colorful little towns sprinkling the landscape.

IMG_3019_2

About two-thirds of the way through the ride, we stopped for lunch in a fishing village called Doolin. As you can see from my pictures, the weather was changing by the minute. We had sun, rain, clouds, wind, all within a single hour. They say that  Ireland can get all four seasons in a day.

IMG_3309_2

Doolin Village

We ate in a pub called Gus O’Connor’s. The food was really good and it was a very busy place.  At the pub, we met a girl from Switzerland who was also on our bus tour. We struck up a conversation with her and she stuck with us for most of the trip. I love meeting people from around the world. I find it so interesting to hear their perspective on things. It’s wonderful to make a connection with strangers, even if only for a few hours. I think it’s really incredible that most Europeans travel so much, especially while they are young. I know it’s easier to get around mainland Europe, but travel is something I think more Americans should make time for. Even if it’s seeing more of our own country. Education should include travel. There should be more opportunities for students to take some time and see the world. But I digress.

IMG_3314_2

Bopping around outside the pub with my new friend, waiting for the bus to come back

After lunch, we boarded the bus and took a 15 minute ride to the Cliffs of Moher. It was  a very dangerous day due to the strong wind. Our bus driver wasn’t happy about the Cliffs even being open to the public that day! Our bus was swaying back and forth from the wind when we stopped–I honestly thought it was going to roll over. There was a moment where I felt a little uneasy, but that wasn’t going to stop us from seeing the Cliffs.

IMG_3129_2_2

I think this sign is self-explanatory

IMG_3157_2_2

Cliffs of Moher

The pictures don’t come close to portraying the beauty of what we saw. The dramatic landscape was breath-taking (although it may have just been the incredible winds taking our breath away).

IMG_3162_2

Cliff’s Edge

Beyond the cliffs were the Aran Islands. We could barely make them out due to the mist and cloud coverage over the sea, but we saw their  silhouettes. We were lucky to have the sun come out while we were there, turning everything bright.  And the guy from our hotel was right– the ocean was very active, which was pretty to see.

IMG_3177_2

I’m flying

IMG_3178_3There were pathways to walk along the Cliffs, but there wasn’t much that stood between you and the edge. I read stories of people falling off, so that encouraged us to stay back a little. The wind was actually knocking people down (two people fell and had to be taken to the hospital from the wind blowing them over!) It was definitely an adventure.

IMG_3188

Wind-blown

IMG_3186_3

IMG_3207_2_2

IMG_3322_2After we departed, wind-burned but happy, we headed back for Galway. We made a few stops along the coastline and saw the Burren, but there are just too many pictures for me to post them all. We arrived back to Galway just in time to change and head into town for dinner.

Galway was one of my most treasured memories of the trip. It is just the sweetest little town and I will never forget it. I  loved their quaint streets. There was a very different feel from Dublin here.

IMG_3375We ate at a restaurant called The Quay Street  Kitchen, recommended by a woman from our hotel. It did not disappoint. I ordered a steaming pot of mussels and followed that up with a hot cup of tea. It felt so good to relax since my mom and I both felt abused from the day we had.

IMG_3351

The Quay Street Kitchen

After dinner we walked around a few shops, my mom bought a couple souvenirs, then we headed to find some live music. Galway is well-known for their musicians. They say most musicians in Ireland get their start on the streets of Galway. Their street performers are almost as good, if not better, than those performing inside the pubs there.

IMG_3330

Outside The King’s Head pub

We found ourselves a corner table and listened to a band play for awhile before heading back for the hotel. It was a remarkable day.

IMG_3371

Inside The King’s Head

Yikes, I think this post is already too long! I was going to include day four in this post, but I guess that has to be a separate post.

Well, there you have it, that was day three in Ireland.

For more on my trip in Ireland, check out these posts:

erinsigfinal (1)

If you enjoyed what you just read we would love to have you join the Wonderlost community! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter for even more travel tips and inspiration.

Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

    Mother

    Yoga + Meditation Instructor World Traveler

    Story Teller

    Explore

    EXPLORE

    Free Class

    Subscribe

    follow along on instagram: @erinnicolepratt

    SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

    powered by meditation, creativity, & love