In England we were in lockdown for the first three months of 2021. As I love travelling and walking I signed up for a virtual challenge to walk the Ring of Kerry with conqueror challenges. The total walk around the Iveragh Peninsula in Southern Ireland is about 160 miles and I am about two-thirds of the way around.
You can read the first two parts here, Killarney
and Kenmare
I have received two more virtual postcards from the village of Waterville and the rocky island of Skellig so I am well on my way. I thought I would share some of the other interesting bits and pieces they have sent me as I have completed various stages. It has certainly made me want to visit Southern Ireland again when we are able to. The photos were taken by Bill and me when we visited a few years ago.
Waterville
Between Ballinskelligs Bay and Lough Currane (lake) on a narrow isthmus lies the coastal village of Waterville. Flanked by two championship 18-hole golf courses, one to the north and the other to the south, this small town of 496 residents is a bundle of surprises.
Waterville began as a village in the 1800s and although it remains a small village, you will never be short of something outdoorsy to do. There’s a plethora of walking and cycling routes with both easy and difficult levels. The Equestrian Centre conducts pony camps, horsemanship courses and beach rides. The Sea Synergy is a marine awareness and activity centre, with their main objective to educate about marine life and ocean conservation. Operated by marine biologist and ecologists, the organisation runs educational adventure tours and summer camps for kids and teens.
A walk on the promenade will bring you to a statue of Charlie Chaplin who enjoyed Waterville so much that for a decade he returned every year for holidays with his family. Obtaining permission from the Charlie Chaplin estate, Waterville hosts the annual Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival.
When the first transatlantic cable was installed in 1858 between Newfoundland Canada and Valentia Island near Waterville it didn’t come without its problems. Working for a mere three weeks due to weak cables, it took five further attempts across nine years to eventually succeed in maintaining a lasting connection. The Atlantic Telegraph Co. had a monopoly over the industry and as a result the Commercial Cable Company from New York was established to break the monopoly and reduce prices by successfully installing cables in 1884 from Waterville to Nova Scotia. This brought a hive of activity into the village and the need for more housing to accommodate company personnel who settled in the area. Waterville became the European hub for the Company and at its peak was the largest cable station in the world.
 |
|
Skellig  As you make your way towards Portmagee, you’ll be veering off the Ring of Kerry onto a small country road called the Skellig Ring. An extension of the Ring of Kerry, this quiet coastal route with the ever-present Atlantic Ocean to the left, takes you through small villages and mountains of the Iveragh Peninsula. Along the way make a pitstop in the village of Ballinskelligs and walk in the footsteps of the Skellig Monks along the foreshore to the 12th century abbey. The abbey became the land base for the monks who came from Skellig Michael island. From the Abbey, a short walk away is McCarthy Mór Tower, thought to be a 16th century tower house on a small isthmus that once belonged to the McCarthy’s, chieftains in Cork and Kerry at that time. As you continue on, look out for the 1000ft high Kerry Cliffs with uninterrupted views of Puffin Island, an uninhabited island home to numerous seabirds and puffins; Skellig Islands, two uninhabited islands of which the bigger one known as Skellig Michael, is the site of a 6th century Christian monastery. The wild Atlantic waves crash against the cliff-face. Arriving in Portmagee, the first stop for any chocolate enthusiast must be at the Skellig Chocolate Factory, Ireland’s only open-plan chocolate factory. Handmade onsite in an open-plan design, visitors can interact directly with the chocolatiers whilst tasting samples. From here, take a boat trip to Skellig Michael and climb the 618 medieval steps to the top. Rising to fame as the island sanctuary to Luke Skywalker in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Skellig Michael has a long history. A twin-pinnacle crag, it came into existence more than 360 million years ago. Originally part of a mountain range and connected to a continental landmass, it became separated with rising water levels. Around the 6th century, an Augustinian monastery was built for monks who appreciated the island’s isolation and available rock for construction. Continuously occupied until the 12th century, it is estimated that only 12 monks and an abbot lived on the island at any one time. The island was eventually abandoned as a result of several factors such as a colder and stormier climate, ongoing Viking raids and the changing structure of the Irish Church. Skellig Michael entered the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996. Valentia Island is linked to Portmagee by a bridge. Valentia is better known for its first successful and commercially viable transatlantic telegraph cable. Connecting to Newfoundland, Canada the trans-Atlantic undersea cable opened up a faster and more reliable form of communication between Europe and North America. Prior to the telegraph cable, communication was undertaken via ship. Depending on the weather, particularly during severe winter storms, communication by ship would take several weeks to reach their destination. With the telegraph cable installed, messages were received and responded to on the same day. The transatlantic cables in Valentia remained in operation for one hundred years when the owners, Western Union, terminated cable operations in 1966. I am very glad I did not have to climb the steps in real life. I am not sure I would have made it. |
2 responses to “Ring of Kerry 3 Waterville to Skellig”
Lovely scenery. Not sure about the colour sense in Waterville!
Wonderful photos, Anne! I am in awe of the busking Irish style right by the water. I suspect their fingers would get cold. Interesting information about Charlie Chaplin. You have inspired me to visit this area in real life one day. Congratulation on your walking!