Day 1 on the Kerry Way

It was a challenging first day, lots of rocks, two solid mountain passes, rain and wind but beautiful scenery and sheep everywhere.

At the start of the trail head.

Before this shot from high up on the mountain we watched a farmer w his 3 dogs moving sheep from one paddock way through and up to another hillside paddock - all fenced w rock walls as far as your eyes could see- amazing.  Anyway I would have loved to chat w the farmer and low and behold - who was sitting up at the bar when we arrived at the Climbers inn - but Mike Daly- the farmer we had watched earlier in the day.

It was at this point we had our spirits lifted as the sign below read 10.5 km to climbers inn.  We thought that’s not far - ok we are good.  Then we walked another 10 km over some tough mountain terrain and down the other side and through a valley to come to a sign that said - climbers inn 7.5 km.  ☹️ Disheartening to say the least - however we gathered ourselves up and this last push was a beautiful walk through forests and grasslands.  We later found out from our pub pals that the 10.5 km sign was by road not by our trail.

Most of the sheep here are a Scottish black face but they are nothing like a Suffolk, beautiful long wool and horns- super adapted to the rock covered mountains.  This was the first group of north country cheviots we saw and they were a beautiful flock.  Mike and his comrades told us that evening that the nc Cheviot and the Scottish black face are the typical cross in these parts.

Here we are arrived at climbers in - a bit haggard but happy.

We had a lot of fun visiting w the locals last night on arrival.  They were so impressed w how far we had walked that day - 29.5 km (apparently this is a double day) and we were so impressed with how many Guinness they could drink in one evening.  Lots of fun learning about their farming practices and sheep production locally.  Great evening.