Today is a day afoot -- the car does not move. The hairy exit from The Lodge will be avoided. We head for the beach.
Just a few yards down the busy street a quieter street takes us to the beach -- but no walking path.
Off the quieter street, we find an old courtyard.
We are not sure what the courtyard was used for but there was something that looks like a fire pit...
and a fancy wrought iron work...
a Celtic Cross....is this a graveyard?
and a little bench.
This sign was on the entrance. We googled this sign and Wikipedia tells us "This holy well is situated on the approach road to Silver Strand close to the village of Barna, County Galway, about 5 kilometres from Galway city. It is reputed to have been the resting place of St. Enda of Aran on his way to the Aran islands. Local tradition has it that St. Enda used it to spend the night here on his way to the islands and that one day a well sprung up as he prayed. Through the years pilgrimages were made regularly to the well." Well, there you have it. We just unknowingly did our pilgrimage
Back on the road, feeling spiritually charged, we head to the Silver Strand.
The horses have a nice place to hang out.
The cows don't have it too bad either.
The beach!!!
We read, people watch, and sun for a while...
then get back on the road. A new looking, no-name church is on the way. Actually, we turned around in this church parking lot on our first day; thought we would come in and see what it looks like....and pay our respects and offer thanks for this lovely journey.
Walking again....nearly everywhere there is a sidewalk....or a footpath.
Our Lodge is 1/2 way between Barna and Galway....this means we have walked nearly 2 miles.
Short detour off the busy street, we see another street which leads to the water. This one is not advertised. It's not a beach, but a rocky point which leads to a few sandy spots.
We aren't "sittin' on the dock of the bay", but we ARE sittin' on the rocks of the bay!
We sat here reading for most of an hour. We are both enjoying long books.
And over there is where we plan to eat dinner tonight!
This one is for you McKenzie -- a different design that is also comfortable.
After a beer at the above table (still reading) we walked a little more. Kathy liked the Trolley Park and the supermarket.
A determined walker.
Along the bay again. We were sitting on the rocks where those two cars are parked.
And food -- again. Starters and split an excellent Pizza.
Back afoot again walking along the Wild Atlantic Way. The WAW runs from Cork in the south up the western Irish coast to Donegal -- a length of 2500 km (1500 miles).
Back at The Lodge front gate. As mentioned before, the gas station and the heavily traveled street are about 15 feet from our bedroom window.
Our last noisy night....we hope
