Lakelands

Ah, the Bank Holiday Weekend - we needed this break.

Started on Friday with a quick jaunt to Drum Manor, Cookstown. Think this was the first time I had visited Drum Manor with a bike so spent the next day exploring the lake and other paths.

The park has quite a varied landscape around the lakes or ponds. Formal paths infront of the old house ruins, running down to the lakeside. Regular shale forest paths through different parts of the forest. Then almost tracks through plantation areas.

We wanted to get to the Lakes in Fermangh so we headed off before much longer and just managed to Clonelly as darkness was descending.

The next day we spent mostly at Castle Archdale. First we cycled from the marina car park round the coastal path exploring some of the outlying remants from the war. On one section of shore - perhaps by the "Burma Road" found a sloe bush reasonably lush with fruit; one to remember for the future.

We continued round through parkland arriving at the Butterfly Garden. The day had heated up nicely so this was very pleasant; first walking through the wildflowers in bloom: red, yellow and blue flowers. Caught a poppy head with almost translucent petals. In a section of several Buddleia, several different types of butterfly flitted about the bushes. Was quite difficult to get a decent picture with wings open and lit properly.

We finished up at the remains of the Castle itself and took in the Wartime Airbase exhibition. I remembered this from when we visited from Fintona. The exhibits had improved I suspected cos they kept me well interested. When we started to get hungry, headed into Enniskillen to sample the Greek restaurant

Connemara 12th

We journeyed to Letterfrack for the 12th week.

On the way down we got distracted as we crossed the Shannon at Carrick-on-Shannon, a pretty little town. Apart from the obligatory stop in Westport the trip was uneventful.

Out on the shore-line in the campsite we had discovered years ago with the kids when used the big family tent. Neither the site nor the location have changed much. There are perhaps more static vans about than before.

First couple of nights we stayed in an open field sheltered from the sea breezes. Later we moved onto the lower site when we were able to bring the van right out to the edge of the site almost sitting on the beach itself.
In the evenings as the sun set behind the islands in the bay, we caught the most glorious views.

The weather was so good, we barely moved from this location for a couple of days just enjoying beach walks and sunning ourselves.