Coral Strand and Killary Fjord

We visited Coral Strand, near Ballyconneely, which comprises detached red calcified seaweed, otherwise known as coralline algae. Some larger pieces were found in a variety of colours. The grandchildren went pony trekking on another beautiful beach with the rocks covered in Sea Thrift. In the afternoon, we went on a trip round Killary Fjord. The area was hit badly by the Potato Famine in the 1840s - the remains of the field strips can still be seen.

Green and Beautiful Surroundings

Yesterday afternoon I took a short stroll along aour road and then onto the little headland by the beach. A few images of our surroundings including Marsh orchid, Fuschias from the hedges and a variety of greens from woods and seashore.

Roundstone Galway Ireland

We are staying just outside Roundstone so I took a walk into the village yesterday morning as the family had gone to Galway for the day. The weather was sunny when I left but storm clouds arrived giving wonderful lighting.

 

Wildlife of Limestone Karst on Inishmore

The karst limestone landscape of the Aran Islands and The Burren was formed by a Glacier during the Ice-Age which cleared the land of any plant and soil material leaving the bare rock exposed with grykes between the clints (rock plates). It has characteristic flora - both Alpine and Mediterranean such as Irish Marsh Orchid, Bloody Cranesbill and Burnet Rose.

We saw quite a few butterflies including Small Blue, Common Blue and Small Heath. 

The limestone extends onto the beaches and is home to abundant Sea Thrift.

 

 

Visit to Inishmore

On Sunday, our ferry crossing to Inishmore was very choppy. It was good to see Shearwaters flying the waves together with diving Gannets but impossible to photograph with the ferry pitching and rolling. Inis Mór is the largest of the three Aran Islands and includes several ancient stone forts and churches among its antiquities. We took a minibus tour which included the impressive of the stone forts is Dun Aengus. Excavations indicated that people had been living at the hill top from c.1500 BC with the first walls and dwelling houses being erected c. 1100 BC It is semicircular, resting on the edge of a perpendicular cliff rising 100 metres out of the ocean. We also visited the Seven Churches site, which is the ruin of two main buildings, thought to be named after an inscription 'VII Romani' found on one of the stones.