Dingle
Dingle, a harbor town on southern side of the Dingle Peninsula, was our absolute favorite part of the tour and of Ireland. So please forgive us as we gush over every aspect of it.
Dingle is the main hub of the Dingle peninsula. It is a cozy tourist town of about 1,200 residents the boasts a startling number of bars per capita. We were most struck by the quaint streets, the plethora of cute shops, the harbor view, and the stunning mountain backdrop.
Our first day, we arrived at Milltown house. Here we were treated to an evening of whiskey tasting and education including Dingle's own distillery, a falconry experience, and a lavish dinner. The falconry experience was a highlight, as we all had the opportunity to learn about and to interact with a number of gorgeous birds of prey including a falcon, an owl and a golden eagle. The passion and love the trainers had for their birds and for conservation was apparent.
Dingle is the main hub of the Dingle peninsula. It is a cozy tourist town of about 1,200 residents the boasts a startling number of bars per capita. We were most struck by the quaint streets, the plethora of cute shops, the harbor view, and the stunning mountain backdrop.
Our first day, we arrived at Milltown house. Here we were treated to an evening of whiskey tasting and education including Dingle's own distillery, a falconry experience, and a lavish dinner. The falconry experience was a highlight, as we all had the opportunity to learn about and to interact with a number of gorgeous birds of prey including a falcon, an owl and a golden eagle. The passion and love the trainers had for their birds and for conservation was apparent.
The next morning in Dingle took us on a big adventure around the peninsula. Upon having breakfast at our adorable hotel, the Dingle Benners Hotel, we set out on Slea Head Drive, the road that winds its way around the coast of the peninsula. Its lined with steep sea cliffs, sandy beaches, views out across the way to islands and mountains. Its so stunning and steep, it can make your knees weak.
Our first stop was to Dingle Crystal. Here we marveled over a demonstration of crystal cutting from a master craftsman who was trained with Waterford. He showed us around his workshop and showed us how he designed and cut a piece from start to finish.
We were then joined by our local guide for the day, John, a former police chief of the area. We travelled around on the narrow trail of the Slea Head, often with a mountain to one side and a cliff to the sea on the other. The bus stopped at a local farm for the group to feed some "wee baby lambs." And continued on to the Great Blasket Island Visitor Center, where we learned about a unique community that used to inhabit the island, but had to evacuate in 1953 due to diminishing resources. The museum was impeccable and honored the families and the culture that dwelled there. With a view of the islands on a beautiful day, you could almost imagine it. With a longer stay in a future trip, we would love to take a boat to the island and explore, which is an option.
The bus took us past many of the sites where the most recent Star Wars movies were filmed, and stopped at the Gallarus Oratory. It is a church that was built over a thousand years ago, using only stones, no mortar to hold it together. It stands perfectly today, as it did when it was built. It is a marvel.
Our first stop was to Dingle Crystal. Here we marveled over a demonstration of crystal cutting from a master craftsman who was trained with Waterford. He showed us around his workshop and showed us how he designed and cut a piece from start to finish.
We were then joined by our local guide for the day, John, a former police chief of the area. We travelled around on the narrow trail of the Slea Head, often with a mountain to one side and a cliff to the sea on the other. The bus stopped at a local farm for the group to feed some "wee baby lambs." And continued on to the Great Blasket Island Visitor Center, where we learned about a unique community that used to inhabit the island, but had to evacuate in 1953 due to diminishing resources. The museum was impeccable and honored the families and the culture that dwelled there. With a view of the islands on a beautiful day, you could almost imagine it. With a longer stay in a future trip, we would love to take a boat to the island and explore, which is an option.
The bus took us past many of the sites where the most recent Star Wars movies were filmed, and stopped at the Gallarus Oratory. It is a church that was built over a thousand years ago, using only stones, no mortar to hold it together. It stands perfectly today, as it did when it was built. It is a marvel.
We drove back to Dingle town, where after a bit of free time, we reconvened for a boat cruise around Dingle harbor. The highlight of the boat ride is to be able to see Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi the dolphin. He is a lone dolphin who has graced the harbor for over 20 years, chasing boats and entertaining passengers. Our penchant for wildlife was geeking out a little.
After the boat ride, Bill and I went out to dinner to Solas, a lovely tapas restaurant in Dingle owned by the family who has Dingle Crystal. We were served oil, water and wine in pieces created by Dingle Crystal. It felt very classy and the cuisine was delicious.
Our evening concluded with a private show of local Irish folk musicians. We enjoyed storytelling, song, family and a world champion Irish Dancer, accompanied by an authentic Irish Coffee. We went out a little after to continue the local craic and were not disappointed.
We drove back to Dingle town, where after a bit of free time, we reconvened for a boat cruise around Dingle harbor. The highlight of the boat ride is to be able to see Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi the dolphin. He is a lone dolphin who has graced the harbor for over 20 years, chasing boats and entertaining passengers. Our penchant for wildlife was geeking out a little.
After the boat ride, Bill and I went out to dinner to Solas, a lovely tapas restaurant in Dingle owned by the family who has Dingle Crystal. We were served oil, water and wine in pieces created by Dingle Crystal. It felt very classy and the cuisine was delicious.
Our evening concluded with a private show of local Irish folk musicians. We enjoyed storytelling, song, family and a world champion Irish Dancer, accompanied by an authentic Irish Coffee. We went out a little after to continue the local craic and were not disappointed.