New day, new start, new town(s)!
Thursday morning started with a venture to the Dark Hedges, a location where they filmed the Game of Thrones. While I have not watched the show, the trail was incredible to walk through, with the arched trees being the highlight of the trip. I really enjoyed the fresh air and the peaceful atmosphere, and while our time was short there, I had a lot of fun on the trail!
We then went to Fullerton House for lunch, and the sweet potato fries were delicious. I learned that potato harvests are a big deal in Ireland, along with seafood harvesting. Our bus driver – Hugh – actually harvests mussels himself. After lunch, we ventured down to Giants Causeway, which took my breath away due to the scenic overlooks prevalent there. As a hiker, I enjoyed the hike and I only wish I had more time to venture all the way up to the top of the cliffs (which from my view, was a steep climb and seemed like a good challenge). The views and seaside cliffs were incredible, and the hike I took served multiple look out points from various angles. Some rocks looked similar to thrones, while others took the form of various patterns and shapes.
Driving up to Derry, we took a walk of the town to see some sights and learn about the culture of the community there. Our tour guide, Rory, gave us an overview regarding the history of Derry and took us through town. I think my favorite was the painting of the Derry Girls, which the show had brought upon more tourism to the town of Derry. While I have never watched Derry Girls myself, I think it is interesting how the show is set in the 1990s, before the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement that brought an “official” end to the Troubles. It has brought in more tourism to Derry as well. We then leisurely walked around the town, taking in the townscape and local life. We even had the opportunity to check out a local gift shop there, which is comparable to our projects in Carrigart.
We then went to the Grianán of Aileach Fort! The Grianán of Aileach takes its name from ‘Grianán Ailigh’ which broadly translates as the ‘stony palace of the sun. ‘ The open dome formation was eccentric (and really really windy) but the sights were beautiful. We went into the center of the circle and Brandan was the first to officially welcome the group to Donnegal! The space was prior used for rituals and religious operations, and there is scripture located at various spots upon the walls. I enjoyed my time at the fort, and I am grateful that I got to take in the peaceful view.
After a long day of sightseeing and exploring, we hunkered down at the Mulroy Woods Hotel for dinner. I got hot and sizzling duck for my meal, which was indeed very hot and very sizzling, but also very tasty! The group then went country line dancing, which was a fun way to end the hectic day!