We spent our first day settling into the cottage and finding food in the nearby village. Mia told us that the 2 things she wanted to do in Ireland were to go on a boat and climb a mountain, because "hiking is her favorite thing to do in the countryside." So we did our best to do those 2 things!
On our first second day, we took a ferry to the Aran Island of Inishmore, most commonly known for the invention of the Aran Sweater. Inishmore is such a unique place. The island landscape consists of lots of limestone, creating a really interesting and unique view. We had lunch in a cafe upon arrival and then set off on a hike to the "Black Fort." The hike to the fort was just gorgeous, especially when we reached the end of the island...sheer cliffs.
Inside the Black Fort
On our third day, we hiked to the top of the mountain behind our house and enjoyed some beautiful views.
On our way down the mountain, we came into some close contact with some sheep. They were curious about us for a few minutes, and then they passed us by. After our morning hike, we relaxed a bit in the afternoon and then went to the city of Galway for some window shopping and dinner in a nice Irish Pub.
On our way to the airport on Sunday, we stopped at Ashford Castle. It's a ritsy hotel now, so we couldn't go inside, but we had a lovely walk around the gardens.
It was a refreshing getaway for us. We found the Irish people to be super friendly and very funny. So many people had such a great sense of humor, joking around with us even though we were strangers.
