Today I’m reminiscing about a beautiful sunny day in Ireland a year ago full of big puffy clouds. This hike took me to Claonach, an old abandoned fishing village at the end of Cod’s Head, County Cork. This hidden gem is a short walk along the coastline out by Gortahig, on the wonderful R575, which I spoke about in my last post. This is yet another reason to make this lovely road part of your trip to experience the countryside of Ireland.
Let me stress again if you are planning a trip to Ireland don’t over schedule your time. Take the time to get out of your car and walk the countryside while you’re there. If not you will miss far too much of what you came to this beautiful country of a “Céad Míle Fáilte” or “Hundred Thousand Welcomes” to see. Trust me when I say, SLOW DOWN…drop your technology…experience the people…notice the landscape around you and the culture. You simply won’t regret it as it will grab your heart and never let go!
This walk along the coast out to Claonach allows you to spend meditative quiet time as you lose yourself looking across Coulagh Bay to the Kerry Mountains. On a clear day the mountains simply echo each other and fade one into another and pull you towards them. As you walk along the narrow road the coastline appears to fall away to the wilds of the bright blues of the Atlantic crashing the rocks below. If you feel like you’re being spied on during this walk of amazing scenery you would be right! There is sure to be sheep around the corner or gazing at your from every corner. This would be another one of the reasons I love this walk. You are sure to have a natural zoo built in of animals that look so at home in their environment. Make sure to take your camera as you will have many opportunities to click away!
After a nearly two mile walk you will crest a hill and see the remnants of the old village with its ruins of old stone cottages and very protected inlet for the boats of the once active fishing village. You can see walkways and a lone road that makes its way between remaining cottages up the side of the mountain. From what I understand there are only two part-time residents now as the village doesn’t have electricity. Even with the lack of electricity, I felt a real draw to spend a day or two in the old village collecting images and spending time in an area that used to be vibrant and active all those years ago. This village’s claim to fame is the filming of the movie “Falling For A Dancer” in 1998.
Claonach is just one of the many hidden gems that Ireland has to offer if you lose the car and walk the land. Take the time to sit and talk to the locals of the area and discover the places that only they know that history has left behind. They can share what the walls of the ruins would love to speak if they could. You won’t regret the time spent having just one more pint with a friend either old or new!