From Curracloe we head to Cork for a few days to explore the area. There are so many things to see here that it would take many years to visit them all. Plus the landscape is picturesque and alive with spring colours.

On our way to Cork we take in the beach views from Tramore and learn about the Metal Man monuments on the headland from a friendly cafe manager. On the Brownstown Head side of Tramore Beach stands two columns while on the other headland, Great Newtown Head, stands three columns, one with a metal man figurine on top.

There are several Metal Man beacons positioned around Ireland with this one in Tramore placed there after the tragic drowning of 360 onboard the Seahorse in 1816. It serves as a navigational aid with the columns on each headland letting sailors know the bay mouth is between them.

We continue our wandering journey to Cork via the Rock of Cashel which is a group of buildings set on a large sandstone rock in the area known as Munster. It served as the king’s seat from the 4th century.

Our final part of the journey takes us through some incredible forestry areas, a number of pretty little towns and along winding rivers. It is that quintessential Irish countryside with rolling green hills and wandering roads. it somehow feels familiar and brings thoughts of similar scenery in Tasmania.

We arrive at our accommodation just outside of Cork and start planning our trips for the next few days.

Our first loop of the area takes in Cobh (pronounced “cove”) which is on an island in Cork’s bay and was the last port of call for the Titanic in 1912. We enjoy a cuppa at a local coffee shop right on the water with views across the bay. Then it’s on to Roche’s Point lighthouse and on the way back we drop in on a Hurling field where we meet a father and son practicing for the son’s game later that evening. It’s an education in a tough game that could see you battered and bruised fairly easily.

Next we head into the town centre of Cobh to take photos of the colourful houses that line the hill in front of the cathedral. There are different vantage points however a home owner has opened the gates to their garden for visitors to take the best shots. The cathedral is busy today.

We have a picnic lunch beside the river before heading to an area named Carrigrenan which is a peninsula that has a walking trail that gives you views across Lough Mahon which forms part of the River Lee tributary. From the path you can see several castles including Belvelly Castle which has been rebuilt as a stunning home for a very lucky family, Martello Tower, and Carrigrenan Mill.

Ok, now the exercise is out of the way, it’s time to quench our thirsts and what better way than to try some local Irish Whiskeys at a small distillery. We make our way to St. Patrick’s Tasting Room in Cork and have a great experience talking to the owner and sampling his various fine whiskeys.

We had a great time with our day trip but there is so much more of the city of Cork to see as we barely scratched the surface.

We are up early the next morning as we are tackling the Ring of Kerry today and hope to close out the day with a visit to Blarney Castle and Gardens late in the afternoon. Out first point in the loops sees us stopping in Killarney for a coffee, walk around and general browse.

We start our loop heading anticlockwise in direction which sees us hitting a number of highlights quite quickly. Ballymalis Castle which is being reconstructed, then River Caragh, Rossbeigh Beach, Mountain Stage Viewpoint, Caherviseen Township, Waterville and more.

The Ring of Kerry is a long drive which could be split up over a couple of days. There is so much to see and take in that it would be worth the time to slow down and meander through the countryside and towns.

Our final stop for the day is to Blarney Castle. We roll into the car park at 4:30 in the afternoon and it’s quiet. The tourist buses have departed for the day so there are no crowds and plenty of space to enjoy this beautiful setting.

The castle is well preserved with rooms labelled giving you a good perspective of how people lived here and how they protected themselves against foes. It’s serene now but there would have been a time where it was a hustling, bustling area.

The estate on which the castle is set has a manor home and beautifully tended gardens. We are here in Spring giving us the chance to enjoy a late stroll through the various sections of the grounds before enjoying an ice cream and heading back to our accommodation.

It’s been a big few days in the southwest of Ireland and we only just touched on a few of the natural and man made marvels that are spread throughout this area. We head up the western coastline tomorrow towards Lahinch and hope to see the ruggedness of the area. I’m sure we won’t be disappointed.