A visit to an Ancient Cemetery

A full day of rest, washing, catching up with the diary and photos and just getting ready for the next stage of the walk – 6 days walking so we need to be fully prepared.

Philip spends most of the day printing out maps, we have to buy some for Sue’s phone but if this is what it takes, it has to be done.

After lunch we drive to Ballinlough where we will be staying the next night, showing us the road and checking that Sue can follow the map. We also check out the B & B. It was a challenge locating it as my directions were to turn at the “white house”. Every second house is white, what is it with the Irish and their directions? The white house turns out to be Kennedy’s White House Hotel - why do I have a gut feeling that there is something wrong with the place but guess we will find out tomorrow.

We also go for a drive through a very remote and interesting valley, up a winding road, past fences, sheep, and rolling grasses and then a short walk through some boggy fields and up a steep, uneven hill to Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, 5000 – 8000 years of age. These tombs are near Boyle above Lough Arrow and sitting on the Bricklieve Mountains and they predate the Pyramids of Egypt by some 500–800 years. There are fourteen passage tombs in Carrowkeel and some can be entered by crawling through a narrow passage which we did. It was a strange feeling peeping through the lightbox at the entrance and knowing we were in a tomb. Peace, beauty and tranquility.  Magical views across the lake and clear enough to see a good distance.

The ominous black rain clouds have started to come across the landscape so we start to climb down the purple covered hillside. There are green peaks that tower over the surrounding landscape and the view is simply stunning.

A quiet evening with Beverly and Philip preparing ourselves for the next stage of the walk, we are ready to go again.