Sometimes we forget to explore whats right in front of our eyes… so here at OntheQT we always make a great effort to explore as much of Ireland as possible! A few weeks ago my love for roadtrips and desire for exploring took me on an adventure to Co. Clare!
Lehinch:Our first stop was Lehinch – the surfing capital of Ireland! As we wandered around the town bursting with art galleries, jewellery shops, book shops and cafes… I began to wonder how on earth I had never bene here before! When we got to the beach, I stood there for a moment admiring the beautiful view and the multiple surfers trying deaperately to catch a wave! With an abundance of surf companies on the promenade, it’s the perfect opportunity to try something new!
The Cliffs of Moher: Our next stop was the iconic Cliffs of Moher, world renowned for the dramatic landscape affect, they really do make for a stunning scenery! We found ourselves snap happy in tourist mode trying to capture the perfect photo without getting blown off the edge! After enjoying a windy, yet refreshing walk over the cliffs (you can hike for over 5 hours!) we spotted a mini meditation centre! Decorated with grassland wall paper on the inside… we sat there in silence relaxing and listening to the faint sound of the mini -waterfall feature! It was heavenly!
The Father Ted house: Next stop on our whirlwind tour was the infamous Father Ted house. If you’d like to experience real rural Ireland driving… then the roads leading to this house more than qualify! Surrounded by tractors, farms, and green fields, driving down narrow roads it was really and truly relaxing (other than the fact that there as no phone reception and so we lost our connection to google maps… getting lots is all part of the adventure though right?!) The house itself is beautiful! The perfect photo opportunity, you can even pop in for a cup of tea! (Booking for this is essential!)
Spanish Point: I’m sure its no surprise we took another pitstop at a beach! We popped into the beautiful Armada hotel for a delicious lunch: fresh scampi and sweet potatoe fries… before having a coffee on their outdoor benches overlooking the sea front! It was fabulous! A walk along the strand was a must before hopping back into the car and continuing on our way!
The Burren: We couldn’t possibly visit Co. Clare without exploring the unique limestone landscape of the Burren. We popped into the visitor centre for a guide which had all the major points highlighted, and off we went in our car on a special kind of roadtrip to discover some of Irelands’ most fascinating geography! Blessed with Autumn sunshine we had a fantastic time popping in and out of the car admiring amazing geographical features! We also got to travel the Corkscrew Road… and I found out exactly how it got its name! Its a famous winding road between Ballyvaughan and Lisdoonvarna originally designed as a famine relief scheme! Although a little worriyng when we met a car, it was definitely one of the most thrilling car trips I’ve been on all year.. not to mind the views!!
We had a truly fantastic time exploring Co. Clare – I hope we’ve inspired you to take a trip there also! I’m certain there are plenty more places to be discovered in the area, so if you live in Co. Clare, or simply love to visit your favourite hidden gem there let us know where it is! We would LOVE to hear from you! (OntheQT.ie@gmail.com) Happy adventure planning! x
