Dunquin Pier

Unlike the first sunny places we'd been lucky enough to visit in Ireland, this time we were greeted by fog on the way in and a completely white sky. Ireland, you say? Oh yes, that's right!

Clearly, the place is very busy with tourists, and not really equipped to handle so many people. If you're coming by car, plan to park a little further away and walk. You may not be lucky enough to find a space along the unique path that leads to the pier. Depending on the season, you'll have to make do.

As soon as we got out of the car, a gust of wind made us realize that we'd have to change into slightly warmer clothes to continue our visit. I hope for your sake, if you get the chance to visit this place, that you'll be greeted in better conditions by Mother Nature. Now objectively... I have to admit that it has added a lot of cachet to the place, you'll understand.

A quick look around, and we're off down a concrete path to a pier. We take it without hesitation to get closer to water level. The slope is relatively steep, but the path is very clean - see for yourself. It meanders and seems to lead directly to the ocean - fascinating.

Step by step, we approach the rocks that make this place so magical and famous. These two peaks rise straight out of the water in a very unusual triangular shape. From the summit (or from the photos that can be seen here and there on the internet), these blocks of stone look small, but once you're standing in front of them, you feel ridiculously small...

Thanks Mother Nature!

We continue our descent to the pier. From Dunquin Pier, you can take a regular ferry to Blasket Island. Allow 20 minutes for a 4-hour crossing. During the journey, you're likely to spot dolphins, whales, orcas, porpoises and even basking sharks! If you like walking, beaches, birdwatching or simply nature, this is for you.

To sum up this outing, we were on to something very succinct as we didn't have the opportunity to extend our escapade with a trip to Blasket Island. To be perfectly honest, the weather put us off going. Still, you can expect to pay €40 per adult and €30 per child for a round trip.

If the opportunity arises again, I won't hesitate. I'd be a fool to miss out on a chance to take in the sights, as the scenery there is clearly magnificent (provided the weather is kind)! If you've been there yourself, use the comments space below, I'd love to hear your feedback!

In short, this outing needs to be anticipated and planned so that you can enjoy it in the best possible conditions.