Walking in Ancient Lands
My sisters and I have dreamed about visiting Ireland since we were little and recently we were lucky enough to finally go on the vacation of our lifetimes! Ireland is an amazing country full of beautiful sites and friendly, welcoming people. As sisters, we all had different opinions about where to go and what to see but we agreed unanimously that visiting the Aran-Islands was our favorite part of the entire trip.
On The Ferry
We took a boat from Doolin to Inis Mor for the first leg of our journey and then island hopped by boat, visiting both Inis Meain and Inis Oirr. We caught the 10am ferry from Doolin to Inis Mor and reached the island in about 90 minutes. The boat ride was enjoyable and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The ferry owners were very helpful in suggesting things to do once we got to the islands.
Inishmore
Don Aengus was the most impressive site by far on Inishmore (Inis Mor). I’m a huge fan of architecture and archeology so I was duly impressed with this stone fort. Perched atop a cheer cliff and overlooking the Atlantic ocean, we had to head about 1000 yards uphill from the visitor’s center to reach the fort. Be sure to pack a great pair of hiking sandals for women. I didn’t and besides for listening to my sister’s “I told you so’s,” my feet paid dearly for it!
There is also a van available to take you to the top of the hill, though we opted to hike it. Standing at the edge of the cliff, looking out at the ocean with the salty wind blowing through our hair, we felt we were in a medieval fairy tale.
Shipwrecks and Photo Opportunities
On Inishere (Inis Oirr) we made a bee-line for the site of the Plassey shipwreck, my sisters being huge fans of pirates and ghost ships. There are no ghosts but we were still impressed with the rusted out wreckage lying eerily silent on the rocks of the beach. We were able to take some amazing photographs of the wreckage, highlighted by gray clouds in the background.
If you’re considering a trip to Ireland, I strongly recommend that you plan enough time for a day trip to the Aran-Islands or even enough time to spend two or three days. There are great options available as far as places to stay go, including homey bed and breakfasts, at the ports of the mainland and on the islands themselves.
Samantha Wilson is a blogger who writes about travel and tourism. She enjoys visiting new places and getting the best deals for her buck.
