Dunbeg Fort ( At some signposts you will also find the Gaelic name : An Dun Beag ). This old fortification is the best-preserved of all Irish Forts dating back to the Iron-time. Dunbeg Fort is about 6 km west of Dingle-town, when you drive on road R559 ( the Slea Head Drive).
On my picture you may see one of the small doors leading from one of the rooms into another, the stones are just heaped upon each other, but in a perfect and absolutely wind-proof way. At some places these walls are 1 meter thick.
Beehive-huts are another great attraction that you will see in Dingle Island : These buildings date back hundreds of years, but the exacte dates are unknown.
When you drive on Slea Head Drive - the circle-road west of Dingle-town, you will pass by many of these buildings. They are all built on private land and so you have to pay a small entrance-fee, when you want to enter there. Mostly it is just 1 Euro, that makes still quite a good side-income for the local owners.
You better carefully watch your step !!Most of these beehive-huts are situated on meadows with plenty of sheep, who never care a lot, where they powder their noses...
Kilmalkedar ( Cill Maolcheadair ) is mostly totally overseen by the tourists exploring Dingle Peninsula. That is a pity because a visit there can easily be combined with "Gallarus Oratory" that is just a few miles from there. In Kilmalkedar you will see a famous "Ogham-stone" and this famous early celtic cross.
The celtic cross on the left was made of 1 piece of stone and the ogham-stone on the right of my picture is that small needle-like stone, that even has a small hole drilled in on the top. Such ogham-stones were taken as a calender maybe, but scientists are not really sure about it.
You can see all of these sights free of charge and all day long without any restrictions !
Get into a "trafic-jam" with local sheep - it will make a great picture, in case that you are able to find a perfect place to stand with your camera.
Simply try to be quicker in finding a great place to take the picture, than I did ! I simply was 2 minutes too late to climb up one of these side-walls, but I was lucky anyway somehow...
Believe me, if you want to arrange such a picture by waiting at a crossing for some sheep, it SIMPLY WILL NOT WORK, it might be the best to arrange such a picture with the help of the local farmers !
Gallarus Oratory is a masterpiece of an unknown architect of the 6th century : This tiny church was built like a boat standing upside down. There is no seperate roof, but only the walls are meeting on top and all of the stones were perfectely set togeather without any kind of a cement. There is just an open door at one side and a tiny, round window at the other side of the building.
Get inside of the tiny church, and you will see that wind and rain will have no chance at all to get inside these perfectly set walls - it might even be a good idea to find shelter there in case of a sudden rainfall, like they normally happen quite often in Ireland.
You will be able to park your car only on a small car-park next to the oratory, and you have to pay a small fee for the parking there directely to the landowners, there will be someone collecting the money, and when you are lucky and come out of the season, it might be even free of charge !
The entry to Gallarus Oratory and the tiny cemetery around of it is free of charge and also possible at any time of the day.
Funghi the Dolphin is a single Doplhin, that decided to stay in the bay of Dingle harbour already for several years now and plenty of boats offer cruises to watch it, some even offer to give your money back in case that Funghi will not show up...
BUT of course Funghi will show up, it seems to have great fun to watch boats and tourists - that way Funghi became one of the best known tourist-attractions in Dingle town.
boats start to watch Funghi
daily between 10.00am and 06.00pm, weather permitting
The tours start at the Pier of Dingle's fishingport
Prices are 12 Euros for adults, 6 Euros for children under 12
DIngle is what I dreamed of Ireland looking like. Fantasic mountain and sea landscape. Bright green patches of grass, farms, sheep, lakes, gurgling streams and locals who are friendly and enchanting. Pubs with local music, YES the real thing. Spontaneous fiddle playing and singing in the pubs. The town is situated on Dingle Bay. Fishing boats are bobbing in the harbour. Safe streets easy to walk and browse the shops and plenty of restaurants. If I had it to do over again I would have stayed an entire week just in Dingle.
Get into your rental car and explore the tiny country roads. Don't be afraid to get lost because the area is quite small.
There are great Bed and Breakfast, Inns on the outskirts of town to stay with the best FULL Irish breakfast anywhere.
If you want to see some beautiful scenery, take a drive around the Dingle Peninsula. Rugged coastline, beautiful views, baby lambs, ancient dwellings, it has it all. There is also a very fine museum on the loop around the peninsula and a nice spot to stop for tea. Be sure to take rain gear and a good pair of hiking shoes as the walks are lovely.
I don't know it's a good idea or not
but bit jealous the guy who traveled by his motorbike
he could stop everyplaces he wanted
he could lie down whenever he feels lazy
next time, if I go Ireland
I will definitely travel by motorbike myself.
This is the biggest town on the peninsula where you can enjoy a good icecream or visit one of the many craftshops and find about the story of Fungi the Doldhin who even has a statue in this town...:-))
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