Adventures in Clare

Get the kettle on and the bikkies out. Long post ahead.

Okay, instead I think you should wait and make that cuppa, settle down in front of your PC, get that biscuit ready to dunk, and here we go.

I've had a very exciting weekend indeed!
Be prepared for a very long post, with lots of photo'’s!

Plenty of warning do you think?

My boyfriend has finalised the purchase of a cottage in Clare, and that'’s where we were for the weekend. When I say the weekend, we went down on Saturday and came back up on Sunday. The cottage is waiting a rewire, so we went prepared with gas lamps, torches, fuel for the fire and camping stove. After we had gotten there and ooed and aahed over things, we went out for a drive around the area. Unfortunately, it was a very wet day and the rain hampered things a bit. But it definitely made for interesting photos! Here is the first in a series I am going to show you.

This beach is fairly near the cottage. I wouldn'’t say its near but you can see the general location of it from the next photo, in fact you can see the curve there about 1/4 way into the photo from the right hand side....>

Its very confusing describing the front or back of the house. Technically, I would call the photo below, the front of the house. But its actually the back of the house, the original front door is on the other side and you will see this in another photo further on. Being prepared for the weather, we got into our wellies and hopped over the gate to the field behind the house. Here I took a photo of the house from the back:House from kitchen end.

The back door is on the left of the kitchen, which comprises of the 2 windows to the right, and the bathroom is the small window on the left of that. The window on the very left is the main bedroom.

Moving back towards the house again and beyond it to the left, we come to the bridge, which goes over the former West Clare railway. Here is what'’s left of it.former West Clare Railway Track

They are talking about revising the railway. I hope they do, it'’s a shame that they tore it up in the first place. The cottage is actually a former railway cottage, which adds to the charm. There are railway sleepers in the garden actually.

This is the view from the bridge down towards the cottage. See how you can see the sea behind it through the trees?and this is the cottage from the front, with the conservatory attached to the front. If you look inside the conservatory, you can see the original front-whitewashed door.

See the red painted windows, aren'’t they great?

There is also a red painted gate to the right of the photo, has come down from its moorings, but that will be fixed.

Moving away from the cottage itself, THIS had to be done in order to celebrate:

There are a number of outhouses beside the cottage, one was locked and look what we found when we went into itI think this is called a Monarch butterfly. I think it may have just emerged from its cocoon as it was making very slow movements of its wings and was quite noisy. It didn'’t like the torch shining on it either. I think it may be a bit early for the butterfly to come out. Hope it survives the weather. Its going to turn cold again this week.

We also found the quickest way to the beach, its just over a mile from the cottage, very easily walked, or cycled (or even driven...hmmm,wonder which one I prefer..)This is the approach down to the beach. I think the beach is around 5 miles in length. It was very wild when we were there, waves crashing in towards the shore. The last time we were there we approached it from the other end, and it was just as wild. Good surfing waves!

Arty photo:or is it a spoooky photo....?

This was taken through the binoculars. Its of the other end of the beach, where the golf clubhouse and hotel is. Its HUGE, isn't it!

Here'’s another proper non-spooky one showing the surf

and the man himself, braving the Atlantic! Brrrrr
Oh okay, he had his wellies on, very wise indeed

Finally I leave you with this image

It came free with the cottage.

I may be spinning before I know it!

(I hope it works! I know NOTHING about spinning)

(yet)

posted by tangelled angel @ Monday, March 13, 2006