Mount Pleasant

This hike is located in the same location as the Cole Mountain/Old Hotel Trail loop, but is slightly easier (albeit still with amazing views) and doesn't take you through a grassy meadow.  Although the hike itself is easy-moderate in difficulty, the drive to get there takes you up a bumpy gravel road.  My relatively small, two-wheel drive car made it to the trailhead, but not without a few "oops" moments when I accidentally took a bump too quickly and scraped the nose of my car against the ground.  Going down I was more prepared and coasted down slowly in first gear.

The hike itself is generally easy with a few moderate climbs.  There are two vistas: one in either direction.  Both are beautiful and they're close enough together that you must do both if you visit.

Sign to the vistas

Casey at a vista

Casey and I at an overlook

Another view

Mountain laurel

Casey and Max

Ireland - Gap of Dunloe and Cronin's Yard Walks

I must admit - I didn't do too much actual hiking while in Ireland, but the scenery was too beautiful not to share.  

At Kate Kearney's Cottage before embarking on the Gap of Dunloe Walk

The Gap of Dunloe is a gorgeous stretch of road that winds its way through a mountain pass before reaching the Black Valley.  We parked at Kate Kearney's Cottage and from there walked the 3.5 miles up the road to the "top of the gap."  We then returned by retracing our steps back down the road.  The road is narrow (barely wide enough to allow a car to pass walkers at points), winding, and not recommended for tourists to drive, but you can walk, bike, or take a horse and cart to the top for some gorgeous sight seeing.

Kate Kearney's Cottage

On our walk up, sheep and wild goats dotted the hillside and we enjoyed what may have been our brightest day since arriving to Ireland.  I don't usually think much of walks along pavement, but this was an exception.  It was easily a highlight of my trip.

Jenny and I on our walk through the Gap

Sheep hanging out in the road

Casey and I (view of road through gap)

Wild baby goat

The entire group at the top of the gap

By the time we reached Cronin's Yard, we were running out of time to do the entire "Cronin's Yard Loop," but we walked a ways into the sheep pasture for some views of Carrauntoohil (Ireland's highest peak) before returning to the car.  The road into Cronin's Yard was barely wider than the Gap of Dunloe road and our side view mirrors scraped a few bushes as we squeezed our way in.  I recommend rental car insurance if traveling to Ireland as it seemed there was no way to not scratch up the side view mirrors at points.

Cronin's Yard serves as an entrance to the Carrauntoohil walk and if I should ever make it back to Ireland again, I will make a point to climb the mountain.

Lamb at Cronin's Yard

View of Carrauntoohil from Cronin's Yard