Ogham Adventure

How many times a year does it do this? 

Oh.. two or three times at the spring and fall….. when the moon is right or in a storm. 

This was the kind reply from the woman who lived near the Ogham stone, as we wondered how long we would be waiting for the tide to let us out.  We should have know I suppose. In our search for the Ogham stone during a “mini gale” we paused on a shielded driveway and ate lunch whilst fogging up the car. On leaving (still in the storm) the road we had come in on had some water over it, but in the poor light I thought it was just a thin film of water. Within seconds of entering the wet I could tell we were in water too deep for the little car and gunned it… only to discover this was tide water… not rain water. A mini stroke, and what felt like an eternity later we emerged with only few sputters of the car (it was likely only about 30 seconds) stopping at a high spot so we could access the driveway leading to the stone.

A kind lady came out as we approached asking if the way was clear to the main road. (the water was blocking the front of her house at that point… the water we had just plowed through)  At that time the way WAS clear to the main road, and a patch of sun had come out so we were anxious to get to the stone. She also warned us that she thought it was too wet and slippery to make it to the stone. We took our walking sticks and plowed through the cow paddies to the 5.3 meter stone with a beautiful view to the sea. On our return… well our car was literally trapped between two flooded portions of road. It was actually quite funny, and we made bets on when we might be able to drive on. I funny end to a blustery mixed day. 

The gale that was forecast did not fully manifest.. but it was a mostly cloudy rainy day. We tried to go to the Ewe sculpture garden near Glengarriff.. only to discover it is closed for the season. I just kept driving and suddenly we were on the Caha pass. It was quite spectacular even in the rain, but of course not a picture possibility… plus no turn offs. We came across “Molly’s Cottage” a tourist shop and farm where we spent well over an hour digging through the goods. It was a cute place with thatched roof and many vintage items all about. After another stop at a chocolatier, yum, we headed back over the Caha pass, where R tried again to catch pictures of the tunnels we drove through. 

Back down the Beara peninsula and off to search for that elusive ogham stone. Once again, short in kilometers… long it time. We did pause at a beautiful narrow spot in a valley where a farmer was whistling his sheep down from the rocky out crops. I really wanted a picture of him in his wool hat and jacket, but I didn’t want to insult him. (already the obnoxious tourist with the giant camera gawking in the too narrow roadway)