15th March 2024, Glorious Day Exploring Arranmore.

 Hello again my lovelies! As promised, here are some more photos and videos from our trip to Arranmore back in March. All of these were taken on the same day, and as you can see, we were blessed with absolutely incredible weather. A far cry from the mist and rain that had greeted us the day before!
If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know that I often comment on the weather where I live on the Wild Atlantic Way. Well, when the weather is as changeable as it is here, is it any wonder that talking about it is considered somewhat of a national pastime?? It really was a glorious day, and as you can see, the water looked so clear and even turquoise at times. You'd be forgiven for thinking I took those pictures somewhere in the Mediterranean during the height of summer, not Ireland in March!

Cloughcorr Beach.

Cloughcorr Beach.

We had a wonderful cooked breakfast at Hughie Mickey Dan's cafe, where we were staying, and then set off in the car to see what we could see. There is a main road that loops around the island, but anytime we saw a fork or an interesting sign, we branched off to do some more exploring. The first beach we came to, Scoth na Loinga, or Cloughcorr Beach, was so beautiful that we almost didn't want to leave. It was especially difficult for me, as I found a whole load of sea glass, and wanted to keep searching for more. Eventually though, we continued on our way, vowing to come back another day.

Cloughcorr Beach.

Happy faces, Cloughcorr Beach.

Cloughcorr Beach.

Cloughcorr Beach.

Aphort Strand.

Aphort Strand.

Aphort Strand.

Aphort Strand.

Our second stop was Aphort Strand, which had stunning white sands and turquoise waters. We had a look around the piers, fishing boats, and an old lifeboat station, where they commemorated those who lost their lives trying to save others at sea. From there we continued driving the loop and stopped at a picnic bench that provides a wonderful view of the island and mainland Donegal. There we were entertained by a Skylark singing it's wee heart out in the blue skies above us. It was a wonderful place to just sit and enjoy the peace and the scenery.

Happy smiles, Arranmore Island.

Looking back towards mainland Donegal.

After a bit of a break and a Guinness 0.0 each, we continued our drive. The road took us past some lakes and up to the highest hill on the island. We parked the car and climbed up through the heather to the cairn at the top, marveling at the clear views back to the mainland. Over and over we commented on how lucky we were to have such good weather!

Views from the top of Arranmore Island.

Looking back towards the Mainland.

Arranmore Cliffs.

Arranmore Cliffs.

Picturesque sheep, Arranmore Cliffs.

Arranmore Cliffs.

We continued driving the island loop road, but branched off to travel towards the Arranmore Lighthouse, past the stunning Arranmore Cliffs, where we stopped to take some more photos. One of the things that kept popping up when I researched things to do on Arranmore was the Lighthouse Steps, so we were determined to see them that day. The Steps were carved into the cliff face around 1798, and there are 151 in total. They were originally used to deliver oil to the lighthouse, and the thought of the men carrying barrels of oil on their shoulders up all those narrow, slippery steps was enough to make me tremble.

Arranmore Lighthouse.

Top of the Lighthouse Steps.

Arranmore Lighthouse Steps.

Arranmore Lighthouse Steps.

Trying not to show my fear! Arranmore Lighthouse Steps.

Arranmore Lighthouse Steps.

Arranmore Lighthouse Steps.

Arranmore Lighthouse Steps.

I don't remember if I've mentioned this before, but in recent years, I have developed quite a fear of heights. Not all heights, but cliffs in particular make my knees shake, and I had a feeling that these Steps would make me very nervous. I was right! I didn't let my fear stop me, though there were places where I had to sit on the steps and scoot down on my bum instead of walking. Still, I made it to the bottom of the cliffs, and back up, with a considerable amount of cursing to distract myself from the fear, haha. I was very glad that the day was so nice. I'm not sure if I could have managed the trek in the rain, or walking on wet stone!

Arranmore Lighthouse.

Road to Béal an Chraois Bay.

Béal an Chraois Beach.

Quiet pints in Early's Bar.

After climbing back up the steps and taking a breather in the car while my nerves settled, we continued our drive around the island. The next stop was a gorgeous rugged and stony beach called Béal an Chraois, where we stopped to admire the waves for a while, before heading back to our accommodation. We had dinner at Hughie Mickey Dan's Cafe, and then went out for a quiet drink at Early's another nearby bar, before having an early night. We were both tired after a full day of exploring, but it was a truly wonderful day, and we couldn't stop smiling.