After breakfast we boarded the van and headed on our way, this time to the Iveragh Peninsula. Our original driver/guide Mick was with us, but because of EU imposed regulations, he had exceeded the number of hours he was permitted to drive without a rest period. The Big EU Brother knows this because everything is monitored via a computer card in the van, and a stiff fine or even termination is imposed if not obeyed (beware America, coming to a local government near you soon!).

It was an overcast, misty morning but the moisture felt good and the scenery was beautiful as we drove up into the mountains towards the sea coast. During the morning drive, we passed through several small, picturesque towns, including Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville.

Kerry Bog Village

One of our first stops was at the Kerry Bog Village Museum, a small replica of a bog community that illustrates how the villagers lived and worked to survive.

We then continued over Coomakesta Pass with its magnificent views down into our destination of Derrydane Bay. It’s only around 50 miles to the coast from Killarney, but with stops for photos and lunch, we didn’t reach Derrydane until about 1:30 in the afternoon. We had a fish and chips lunch and a pint of hard cider at The Blind Piper Pub, an Irish pub that opened in 1865 in the village of Caherdaniel.