Gortnaskeagh means ‘field of the whitethorn’ ( Gort na sceach) and that is where we are today, on a bright sunny ramble. This area of Donegal is part bog, part forest, and at this time of year you see a lot of nature’s sculptures of bare trunks and branches, covered in mosses, lichens and fungus. The whitethorn or hawthorn bushes are unremarkable now, but come April/May, they will have beautiful white flowers and are much more visible. They are also considered the fairy trees- cut them down at your peril! Quite a few pics of the doggies today, as they were feeling photogenic.
Enjoy!
#rambles #ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland

Today’s ramble took us west of Ardara past one of the more well known features of the county - the impressive Assaranca Waterfall. It was in good form, with plenty of rain to bellow down the mountainside. At one stage, a random cloud appeared to be a mirror image of the falls. Quite surreal! It being November, it was also very quiet, so we were able to walk the little roads and enjoy the views across to Crannogeboy. Assaranca comes from the Irish word for ‘Eas’ - rapids, or falls/ and ( I think) francach- ‘Eas an fhrancach’. This means ‘Waterfall of the Rat’ much more descriptive! My companions are Robinson & Higgins aka Beany & Higgy.
#ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland #ardara #assaranca

Today’s ramble will perhaps add a poignant reminder to those who celebrate Thanksgiving, that for all those who made it to the USA back in the eighteenth & nineteenth century, many did not. The Pauper’s Graveyard is over the wall from St. Anne’s Church in Ballyshannon, and it is the final resting place of hundreds of unknown souls who died in the town’s workhouse. Initially, the field was donated by a local landlord for the burial of cholera victims, but during the famine, the number of deaths of poor Irish required a place of burial, and the same field was given to the workhouse. There are no grave stones or names here - the poor are unnamed and unknown. There is one memorial plaque, erected in 1995 by the Donegal Historical Association and the Donegal Association of New York. If you stand at the plaque, you can see the workhouse across the river. It’s a reminder to all that the ones who got away were lucky ones- lucky to get on a boat, and lucky that they were not turned away. At dheis Dé go raibh siad.
#rambles #ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland

The Drowes River runs along the Leitrim-Donegal Border, and it’s our rambling route for today, on a very frosty morning. The Drowes River is famous for salmon fishing, - folklore has it that the could St.Patrick himself was gifted with a salmon from the Drowse. The river is also associated with the Four Masters, those prescient lads who decided to write down as much history as they could ( in the 1630s) before cultural oppression became the order of the day. As you’ll see, the recent snow and rain has caused the river to burst out into the fields ~ squelchy times! But you’ll also see how absolutely beautiful it is around here.
#Ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland #rambles #Drowes

We had atrocious weather today, so our ramble was very curtailed - although very pleasurable! We went down to the seafront in beautiful Bundoran and treated ourselves to two delicious coffees from the excellent Dip’n’Sip
coffee shop - and while we waited, we watched the storm clouds marshaling.
#rambles #donegal #bundoran #dipnsip #ireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland #studyabroadireland

Behy, County Donegal is a beautiful area of forest trails and old roads~ a lot of water on the mountain at the moment, so the wellies were on. According to the folklore archive, there was once a thriving embroidery business here, with ‘a spinning wheel in every house’. Also, a thriving poitín industry too, and while there were tales of a gold-filled lake nearby, there are also tales of a few stills thrown in during unexpected police raids. Storm Bert has been active all around Ireland today, but for whatever reason, stayed away from Behy and gave us a beautiful blue sky puddle-jumping ramble.
#rambles #ireland #donegal #instituteofstudyabroadireland #studyabroadireland

One of the great things about living in Donegal is that our neighbours - Leitrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry - are all easy to visit, and have equally gorgeous sites to explore. Today’s ramble takes us into lovely Leitrim, up by the outrageously scenic road to Glenaniff~ views down to Lough Melvin are beautiful, but the further up we go, we get into cloud and gurgling streams of melting snow spilling downhill. Baths essential for all ramblers after this ~ two legged and four legged- a mucky but marvelous hike.
#rambles #ireland #leitrim #donegal #studyabroadireland

Winter wonderland in Donegal today! Rambling around the International
Appalachian trail, somewhere between Laghey and Castlederg ~ absolutely beautiful
#rambles #donegal #studyabroadireland #snow #ireland #winterwonderland

The Dartry Mountains were looking so fine today that we had to explore. We followed a trail along the foot of Benwiskin, the unique peak shaped like a breaking wave. Light snow & clear skies made for a very pretty ramble for eight paws and two feet!
#sligo #rambles #snow #ireland #benwiskin #studyabroadireland

First sprinkling of snow in Donegal ~ our ramble through the trails of Cashelard was a little bit chillier than usual. Still very pretty though!
#rambles #donegal #studyabroadireland #labrador #hound #ballyshannon