05/11/2024

Today’s ramble is down another lovely botharín in Gortnasillagh, near Glenties, County Donegal. The name has been anglicized from ‘Gort na Saileach’, which means the field of Willow trees. The Latin word for willow is Salix, the Irish is similar - Sáile, - which gives rise to those references you’ve heard like Yeats’ poem ‘The Salley Gardens’ - and for those of you old enough to remember - the dreaded ‘Salley Rod’ ( a fine limber whippish stick of willow used to scutch the shins of bould wains.) Willow loves the Donegal blanket bog, and as you’ll see from the photos, this is bog territory, complete with bog lake, mosses, heathers, lichens, wildflowers, bog cotton & a windy road with grass down the middle. Our faithful ramblers, Robinson and Higgins, enjoyed this beautiful ramble in November twilight.
Enjoy #ireland #donegal #rambles #gortnasillagh #glenties #irishbog