Today was a lot cooler. I don't think we saw the sun all day and the temperature hovered around 14C, so even Hikuai would have been warmer. There were a few brave or foolhardy swimmers in the water at Inch, but they probably had wet suits on.

We headed from Cahersiveen to Valentia Island and took the easy way there by hopping on the roll on roll off car ferry. It probably would hold about 15 cars and takes less than five minutes to go about a kilometre. The cost was six Euros one way, so about the same cost per km as going to Wacky Island. Valentia is probably a little smaller than Waiheke but the roads are a lot narrower and the hills are higher. A couple of small townships, but mainly scenery. This is a slate quarry that has been shut down from 1911 until 1999, but which is now in full production. The bridge to the mainland is modern, with a section that moves out of the way to let tall ships through. Expect to see a similar item to Waiheke one day.

Back on the mainland we toodled along through narrow one car width lanes and steep hills and eventually reached Waterville. I was looking to drop in at the chocolate factory on the way, but unfortunately it was shut. Waterville is yet another seaside village. A few shops, some B&B's, a couple of craft shops and several shops with To Let plastered all over them. I went into a Gift shop come Fishing shop and had a look around. The lady there asked where I came from, and told me that they were looking to go to the Cook Islands for a month's holiday. I told her to book the tickets.

We retraced our tracks back through Caharsiveen towards Kenmare. There were loads of bikers coming towards us from the Bikefest at Kenmare. We turned towards Dingle and stayed on the coast road on the south of the peninsular. There was a major sporting event at Inch, so it was impossible to stop and look in the Tourist Office. The road was a two car and tissue paper one, but at key times, such as crossing stone bridges, it was down to one lane, with no indication as to who had right of way.

Here's a bit more on road markings. There's no speed indications for corners, but instead the roads are marked with SLOW and some Yellow painted bars on the road at right angles to your direction of travel. The trouble is that the Slow signs are everywhere. Here's a few places where we have seen them:

At every intersection where there is a side road'

At narrow bridges,

Coming into most towns and slower speed areas such as schools,

At a golf course,

At a windy, tight piece of road

Where tractors are crossing the road.

As a result, most motorists totally ignore them and rely on their brakes.

Eventually we got onto the National road, which is two cars wide and a small safety should wide and drove into Dingle. It was teeming with people. We parked in a parking area and then booked into a hotel on the waterfront.

We wandered around Dingle and Lynette found a small music shop that was offering a music concert for a couple of hours, starting at 7:30 PM. This is a bit more convenient than the normal pub show that starts at 9:30 or 10 PM, when everyone is well tanked. With this in mind, we had an early dinner.

In the music shop they were selling a set of Irish bagpipes which were advertised as "Suitable for a Beginner."  Irish bagpipes are different to the Scottish ones in that you don't blow in them but pump them with a bellows.  These beginner pipes cost 1,500 Euros and were brand new.  The lady explained that you added to them as you got better and that a pretty good set from a skilled maker would cost 15,000 Euros, plus probably twice as much in lessons.  It probably explains why they are so rare.

Dingle's waterfront.

The buildings along the waterfront at Dingle.  We had dinner at the Marina Inn.

Inch Beach.  There was some sporting activity there.  It's noted for its surfing.

A typical busker at Dingle.  He was playing an old style accordian, not a piano type.  When you dropped some money into his pot, you got a piece of carrot to feed the donkey, and a friend for life.