Day 122: Irish wet weather is good for your skin !

Day 122 - Monday, August 6th 2018: Glenbeigh to Kells via Rossbeigh 15 km / Total 2511 km, 17°C, rain

I didn't leave Glenbeigh very early, but I expected to have a small walk. As the day before had been very long, my body felt quite tired. Glenbeigh seemed to be a lovely village, nestled at the foot of the mountains. 

I forgot about the main road, too many people driving on the Ring of Kerry, and chose the little road to Rossbeigh Strand. It was a nice road in the woods. I liked those big trees. Apparently, horses walk faster than me, even slowly, they passed me very easily. And each one of them was carrying a human! 

As I arrived at the Strand, the rain came from the opposite direction, so straight into my face, and I got wet before I found a shelter. So, nothing to see about the view. 

Then I had to climb a mountain, still following the little road. Thinking that I didn't want to walk the Kerry Way to avoid climbing mountains! When I reached the summit, I felt wet inside and outside my rain cover. 

As I was getting down, I met a farmer and his very curious dog who tried to smell every part of my shoes and trousers. His master asked me about my trip: "you're on your own and you didn't get any trouble ?". So far, no. I still wonder what they are all afraid of? What's that danger they all fear? Or maybe I'm just lucky and very careful? But I still feel very safe here, really much more than in Paris. Ireland is safe according to me. He also asked about my age and told me I really look younger. This is maybe because of the Irish weather: not too much sun and very good hydration for your skin!

Then I joined the main road, the Ring of Kerry. No other choice. I tried to walk the old railway, but the old bridge had disappeared. The Ring of Kerry is a coastal road on that part; usually with a very good view to the Dingle Peninsula. Unfortunately, the weather was still misty, and I had to guess that the peninsula was somewhere there. 

I expected to get lunch at the first pub on the road. Unfortunately, it was closed until 7:30 pm. The next food point was 3kms away, another 45min of the walk. When you are hungry, you can walk it. Even if it was far more away than Kells beach where I wanted to stop. This is how I ended at the Golden of Kells. The owner who saw me arriving with my wet rain cover found a place to get it dry with my backpack and gave me his card. That place exists since 1776. It is as old as the United States of America. That's impressive! I got a full Irish Breakfast (that's a real positive point, in Ireland even if it's 3:30 pm you can still get breakfast) sitting in front of the window, hoping for the weather to get better and to get a view of the Dingle Bay. Which didn't happen. So after an hour and a half waiting for that view, I left and went to search for a place for my tent.

Which occurred only a hundred metres away. A flat place, surrounded by trees, no house, no cattle, no one. It would have been perfect if I had not put my tent on the grass already wet. I think it was the first time I could be wild camping before 6 pm. The night could have been great if a dog somewhere has not been shouting at 3 am... Until the morning!