The reason I love travelling independently as opposed to with a tour group is because I like to get lost. I literally never have any idea where I am in the world, which is generally pretty fun. When you travel with a tour group, you spend very structured time with someone who has seen something a million times. The experience you have is pre-packaged, which might be convenient, but is certainly not raw. I like having the space to get lost, the space to let life unfold in any which way. This particular travel day was the best reward for that preference.
As we were en route from Galway to Donegal, we decided that we wanted to stop along the way to visit some megalithic tombs. We didn't have a precise address for the GPS, so we decided to just try to follow road signs and ask locals for directions if we needed them.
We got so very lost, but saw some of the most beautiful scenery in the car that none of us ever really felt lost. We eventually encountered a mountain, from the bottom of which we could partially make out what looked to be a tomb near the top, so we decided to circle the mountain until we found a road that would bring us where we wanted to go.
Eventually, we came to a parking lot, but we were no where near the top of the mountain, so what was left to do but to hike the rest of the way?
Although it was a long hike, every step was rewarded with the most incredible view.
County Sligo marked the first time we were close enough to the coast to see the water. The added vantage point being on the top of a mountain didn't hurt, either.
I volunteered to bring up the rear (I blame the views for distracting me…)
Alex got a little frustrated by his competition, being beat up the mountain by little old Italian ladies.
Once we got to the top, we grew ecstatically erratic at the entire panoramic view the mountain had to offer.
Mountains and the sea are my two favourite natural features, so I felt entirely spoilt and overwhelmed to take in both at once.
We all spaced out to absorb our surroundings on our own…
… And of course Alex found the comfiest seat.
Not to be outdone, I tried to make myself comfy too:
I know its dark, but all I could think of was Ophelia's line from Hamlet:
"At his head a grass green turf/ And at his heels a stone"
Once Alex recovered from the climb, he made some new friends.
I don't think they liked him much...
… but then I can't blame them.
I can't quite explain why, but the energy on the top of that mountain was so invigorating that we all got a little crazy.
Even Josh and Pat got in on running free.
If this picture doesn't encapsulate the feeling of being on top of the world, I don't know what does.
Once we had had our fill of the scenery, we turned our attention to the most prevalent feature: the massive megalithic tomb. This was a giant mound of smaller rocks, placed high atop a mountain. Can you imagine for a minute the time and effort and dedication it would have taken to build this tomb? It supposedly marked the resting place of the mythological Irish Queen Medb (Maeve).
She must have been a pretty great Queen to have earned this resting place.
On the way back down the mountain, Alex and I felt so inspired by the magic we felt at the top of the mountain that we couldn't help but talk about our writing projects, which is just another reason this day was so special to me.
This horse selfie is photographic evidence as to why Alex can't be trust with a camera.
After leaving Queen Medb's tomb on top of what we learned was called Knocknarea, we returned to our quest to find our original place of interest, Carrowmore.
Carrowmore was stunning in itself with its gently rolling hills, and countless smaller dolmen (the megalithic tombs).
Although, it did pale in comparison to Knocknarea, pictured below extending far above Carrowmore.
Knocknarea was an incredible experience, made only more amazing by the fact that we stumbled on it accidentally. What a happy accident.
And how cliche (please forgive me), but what choice do I have but to end this post with Tolkien's famous line:
"Not all those who wander are lost".
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