The most south-westerly point in Ireland (official

Just staggered in after a hectic day. I was awake half the night due to wild weather - storm force winds kicked in around 11pm and continued! Still raging this morning and no walking bus. All types of wild weather though and including this rather fab rainbow (almost first blip choice). The smalls went off on their school tour and I had a very pleasant morning with the big ones. While the cat was away we did lots of art instead of maths!

A power cut at lunchtime cause confusion as we spent a few minutes trying to work out why the toaster wasn't working! No electricity and the sun shining we headed off towards the Mizen peninsula, me with the hope of taking a few blips, himself coming along for the very pleasant ride. The Mizen marks the most south-westerly point of Ireland. The end point has only just re-opened as the suspension bridge connecting the mainland and lighthouse was found to be dangerous and has recently been restored at vast cost. You will need to enlarge this to see the little white lighthouse keepers' cottages, and the new bridge snugly fitting into the scenery. It goes across a massive chasm with huge folded rocks and is incredibly impressive. The lighthouse is no longer manned but there are (very bad) reconstructions of a lighthouse keeper's life including a model of yer man in his bed looking very syphilitic - and it's only the top half of the man (I peeped!!) There are also a pair of disembodied wellies going up a spiral staircase. There used to be room where ultra violet was used to ferocious effect to simulate being underwater - not sure how that worked but teeth and freckles and dandruff all showed up dramatically, The ultra violet wasn't working today.

We did go down to the light house - a small red job stuck out over the water, ideal for a Titanic moment. The lady in charge insisted I had everything possible buttoned up as she warned us of gale force 9 gusts! She was right!! Pure exhilaration!

On our way home we stopped at white strand - this has the most perfect sand and is a beautiful and remote spit. Ice creams were taken in Schull.