Childhood haunts

A trip retracing Dave's childhood trips in Donegal, it was a pretty much perfect day.

Malin Bay is on a peninsula in South Donegal, a beautiful cove looking straight out to the Atlantic
As we set off that morning waterproofed up right down to our undercrackers via torrential rain on the drive down, the clouds cleared and the sun broke out and stayed out - so much so we had to strip layers of clothing off as we stayed a few hours on the beach, paddling in the Atlantic, exploring the strand line, rocky coves, cliff faces, streams and hillsides. Tess even managed a wee beach snooze after funding a rare violet snail...which we only found out was rare when I Facebook chatted with a County Clare Beachcomer I follow. We saw Ravens and also a Dipper; it was amazing to see this special bird have a nest on a stream right on a battered Atlantic bay.

The climb up the beach is an achievement in itself, so much so, i couldn't persuade them to go on the few miles walk to the old Napoleonic watchtower nearby on the edge of the peninsula, one of many dotted about this coast as relics from another age. But they did relent to stop and explore the amazing neolithic court tomb site a mile or so inland, i tried to channel the ancient rituals but alas, like the fairies our eccentric but committed host in Dunfanaghy so enthusiastically talked about and directed us to, there was no response. We still had a family hug in the middle of the old tomb structure, chambered cairns surrounding us at all sides, as you do.

Then on to Slieve League cliffs, the highest cliffs in Europe where Dave got his fear of heights as a kid after his dad played a stupid trick on him, he had belly crawled to the edge to look down as well as over to the cliffs when his dad pounced. No crawling to the edge these days, a sort of sturdy fence is now in place to stop the eejits belly crawling to danger.

The cliffs are spectacular, especially with the warm summers evening light falling on them. Braver souls can walk round and up to the ridge but we were high enough already. At one point I wandered off round a bit beside a wee photo guy who was packing up for the day, suddenly there was a massive crack and we both turned round to the cliffs, something massive had obviously broken off the cliff and plummeted but we couldn't work out what and where. When I caught up with Tess, she had heard it too, the sound was very powerful and not one I'll forget in a hurry. Nature in action as these cliffs continue to weather and erode.

Late as it was we pushed on to Killibegs for some seafood for Dave and the kids, then back to our railway carriage where it was the kids turn to be knackered while we had a wee nightcap.

At one point Dave did a bit of a sigh, "what's up?" I had asked, "I feel content" he had replied. Just as well, it would balance out his major grrrrrrrr moment trying to access the Air BnB in Dublin two days later...