The Skelligs

Last night, my Mum and I headed down to Ballinskelligs, where we have a summer cottage. It is one of my favourite places in the world and a great place to wake up on one of the sunniest days of the year.

Together with my eldest brother, his wife, and their two smallies, we started the day with tea and scones in the back garden, and then visited the Skelligs Chocolate Factory, where they make delicious handmade chocolates.

On the car journey there, I snapped this shot of the Skelligs. I've seen the view so many times, but never with these lowing-lying clouds. The Skelligs are two islands, 11km off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. A Christian monastery was founded on the larger island, Skellig Michael, sometime between the 6th and 8th century, and monks lived on the inhospitable island until the late 12th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After a few hours playing on the beach, we went back to the house, where my sister-in-law and my four-year-old niece prepared a Pink Picnic for me, to belatedly celebrate my 30th birthday. There were pink buns and biscuits, pink napkins, and some pink Shloer and prosecco. We put on our prettiest pink party dresses with pink wellington boots and had a lovely party.

In the evening, we went for a meal in the Smuggler's Inn, where my brother and his wife had their wedding in 2007. The scenery there is also spectacular, and the food is out of this world.

Such a special day.