( Overview
/ Two Bullocks on a Boat Go West
After a poor night’s sleep because of torrential rain and very high winds, the morning was bright and calm.
For once a calm trip in on the dinghy. Regina and her cousin, Eileen, met us at the Eccles Hotel - although we wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d driven past as they were busy catching up. Firstly Regina kindly drove us to Castletownbere where we provisioned at SupaValue.
A 17th century pirate base, and later a Naval Air Station, Whiddy Island is best known for the Betelgeuse disaster in January 1979. The oil tanker exploded and caught fire on the jetty ultimately claiming 51 lives. A memorial incorporating the ship’s bell is in St Finbarr’s Church graveyard, Bantry.
The Temple at Dzogchen Beara. Dzogchen means ‘Great Perfection’ or utmost yoga; a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism aimed at discovering and continuing the ultimate ground of existence. The temple is being built in traditional Tibetan Monastery style, but with floor to ceiling windows.
The centre has a cafe with beautiful views over the bay (as well as of our companions)…
… and the meditation centre exudes calm with its atmosphere and expansive vistas.
We strolled along the headland.
A lone yacht entering Bantry Bay.
We also visited the meditation garden. According to Tibetan Geomancy, this site’s position at the southwest tip of Europe has the potential to bring powerful healing.
A beautiful, peaceful spot.
Continuing our tour of the Ring of Beara, we stopped to look over to Allihies where Eileen had been a warden at the Youth Hostel. This explains Regina and Eileen’s extensive knowledge of geographical locations, especially the bars!
Allihies was a copper mining town, and the beach was artificially created for the local children.
Skellig Michael is where 6th century monks set the standard for hardship, and their beehive shaped dwellings were used as Luke Skywalker’s sanctuary in ‘Star Wars’. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it also has a lighthouse. Little Skellig is home to gannets and other birds and no landing is allowed
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