We awoke to heavy clouds over the mountain and filling the sky. The chance of rain still shows 0% for today. Yay! We’ve been extremely blessed with the weather so far, but it looks like rain could come the last few days of the walk. We’re prepared with pack covers and rain gear so we’ll be fine if it does. It’s just much more pleasant and scenic if it doesn’t.
We ordered breakfast from our drill sergeant host (John Doyle) when we checked in yesterday. He didn’t offer us a menu to choose from, just asked what we’d be havin’. I was tempted to say something outrageous like eggs Benedict just to see what he’d say but decided not to stir him up and get sent off this morning with no breakfast.
I had scrambled eggs and bacon.
Kody had scrambled eggs, cheese and tomato.
We met this lovely couple from St. Augustine, FL, Aileen and Dave Knox at breakfast. We ran into them again at the end of the day in Annascaul and really enjoyed sharing hiking stories.
As we were about to leave, John came out to send us off with directions back to the trail. Kody mentioned that AllTrails suggested a different way back. John put his hand on Kody’s shoulder and said, “Oklahoma, I don’t want you to die in Ireland!” He went on to explain that was an incredibly dangerous road with no place to dive when the cars are coming. So we took his directions and bid him farewell.
11.2 miles we’re walking south to the coast
ascent 1,334.3' / descent 1,367.8'
It’ll be a good steep climb at the beginning.
Little Samphire Island is just a short boat ride from Fenit Pier, sitting a few hundred meters to the west. This charming spot has a lighthouse that was built during the famine years, starting in 1848 and lighting up in 1854. It was manned until 1956, which is pretty cool!
If you're looking to visit, boat trips are usually available in the summer, and local operators can hook you up. The lighthouse itself has that classic white look and comes with a keeper's lodge right next to it. Plus, you’ll be treated to some stunning views of the coast, the Dingle Peninsula, and even the Statue of St. Brendan over on Great Samphire Island. Oh, and fun fact: it was automated in 1956!
Off in the distance, the Slieve Mish Mountains added a dramatic backdrop.
So much for the blue skies. We got properly wet.
The sheep were grazing in the road and we disturbed them. Off they go.
Grassy green trail underfoot, among the sheep and dodging sheep poo! My favorite place to be. Who wouldn’t love it?
One row of trees cut down right in the middle of the forest
Love the lambs!
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The Slieve Mish Mountains (Irish: Sliabh Mis, literally means mountain of mis, so a little redundant to say mountain of mis mountains) are a 19-km sandstone range on the eastern Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Acting as the "backbone" of the peninsula, the range spans from Tralee to the central Dingle area, featuring over 17 peaks, with the highest point being Baurtregaum at 851 meters (2,792 ft). Composed mainly of Devonian Old Red Sandstone, these mountains were shaped by glaciers, creating U-shaped valleys like Derrymore Glen and Curraheen Glen. The Kerry Camino goes right through the mountains to Dingle, so that’s our route.
Hardy fuschia
Cattle have it made
Not crazy about this little expanse of rocky trail but the colors of the rocks were nice.
In the afternoon, we reached Inch Beach, a vast stretch of sandy shoreline—“gorgeous” doesn’t really cover it. I stood at the hilltop, taking in the salty air, and the sheer beauty of it all. How could anyone experience this grandeur and not believe in the God who created it all?
A fork in the road 😁
They were having surfing lessons of some kind in the water (with no waves?)
Absolutely magnificent!
Our little Dingle dude and the Kerry Camino signs assuring us we are on the right path.
Chilean rhubarb
Have you ever seen rhubarb so big?
The second day’s hike ended in the village of Annascaul—best known as the birthplace of Antarctic explorer Tom Crean. After surviving both Captain Scott’s South Pole expedition and Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ voyage, Crean came back to this quiet village and opened the South Pole Inn, where he lived until his death in 1938.
We had planned to visit the well-known South Pole Inn.
We’ve been reading about it since the planning stages of this trip. The walls were covered in photos from Tom Crean’s expeditions, giving the place a museum-meets-pub feel that somehow worked perfectly. Sadly, the pub is now closed. It was sold in October 2025 and hasn’t reopened under the new ownership, and all the memorabilia is gone with the old lessees. Tom Crean was buried at Ballynacourty Cemetery. We didn’t find it necessary to walk the mile and a half, each way, to visit his grave.
There was a statue of him in a little park.
We met this sweet little lady walking her dog. She had a very strong Irish accent,was difficult to understand and loved to talk. I think I got most of what she was saying. Her name is Ailish the Irish form of the English name Elizabeth. When Kody asked if she could take her picture. She straightened her hat and said, “I’m Ailish.”
Beautiful stained glass in the Church of the Sacred Heart. This is actually the back of the church.
Jo Anne, this photo is for you!
We stopped in the tiny market to ask if there was any place serving food. The man behind the counter said only the breakfast/lunch cafe/pottery place up the street. We had already strolled past it and given it a hard pass. I think I may have rolled my eyes a little bit because the elderly woman checking out snarkily said, “if you’re hungry, you’ll be glad of it!” So we ate there. I’m not really sure what this is but it was not exactly the culinary highlight of our trip. Kody asked him about the veggie curry and he said, “I won’t do it!” even though it was the top item on his menu board. “This is all I’ve got or some toasties.” While we were there, he broke a glass and then a pitcher. It’s a wonder he had anything left on which to serve food. We’ll be visiting the pub in a bit for more sustenance before we turn in for the night.
African daisy
The old bridge
Some colorful redo’s
Annascaul river
Scotch broom
Up close
We’re staying at The Old Anchor Inn, a cozy spot run by a lovely couple, right on the town’s Main Street—literally, but check-in isn’t until 3 so we walked around town and then saw Aileen and Dave walking down the street, and chatted with them for a while.
After resting a bit, we walked up the street to The Randy Leprechaun for a bite to eat.
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| I had the soup of the day - mushroom Today's Stats: |
Miles - 11.6
Steps - 29,440
Ascent - 1,722’
Time - 4 hrs 3 min
Let’s dive into verse two, where the songwriter beautifully paints the picture of “Open Thou the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow.” This imagery of a crystal fountain takes us back to the book of Revelation, where an angel reveals a stunning river of the Water of Life, sparkling clear, flowing right from the Throne of God and the Lamb, down the heart of the city.
The river is a symbol of God's saving grace and sustaining power, offering eternal, cleansing life that never runs dry. While humanity lost access to the river in Eden, the New Jerusalem restores it, representing complete restoration.
Just imagine how incredible it will be to witness that fountain, with God’s crystal-clear water. And let’s not forget, Jesus calls himself the Living Water. So even when we feel like we’re wandering through a desert, if we are believers, we’ve got that living water with us all the time. By embracing Him, we can feel fulfilled and quench our thirst as we navigate life’s ups and downs. There’s truly a healing stream that flows from Jesus—water that brings healing in so many beautiful ways.
