I just typed this whole thing and then lost it because this site logged me out before I had saved.Grrr….Here we go again:
So Slieve League Cliffs.These cliffs are the tallest in Europe, at between 1000 ft and 1800 ft, depending on where you are on them, with a sheer drop into the Atlantic Ocean.I had read about them on another’s traveller’s weblog, where he had posted some pictures and written about climbing them in “iffy” weather- he said it was terrifying.So immediately, I HAD to go.To me, this is a MUST on the itinerary.Not sure if my travel companions think so too, but they humor me, anyway.
We found the road at the start of the range, and head up it.At first, we are confused, since some cars have parked at this part, and the road looks to be really more of a walkway.But we see a few more cars coming down, so we decide to try it.To say that this road is winding and curvy would be like saying the Grand Canyon is a dip.At times, I feel we will surely fall off the side of the cliff and meet our untimely demise… On our left, the sheer drop into the Atlantic, on our right, the rock face of the mountain.We pray for no oncoming traffic, since there is only enough width for one car, and sometimes that’s being generous.There is no room to let someone pass, and I can only imagine what that would be like.We shut our eyes and hang on, occasionally hissing warnings when it seems the car is too close to one edge or the other.We beg for mercy from the road, and suddenly, it stops.We get out at a carpark on wobbly legs, our white knuckles returning to their normal shade as we take picture after picture of the spectacular view.We notice a pathway, rocky, but sturdy enough, and decide the climb couldn’t be any worse than the one to Deerpark the day before.Famous last words…
We climb, higher and higher, steeper and steeper.Finally, exhausted, panting, and terrfied, we reach the top, or what we hope is the top.The views are amazing.I don’t think that pictures will capture teh feeling of being so high up, and so close to the edge, but I take a few anyway.After seeing the Cliffs of Moher and the Cliffs at Dun Aengus, you would think that these would seem more of the same.But they are uniquely terrifying, uniquely tall, and uniquely my favorite.This is my favorite place on the planet, and if Heaven doesn’t have similar cliffs, then I think I’ll still be happy, but man, what a shame… The cliffs are detailed here: http://www.12travel.ie/ie/North_West/attractions/slieve_league.htmlas a tourist attraction.
This is the walkway (hikeway) that you take up to the cliffs from the car park. You can see the carpark in the distance.
There is a lake visible at the top of the cliffs, which is visible here:
You can see some of the road in the distance of one of these shots:
I called W whilewe wereontop of the cliffs (amazing cell reception) and tried to tell him about it. But to describe the feeling of wild abandon, of closeness to Creator and Creation, of sheer joy… well, words failed.I can only say that my senses are hightened in a way thatI don’t think they ever have been before, and the only word that describes it is to say that I feel ALIVE.Just go- go yourself. Bypass everything else if you have to, and go.
One last shot:this is a hiker that obviously went further than I, but the shot is so great, it had to be put in here.I think it gives you a greater sense of the solitary feeling that is Slieve League Cliffs.I got it from www.wikipedia.com.
Posted from USA:
posted Monday July 2006