Our Kerry

View from Skellig Rock

There are not too many days on the Kerry Weather Calendar that are suitable for a trip to Skellig Island but you might find one this week if the weather forecast for the coming days holds up.

I visited Skellig in April 2010 with a group of friends, one of whom was celebrating her 40th birthday and had decided that she wanted to celebrate on top of Skellig Rock!

The weather could not have been more perfect for our trip.  The water was like a just shined mirror as we left our Portmagee dock for the journey to  Skellig. My memory of the journey was lots of laughter and lots of beautiful frothy wake. Once you arrive and disembark from the boat the climb doesn’t look so bad but believe me it is not for the feint hearted and especially not for anyone unsteady on their pins and certainly not for anyone who suffers from vertigo!

The initial few steps you have to climb are a bit scary.  In 2010 there was no railing – this may have changed since.  The terrain is well traveled but I advise ascending and descending sideways, as a crab would – if a crab had a notion to climb Skellig that is of course!

Skellig is renowned as a favoured habitat of the Puffin who nestle in the rock face … it was a bit early in the year so they were quite scarce that day but now is probably a better time to see them.

As you can see in the photograph there are lots of stone walls that demarcate the early monastic settlement on Skellig and further up again you will come across the community of Beehive Huts. Be sure to go inside and soak in the peace that the monks must have experienced there.

Further up from the huts a tricky climb leads you a plateau from where you literally have a 365 degree view of the ocean, the other rock stacks and the mainland – it is a truly spectacular sight and one I am very glad I have had the pleasure to witness.  It is here that we unpacked our picnic and popped the champagne corks to toast both the big occasion of our friend and the majestic magnificence of this extraordinary place.

Many Kerry natives have never made it to Skellig and if you are one of those people please try to make time to do it soon. It is a fantastic experience, one that will stay with you long after you have set foot back on the mainland again.

Recount the memories over a coffee or a drink outside the Bridge Bar in Portmagee looking out to Skellig an Valentia Islands!

Boat trip info :  http://www.skelligislands.com/vessels.html