After leaving Ross Castle, we continued driving through Killarney National Park. Our next stop was Torc Waterfall. The waterfall lies at the base of Torc Mountain. The word Torc is from an Irish translation of "wild boar," as the area is associated with legends of wild boars. The waterfall is 66 feet high and 360 feet long. It was a relatively short walk to the waterfall. The trees and rocks were covered with moss. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen so much moss.
Welcome to Killarney National Park
Mossy trees
Mossy rocks
Torc Waterfall
In front of the falls
The area near the waterfall is picturesque. We did some hiking before it was time to get on the road again. We continued our Ring of Kerry tour.
Grassy path to lake
Muckross Lake
Lake shore
Path to lake
Big rock
The next stop on our journey was Ladies View. Ladies View is a scenic viewpoint on the Ring of Kerry. Supposedly, it is one of the most photographed sites in Ireland. Ladies View is named after Queen Victoria, who visited Ireland in 1861. The ladies refer to her ladies-in-waiting. It would have been a lot more awe-inspiring if the weather hadn't been so overcast. There wasn't much visibility when we stopped. It overlooks the lakes.
Named after ladies in waiting
Dreary day affected view
Foreground
Did I mention there are lots of sheep in Ireland? Well, there are, and they don't mind where they graze. Most of the hill (or upland) sheep graze freely, in unfenced areas. They often graze close to the road. We had a near encounter when we were driving along the Ring of Kerry.
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A close encounter |
We encountered is statue of Charlie Chaplin, in Waterville, a village on the Ring of Kerry, It was a favorite holiday destination for the silent picture star. The bronze life sized statue was unveiled in 1998 and overlooks Ballinskelligs Bay. It was jointly commissioned by the Chaplin estate and the local community.
A tribute to the silent picture star
Me and Charlie
Some additional scenery along the Ring of Kerry.
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Always sheep |