Wild Atlantic – Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #150 – Wild

These photographs were taken last autumn on the Mullet Peninsula here in County Mayo as the wild Atlantic was churned up by strong winds.

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Carrowtige Loop Walk, Co. Mayo

The Mayo coast is one of those places special spots. The north and far north western corners of the coast are a bit off the beaten track. Back in November we had the opportunity to do part of the Carrowtige Loop walk. The full walk is over 10km long but it is possible to do shorter loops (of about 3km), which we did. The walk offers spectacular views of Broadhaven bay, the Atlantic ocean and majestic sea cliffs.

Atlantic ocean with Kid island in the background

We were lucky to have got one of those bright winter days but the wind coming from the ocean was bracing to say the least. In the distance of the photo below you can see the Stags of Broadhaven, some rocky outcrops that jut into the Atlantic.

Coastal cliffs and sea stacks

The surrounding landscape is bogland, a rare and important habitat and an important carbon sink in a time of climate change.

bog

bog

Carrowtige is Ceathrú Thaidhg in Irish. Ceathrú means quarter or quarterland and Thadhg is the name of a person.

Kid island is grazed by sheep – how the farmers get them onto this rocky island is a bit of a mystery to me!

Kid island

 

A beautiful place

 

 

 

Silent Sunday

 

Belmullet Peninsula, Co Mayo

Silent Sunday

Cross Beach, Belmullet

Waves

Downpatrick head

Clew Bay, Co Mayo

Achil, Co Mayo

Lacken strand, Co Mayo

Downpatrick Head, Co Mayo

Living near the West coast of Ireland there are no shortage of Atlantic waves. Now that school holidays are here we may get a chance to get to the beach 😉 Weather permitting!

 

 

 

 

 

Beltra Strand and Croagh Patrick

County Mayo (west of Ireland) is blessed by an amazing Atlantic coastline.  This year we have not had much beach weather but we try to make the most of it when the sun does shine.

Beltra beach is just outside Westport. It is just one beach of a number in Clew Bay. It’s a lovely place to swim as the relatively shallow waters of the bay warm up quickly. There is lots to explore;  rocky shore and rock pools when the tide is out; wildflowers where sand meets fields; and plenty of shells to collect too.

Beltra beach

Above the beach rises Croagh Patrick. This mountain is a pilgrimage mountain. Before being a site of Christian pilgrimage, it was a site of pagan worship when people are thought to have gathered to celebrate the beginning of the harvest. The main day for climbing the mountain is the last Sunday of July. Up to twenty thousand people made the assent in previous years. This year, for the first time, people were urged not to climb it because weather conditions on the day were so bad (rain and wind), which says a lot about the kind of summer we are experiencing!

Croagh Patrick