Castlemehigan Rock

What a difference a day makes. After the atrocious gales and downpours, today was calm, crisp and bright. We've been exploring. We met our pals Robert and Finola for hearty carrot and ginger soup, plus extra garlic bread, and then headed off into the mountains- our objects of desire various ancient stones marked with cup marks. Robert was driving I'm glad to say as we wend our way up tiny roads higher and higher. First stop – a tramp across a small field and then a magnificent sight as a large lake, now a reservoir for Goleen, opened up with sea views beyond, I was so busy gawping I nearly missed the stone - Castlemehigan rock. It was a big flat one covered in a wide variety of cupmarks, some of them unusually large. These may date from the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age and all sorts of opinions flourish as to what they were used for - here's Finola's  very informative write up of a previous visit.
We then continued to an even more remote location high about Crookhaven – more incredible views, another lake and another big flat stone. This time the cup marks were less impressive but there nonetheless. Our final jaunt was to the remains of an 17C fish palace – actually a processing plant for pilchards. This involved a fair amount of scrambling down to the water's edge. Hard to imagine the hustle and bustle here once, and the smell. A most satisfactory exploration.

A great response to Derelict Thursday which we are currently hosting for SarumStroller. To make it a little more interesting, we have decided to award our alloted five hearts to our five personal derelict favourites. To make it even more interesting we have decided not to confer and see if we agree. These are my five faves for this Thursday challenge (in no particular order) :
Buenos: because I could live there, that little vernadah!
Frisson of Excitement: great perspective, great colours, plus she had to man-up for this one
The Elvian School, Revisited wide and spooky view,  a fascinating building and I'd want to be over those barricades like a shot
Not in Contract an odd, enigmatic little building, an intrepid journey and a wonderful write up
Camden New Jersey an amazing spot the difference image, it was the floral settee facing the wrong way that swung it

Himself is currently still deliberating! He's deliberated and we're almost in agreement!