Window on Whiddy

The sun and warmth as forecast did not materialise and it was grey and cold but we ventured forth to Whiddy Island anyway. There are four ferries to and fro a day at the moment.We were a select group going out on the 11 0 clock: a woman and her two dogs who were going for a walk as her dogs like to chase the Whiddy cats; a woman with a large bouquet presumably for her mum, various elderly chaps who I suspect do each trip just for the craic and us. Waiting to board were some of the local population on their way to Mass in Bantry. 
The loop walk itself was very meagre and rather dull which is odd for there are quite a few interesting things to see on Whiddy but this didn't take you to them. Still, we saw lots of hares prancing in a field, two very newborn little black and white lambs, lots of primroses and daffs, a feral cat chewing grass, a black cockerel and his ladies squawking on the road and the first crop of wild garlic. We then had a little saunter around off piste and went to the old school - now much decayed and looking very miserable. We then went on to the ruins of the church, sitting high with great views, surounded by ancient walls. We ate a rather modest lunch nestling behind the remains of the walls out of the wind.
We met a local who told us that before the Famine more than 800 people lived on Whiddy and now there are about 15 all year round residents. That may explain the rather melancholy and forgotten air it has.  Once it had importance though for it is strategically placed in the mouth of Bantry Bay and bristles with Napoleonic batteries (sadly on private land), an old signal tower, and a castle. It also had a flying boat base in the the First World War. Many more sheep than people now and lots of little lanes going nowhere. The ferry returned quarter of an hour before we thought it was going to and fortunately we were just making our way to the quay otherwise we'd have had another four hours of island life and I'm not sure Himself could have coped.
This little window somehow sums up Whiddy. - a little behind the times, gently old fashioned but still a lot of charm. And I don't think that's a real dog but I'm not entirely sure!

That's all the loops done - 17 of them ranging from 17km to 1km - now we just have to complete the business!!!

And a a happy other's Day to all you mums, moms, mams, mas, mummies, mamans, maters.

And I don't know what to say about the hoohah surrounding the future of Blip - watch this space I guess. I've put my email back up with my profile should anyone want to keep in touch, should the worse come to the worse.