Boat Tour

Once we crossed the little stone bridge, we headed to Lord Brandon's Cottage for lunch.  There was a sign that said no dogs, but there must have been 3 dogs running around the picnic tables that are the available seating.  I'm pretty sure one of the dogs actually lives there.  The Cottage is an outdoor restaurant/eating space.  While we were there, the weather actually warmed up a bit.

As you can see in the picture above, Connor has a hard time keeping his hands to himself, although, Haley can be fairly mouthy!  I had another shot of the walkway from the Cottage but Haley was flipping me off so...

Then we were off to wait for our boat.

The starting point is on Upper Lake, which then has some narrow passage-ways to Lough Leane and to Muckross Lake.  It wends it's way through Killarney National Park.  For our trip, we went to Lough Leane (the lake our hotel sits on) around Ross Island, and ended our trip at Ross Castle.  If you look at the route on a map, it is a fairly long stretch of narrow waterway from Upper Lake to Lough Leane, and as you can see from Steve's pictures, it is absolutely gorgeous!  The weather continued to clear up for the most part, so that was another bonus!

With as narrow as the passage can be, you have to have an experienced boat captain I am sure!

 That is another hotel on the Lake - not ours.

The magnificent Ross Castle.  Built in the 15th Century by O'Donoghue Mor, it is famed as the last stronghold in Munster to hold out against Cromwell, eventually being taken in 1652.  Legend has it that every seventh year on the First of May, O'Donoghue rises from his slumber in Lough Leane to ride his magnificent white horse around the lake.  If you happen to see him on this journey, you will have good fortune for the rest of your life.