Killybegs - Donegal - Sligo - Ballina

Drumcliffe Church - Church doors have WA connection - hence the Swans

This afternoon was not nearly as spectacular as the morning, but there were still things to report..

After the grandeur of this morning, the first thing to do was to warm up! So I got into the car and drove to Killybegs. This was my plan B for last night, but fortunately I didn't have to use it...

Killybegs Harbour

But I didn't stay long there... just paused for a pic then drove onto Donegal Town for lunch.

Donegal Town

Had some lovely Veggie soup there which helped me warm up a little.

My route this afternoon was mostly main stream and the roads were pretty good in general. The map took me through Sligo which was W. B. Yeats country. And, strange though it may sound, I have a book of Yeats poetry at home, so I paid my respects at his grave...

W. B. Yeats grave

Sligo - Yeats country

This is one of my favourites..

When You Are Old

By William Butler Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

My target spot to stay the night was Ballina. After last night's saga I was determined to check in at a reasonable hour and know that I had it all under control...

So I came to Ballina by 3.30pm and after fruitless tour of the town I discovered a sign that led to a motel called The Ice House. It was probably more than I would usually pay, but tonight I just wanted to book in somewhere.

And I think I jagged a winner. The nice young man at reception dropped the price a little and said I could have a room with a river view (the River Moy)

So I accepted, just glad to have it all sorted, and when he took me to my room, my jaw dropped a bit as it was a suite of rooms overlooking the river...

Look at my room/s for tonight...