Exploring the West of Ireland and an unexpected but welcome 'unschool' moment

in #unschooling6 years ago


When spring finally came to our part of Europe after a long and wet winter we greeted a dry and (partly) sunny day with the same sunny enthusiasm. Whenever we have the chance, I like to bring the kids out to explore and this was the first time we really drove a little while to do this since we moved to this part of the country. We'd been cooped up and stuck in and around the house for too long so I decided to bring us to an area fairly unknown to us so far.
Even my teenage daughter and her boyfriend tagged along, something that doesn't happen very often, so it was extra special. This 'event' happened in early spring, the end of March I believe. We drove to Foxford, County Mayo, which is only 15 minutes from our house. Just between that town and Pontoon, there is a lake called Lough Cullin. You can drive all around the lake for spectacular views and right beside this lake is another, much larger lake by the name of Lough Callow for more stunning views. However, the best thing to do when it's not too warm (like it has been the last couple of weeks) is to walk up the hill opposite Lough Cullin for a good work-out combined with breathtaking views and wildlife exploration.

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View from atop of the hill near Foxford

The kids got really excited at the prospect of finding frog spawn. We found some alright, but we had an unexpected bonus.

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frogspawn in shallow ditch on the side of the path

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As we were rooting through the ditches on the side of the road leading up to the top of the hill, we found this little guy.

Can you spot him?

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The kids were cheering with excitement! Especially my youngest, who had never seen an amphibian up-close.

I managed to catch him so the kids could have a good look. Of course, I let him go not long after.

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At this stage I wasn't quite sure if this was a young frog with the tail still attached or a newt.

However, in the next picture it becomes a bit clearer what it was.

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My eldest daughter, who gets frantic when she sees a spider or an insect, has no issues with picking up an amphibian, although holding it with sleeves, not bare hands of course 😆.

In this picture it shows beautifully what kind of creature this is. It's a male newt!

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So all in all we were quite happy with out findings and continued to the top of the hill for a break and some photos.

()

I am pretty sure that this would have once been a place where the Celts lived or held ceremonies or both. The place is very 'safe' as you can see your surroundings and what's coming up the hill. There was a huge standing stone that was cut straight through the middle. So either it got struck by lightning or something else...
At that stage my battery had died, so I don't have a photo (but will soon). Funny enough, there are no records that the Celts have ever been on this hill for anything. Strange...Maybe it was their secret hiding spot.

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Overlooking the bay of Lough Cullin

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Our dog Dakota showing off her Mountain Dog Heritage

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And my eldest son his rock climbing abilities


Making our way back down

And a little time at the lake to end our day. I just love days like these. After some fresh air I never have to argue about bedtimes...

Thank you for reading and come back soon as I have a lot more stories and photos of Ireland to share. Especially once we start travelling the country (soon). I always like to go a bit off the beaten path. Somehow I always end up discovering places that aren't shown in the tourist books.

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Looks beautiful and how nice is that after a fun day no bedtime arguements :-)

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