sunday roadtrip to møns klint

Last week we went on a small roadtrip to Møns Klint, or Møns chalk cliffs which are on the island of Møns in South Sjaelland. Leo is a member of a rental company called Let's Go so we rented a little red VW UP (the best, tiniest, most agile car I've ever driven!) and made our way south on the motorway.

I was a little disappointed once we got there. An ugly money-spinning tourist centre marred the landscape, selling tacky gift shop items and expensive canteen food. I understand local job creation is a necessity and from that point of view the centre's creation is a no-brainer, but to my mind it reaked of an Office of Public Works-style operation, and if there's one thing Ireland does well, it's tacky tourist centres. 

That being said, we made the most of it, and the views from the cliffs were absolutely spectacular. Clear blue waters, chalky whiteness, steep drops. It was definitely worth the drive, and the island itself is beautiful, as we discovered afterwards.

I warn you, there are a lot of pictures coming up!

Copenhagen in 48 Hours

So, you've got the weekend in Copenhagen. 48 hours to swoop in, enjoy the sights, sounds and smells this Danish capital has to offer, and then you're away again. What do you? Well, never fear, because I've written this little guide to the speedy version of enjoying this chilled out and slow-paced city.

I am hosting my very first Airbnb-ers this weekend, and they have asked me for some suggestions for fun things to do. So I figured, hey, why not write a blog post about it as well?!

DAY I

Breakfast

Let's pretend you arrive on the dot of 10am Saturday morning, or else emerge from your swanky hotel all bright eyed and ready for the days' delights. The last thing you want to do is laze about indoors for 2 hours eating and drinking coffee. I suggest you grab a to-go filter coffee or a latte and a couple of delicious pastries from Lagkagehuset and have a brisk walk through Copenhagen. Walk by the Rådhuspladsen just off H.C Andersen boulevard, walk down Strøget, the large, slightly tacky tourist street, and head towards Ny Havn.

Ny Havn 

(It's pronounced new hawn) and it is the delightful, postcard pretty district that sums up old Copenhagen in every sense. Sit on the waterside, imagine yourself living aboard one of the ships docked nearby, and take lots of pictures. This is the prettiest place in the city. 

The Little Mermaid/Den Lille Havfrue

Langelinie, 2100 København Ø

The Little Mermaid is probably the most over-rated tourist destination in Europe, but you're going to go anyway, so you may as well get it over with early in the day. I'm just kidding, she's sweet and I had a tear in my eye the first time I visited (I'm a sucker for fairy tales), but she is absolutely tiny, and there are usually hoardes of tourists there. 

A mere 20 minute walk from Ny Havn, you get to see the harbour, maybe a docked military vessel or two, and one of the most iconic statues in the world. Worth a visit. 

Design Museum

designmuseum.dk/ | Bredgade 68, 1260 København | Opening hours: 11:00-17:00 Tue-Sun, Wed until 21:00 (closed Mon)‎

The design museum is amazing, we went on a school trip last year and I really loved it. Great for a thoroughly systematic introduction to the world of 'Danish Design'. Trust me, you want to be in the know.   

Lunch

lele.dk | Vesterbrogade 40 1620 København V

After all that, and only a pastry in your tummy, you'll want lunch, so I suggest LêLê nhàhàng for delicious Vietnamese food. They offer fresh and tasty food, in a lovely atmosphere, and cool cocktails. A word of warning, it is pricey, but hey, you're on holidays, right?

biomio.dk/ | Halmtorvet 19, 1700 København V

If you don't mind walking/getting a taxi for your lunch, Biomio is a bio (organic) restaurant a little bit past the city centre in Vestebro. I lived in the same complex as one of the chefs last year. It's reviwed very well, although I've never been there. The food is wholesome and filling, but the prices are truly 'Copenhagen', so it's up to yourself, really.

 The Round Tower

http://www.rundetaarn.dk/en/the-tower/ | Købmagergade 52A

After all that food, a stroll through the centre of town once again to the Round Tower is a nice way to see the whole of the city, and maybe watch the sun set, depending on the time of year. It only costs 25 dk to get in and there's usually a nice exhibition inside, too. In spring/summer they're open until 20:00.

 Dinner, Drinks, and Whatever you Like

My advice to you after this is to head to Nørrebro. As evening approaches and you want a cool night out, stay far away from the tacky nightclubs and rip-off bars around Gothersgade. You will not leave there happy. Instead, walk across the bridge to Nørrebro and do like all the cool Copenhageners do.

For a cheap bite head to one of the many kebab restaurants. There's a place hilariously named Kebabistan that I have never tried, but it's supposed to be good. Really, I would recommend just strolling around until you find somewhere that takes your fancy.

The key to fitting in here is to look as if you've made absolutely no effort. Don't fret about 'dressing up' for a night out. Wear runners (New Balance will do the job), tie your hair in a top knot if you're a lady, skinny jeans, black tshirt, just keep it super casual.

Head to Jaegersborggade and find somewhere cool, dark and understated.  Alcohol is quite expensive, so it's best to either buy some cans of Tuborg like the locals do and drink them on the way, or head to a cheap Bodega. After, you'll probably want another falafel.

DAY II

Breakfast/Brunch 

There's only one place I suggest for a massive breakfast/brunch on a Sunday morning, and that is Paludan Bogcafe. It's so ridiculously reasonably priced, has massive portions, and the coffee is great. Get a smoothie too, go on, you've earned it.

Tivoli Gardens

Vesterbrogade 3 | Opening times vary

Tivoli only opens in late Spring, but if you do happen to be here when it's open, it's a must-see. It's a quintessentially Danish spectacle, with sweet fairground rides, arcades and music shows. A great place to while away an afternoon. Grab some food from a stall and keep the energy going with some candy floss or sugary treat.

Magasin

Kongens Nytorv 13, 1095 København | Open daily 10.00–20.00

I absolutely love this department store, from which you can hop straight onto the Metro at Kongens Nytorv. It honestly is everything you could ever want from a department store, high end fashion, cheap and modern designers, a homewares section to die for, a trendy cafe downstairs, a Myers Bageri (set up by one of the Noma founders), and even a supermarket for foreign delicacies or high end local produce. I browse there constantly, and I'm not a gal that is known to spend hours in shops (unless they're supermarkets, I inherited that habit from my dad).

The best part of it is, as a foreigner you get a 10% discount on absolutely everything! Just show a passport or drivers license! I would suggest sticking this at the end of your trip, spend an hour or so browsing, grab a delicious hot chocolate downstairs (and maybe a couple of Meyers pastries, for the trip, ya know) and then head off to the airport on the Metro, which will take all of 15 minutes.

Københavns Lufthavn

Copenhagen's airport is really nice. Wander around the fancy shops, get one of the most expensive Starbucks in the western world, and grab a cheeky hotdog and Coke before the flight. A delightful end to a lovely weekend in the most hyggelig city on earth.

Vi ses i København!

The Boyne Valley and Knowth, Co. Meath

When Leo came to visit my home, I took the opportunity to show him all the places in Meath that I'm proud of, you know, showcase the best my county has to offer.

And it turns out that Meath is beautiful. On the sunniest days we've had in years, everything looked fantastic. The fields were overflowing with ripe crops, the sun was in the sky, the horses and cows looked their best, and, of course, the neolithic tombs we have littered around the area were looking their very best. Not to brag, but Meath is fantastic.

We arrived too late in the day for a trip to Newgrange tomb, so we went to Nowth, the lesser known of the three sites, the third being Dowth.

The visitors centre may be great for the economy of the area, with Americans and Europeans flocking by the tour bus, but for those favouring a more authentic experience, the obligatory shuttle bus and guided tour of the sites is tiresome.

Newgrange

Passage in Knowth

After our visit to Knowth, we visited the site of the Battle of the Boyne, where in 1690 some colonisers fought for their right to Irish land. Can you smell the cynicism? I'm not a fan of these stories of colonial muscle flexing, the site of cannons and reconstructions of battle scenes do not excite me, they make me slightly angry. The less said about the political side the better, but the lush fields are definitely a must-see if in the area, and the tea gardens are gorgeous.

Painting of the battle by Jan Wyck c. 1693

Knowth and Newgrange are UNESCO world heritage sites, older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids. 

Wikipedia entry on Knowth
The official page of Knowth
Battle of the Boyne information page

There's a lot more to Ireland than Dublin, Galway and the Ring of Kerry, you know ;)

The Ceide Fields, County Mayo

On our second day in County Sligo we took to the road for what turned out to be a very long car ride to The Ceide Fields.The journey across Sligo and into Mayo was beautiful, as we entered Ballina the river Moy was on our right, the golden sands on the beaches of the Atlantic were glimmer like they never seem to in Sligo, and it was one of those 'wow' moments.

As we entered the Mayo countryside on the other side of Ballina we were surrounded by rural farms on either side, tiny villages with old stone houses, and finally breathtaking cliffs with the Atlantic ocean crashing dramatically below. It's almost ridiculous to think that this natural beauty exists in my very own country.

I'm talking something like this:

Image found here

Our first stop was the Ceide Fields Interprative Centre.

Here's a snippet I extracted completely from their website:

One of the dramatic exhibits that confronts visitors on entering the centre is this 4,000 year old pine tree that was unearthed from nearby bogland.
Todays centre and its interior constructed from natural materials – sandstone, oak and glass – was a combination of local work and resources spearheaded by a local man Dr Seamus Caulfield and the Office of Public Works which is based in Dublin.
The result – the Ceide Fields Interpretative Centre, which received the Gold Medal Award from the RIAI and now attracts visitors from all over the world.

The Centre’s day to day running is in the capable hands of archaeological specialist Gretta Byrne who was part of Dr Caulfields original team.
The architectural and design response to this beautiful and sensitive environment was the use of a simple strong form often seen in lighthouses and martello towers which are a common feature on many coastlines. The resulting pyramid shape reflects the surrounding landscape – and in particular the Stags of Broadhaven which can be seen on the horizon.

We wandered around the informative exhibition and had a quick nibble and cup of tea in the café (tea must be taken at every potential opportunity in Ireland) , and then Leo and I headed outside to look around the fields.

Two archeologists were in the fields checking the soil for signs of activity buried below the peat, and that was really interesting to see. There were all sorts of unique flowers growing in the area, too.

Across the road is an observation point where you have a great view of the goats grazing in the next field and the big sea pillar.

Well worth the visit, even if you are far away. It's one of those rare, truly unique places.

For more information on the history of the fields, here the Wikipedia article.

The fields are located at  

The Ceide Fields Centre
Ballycastle
County Mayo
Ireland

Enniscrone, County Sligo

My mother's home is in county Sligo, in the countryside near the seaside town of Enniscrone. She grew up on a farm, and her father was also the local undertaker (how cool is that!). She now owns the family home and a bit of land around it, and I joined her for a visit there. Leo is also from Sligo, but the other end of the county, and it was his first real venture into Enniscrone, which, he argues, is basically Mayo.

We came across a mother and foal on a walk to Pullaheeny Harbour. I spent ages trying to get them to ear from my hand. Foals have the best legs, so unsteady and spindly.

Pulaheeny Harbour is an actively used harbour and stoney beach near Rathlee in Sligo. It's about two miles from our house. 

We saw some trawlers out fishing, and came upon a thoroughly unpleasant discovery of abandoned fish which had turned rancid in a disused vat. So awful.

 The tide was coming in, and we stayed for too long staring at the tiny pebbles get submerged under the water. The Atlantic is beautiful.

Credit

 
A relaxing time submerged in memories of my childhood. Sometimes it's nice to go home, even if it's to someone else's idea of home. See things how they see it.

The Burren & Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

The very morning after I arrived back in Ireland, myself and two friends hopped into the car and headed on our first adventure of the summer. My friend is new to driving, so to get some experience she drove the whole way. We stopped off in Athlone, the town that she went to boarding school in, for some lunch. Then it was back in the car (with ice creams!) for the remainder of our 3+ hour road trip.

The great thing about modern Ireland is all those shiny, delicious EU subsidised roads. It's literally so easy to hop on the motorway in one part of the country, and arrive at the opposite end of our fair island in what feels like mere minutes. It's fantastic. Thank you, Celtic Tiger, thank you!

For those not familiar, The Burren is a truly unique and spectacular landscape of limestone rock, called a karst landscape, which is located on the western coast of Ireland in Co. Clare. The Wikipedia page is, as always, a great source of information. The permeable and corrosive nature of limestone rock means the rocks have been eroded in such interesting ways, and the caves that exist below ground are unique. There exist arctic and Alpine flora and fauna, remnants of the ice age.

Our first port of call were The Ailwee Caves. I've been to wild caves in The Burren before, and while they're a lot more fun and you get a great feel of the reality of the rock formations in the caves of the area, Ailwee is a great tourist experience. The tour guide gave us some back story to the discovery of the caves, and I found it so funny that the farmer who discovered this massive cave structure waited 30 years before telling anybody! Astounding. The tour was fairly short, but it was engaging, and the lights focusing on the specific features our guide was describing was helpful.

An underground waterfall

A stalagmite

I would definitely recommend a trip to the caves if you're a tourist in the region. The visit is affordable and informative, perfectly safe as long as you're mobile and not scared of the dark. A fun introduction to the underground features of The Burren.

Our next port of call was the Father Ted house. Father Ted was a wildly popular Channel 4 tv show in the 90s, featuring three Irish Catholic priests and their contrary housekeeper who lived on the fictional Craggy Island. If you've never seen it, you have lived but a half life. The exterior of the parochial house is a big house located in The Burren, and we drove for miles and miles to find it. And it was good.

I can almost hear The Divine Comedy's theme tune blaring from the tv on a Monday night. Golden.

The weather forecast for the weekend was very optimistic, but sadly as evening set in so did a thick mist, obscuring the hills of The Burren, and making driving difficult. AK wasn't totally comfortable driving on the winding roads in the fog, so we headed back to the hostel for the night after having a pub dinner. I can't remember the name of the pub, nor what village it was in, but the area is filled with pubs, many of which play traditional Irish music and serve classic favourites like fish and chips.

Our hostel was a simple affair, Clare's Rock Hostel. We paid €2 each, we got a private room, we got breakfast, access to the kitchen, a parking space, and a hot shower in the morning. What else do you need? This is their Booking.com profile.

The next day we said goodbye to our hostel and headed to The Cliffs of Moher.  Featured in The Princess Bride (a childhood favourite) as the Cliffs of Insanity, they are beyond belief. Also beyond belief is the fact that the charge to use the car park is about €6 PER PERSON (to just park the car). I will write a separate post ranting about tourist extortion in Ireland, so I'll leave it out for now. The visitors centre is expensive and, like most visitors centres/art galleries in Ireland, smells unmistakably like soup (why is this?). I would recommend parking on the road outside, schticking on your walking shoes and heading straight out to the cliffs themselves, where you can be terrified and amazed all at once.

 

After our trip to the Cliffs we headed to Lahinch. As we arrived, the temperature increased, the sun came out, and we took a look around this lovely little town. We went, again, to one of the traditional pubs for lunch, and then went in search of a nice typical bit of karst landscape to take a walk on. We found it, in the middle of nowhere, uneven and smooth and absolutely beautiful.

After that it was back to Meath, back on the fancy motorways and away from this wild little bit of the world. It's my third time visiting, and Clare is fast becoming my favourite place to be in Ireland.