Island life Do you want to explore the rugged rocks of Ireland’s Inis Mór (this) or Skye off the Scottish coast (right)?
HEAD TO HEAD
INIS MÓR vs I
Those seeking something a little wilder in the UK and Ireland only need to
T
here are almost 200 inhabited islands scattered off the coast of the British Isles, and many are places where time seems to have stood still. Visiting them gives you a chance to see wild, unspoiled landscapes and explore pockets of authentic culture. Here, our UK and Ireland specialists discuss the charms of two of our favorites.
INIS MÓR, IRELAND
By Andea McLaughlin A tiny, wind-battered archipelago off the coast of County Clare, the Aran Islands are a stronghold of traditional Irish culture. Residents still ride on horse-drawn jaunting carts and call to each other in Gaelic while fishermen carry out their trade in currachs, small woodenframed boats covered in watertight cloth. Inis Mór, the largest island, is easily visible from the coast and you reach it via a short (45 minute) ferry ride or even shorter (6 minute) plane ride. Landing, you can be excused if you think you’ve reached another world or time. Geologically, this is an extension of the Burren and shares the same weathered landscape, the bedrock scoured bare and poking through the sparse top soil.
Tiny stone cottages dot the rocky landscape, surrounded by cows nibbling on the low green turf and the colorful wildflowers that grow in the cracks of the karst. Despite the island’s small size and sparse population (fewer than 800 permanent residents), there’s enough here to see to fill a whole day. The Seven Churches – locally known as Na Seacht Teampaill – are the skeletal ruins of two early Christian churches dedicated to the 5th-century Saint Brecan, as well as monastic houses and a stillfunctioning burial yard. Those titular seven saints are said to be buried in the cemetery, possibly explaining the confusing name.
Last time I visited, the fog had just rolled in and the whole site had an eerie feel, with high crosses and random gravestones emerging out of the mist like ghostly apparitions. A short ride away, Dún Aonghasa is a semicircular Iron Age fortress on the southern coast. At least 2,000 years old, the seemingly primitive limestone walls are actually a sophisticated lace-like design intended to let the relentless sea winds whistle through. There are three loosely concentric walls that end abruptly at the cliff’s edge. It’s a sheer drop down more than 280 feet to where the waves batter the rocks below. Like the better-known Cliffs of Moher, Dún Aonghasa offers sweeping views along the snaking coast. Unlike Moher, there are neither crowds nor protective barriers to interfere with the view and you’ll see people lying on the very edge of the bare stone, peering over the precipitous edge. Be careful, the rocks are sometimes shakier than they appear and the wind can gust suddenly. The only town of any size on the islands is Kilronan, on Inis Mór, where visitors arrive and depart. It’s more like a village than a town, but you’ll find pubs and shops selling Celtic-themed jewelry and the intricately cabled sweaters that the islands are known for.
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11/04/2018 12:40
