Ireland is an island and where there is an island there is a coastline ! Today, I teach you more about the Irish coast...
The Irish coastline stretches over more 3 172 kilometers, that is to say 1970 miles. It is surrounded by the Irish Sea, Celtic sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Irish Sea separates Ireland and Great Britain. The Celtic Sea is in the south of Ireland and the Atlantic ocean in the northwest.
As the Irish coast is impressive, we could say that it is very developed, well landscaped and thus very touristic just like Spain coasts and its blocks of flats overlooking the sea...but in reality, not at all !
Ireland is bordered by magnificent coastlines, punctuated by cliffs, bays and beaches. Sometimes, a few houses can be seen on the coasts but if you want sea and civilisation together, go to Galway, Dublin or another city by the coast...
Rather expect to find breaking waves, dizzy precipices and grand trails : coast cliffs are really spectacular. Carved by the ocean, they offer breathtaking panoramic views. The most famous cliff site in Ireland are the Moher cliffs.
You probably have understood by now, Irish coasts are very wild ! There is no risk to see a block of flats built at the foot of the water !
Irish coasts are wild and have a very diverse fauna. If you move away from the coast while swimming, you may see a seal...It is not a joke ! During a swim in Nohoval Cove, I saw one for a short ime before going back to the safety of the coast ! With this link, you will have an overview of Nohoval Cove and an Irish music immersion at the same time !
Seals are not the only sea creatures you can have the chance to see. Since 1991, Irish waters, of great biological biodiversity were declared to be a"whales and dolphins sanctuary", the first of its kind in Europe.
Thanks to Atlantic Ocean which runs along the western coast, Ireland is the perfect place to observe whales. This ocean constitutes a kind of highway where countless cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) spend months traveling from North to South and vice versa.
Good to know :
Numerous harbours propose boat trips to see dolphins, seals and whales.
You can also see the marine wildlife by getting to one of the islands close to Ireland. The Irish coastline owns one thousand and one islands which have peculiar characteristics of their own.
If you fancy legends, then go discover the Aran islands. Located at the entrance of the Galway’s bay, they are a wild archipelago. They are famous for their tales and they are viewed as the most mysterious Irish islands…
If you want to go on the trail of Star Wars then go to the Skellig islands, a wild archipelago located in the west of Ireland. You will have the chance to relive a scene from the movie titled "The Force Awakens" in which Rey climb up on a forsaken island in the middle of the ocean.
Did you know it ?
The Skellig islands are not the only place used for Star Wars movies. Other places in Ireland were used such as the Wild Atlantic Way, a coastal road or also Brow Head, the southernmost point of the Irish mainland.
Cliffs, islands but what about beaches ?
Even if the Irish coastline stays wild, this doesn't prevent people from swimming ! Beaches are very different and can be made up of sand, pebbles or flat stones.
Creeks, are for the most part covered in greenery on both sides and have caves along their sides allowing swimming and exploring at the same time.
Did you know it ?
In English, we use the word "cove" to refer to a small type of bay or coastal inlet.
We must state that the coast is very craggy and full of creeks. In addition, numerous beaches in Ireland have a name following by the word "cove" such as Nohoval Cove.
Throughout my stay, I took several swims in Ireland and I was surprised to see a few times a barrel of the size of a van parked near the beach. Approaching it, I discovered it was...a sauna ! When Irish people go swimming, they fancy warming themselves up upon their return from their cold swim. It is fueled by wood fire but be careful this service is not free. You will have to give a few euros to enjoy it…
As I said it to you, Irish coasts are very wild and the swimming is not always easy to do ! Most of the beaches don’t present any danger but beware of the caves when the tide is rising. The ebb of the sea could be treacherous. What’s more, some beaches in Ireland display signs forbidding the swimming due to the strong marine currents. Don’t miss them because you could not read them afterwards…Lastly, some beaches have seals and jellyfishes. Don’t get too close to the seals because they can bite and avoid touching jellyfishes…
The beauty of the Irish coast is charming but remains a wild marvel so be wary.
On my next post, I am going to take you visit a colourful city…
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