However we felt Dingle was every bit as nice as the Ring of Kerry.
You have perhaps a secret that should be kept as the tour buses must be a mess in the summer
on the Ring of Kerry.

Reading in your guest book that some folks enjoyed Brandon, we headed there one morning and it was a great time for us too.

We went out to the end of road at Brandon Point and hiked up a pasture, overlooking the Brandon Bay. This was a fun hike and so pretty.

Then we went back to the town of Brandon to see if there was a place for a mid-morning snack.

One of the older row houses had a sign out that they were having an open house serving tea and coffee as a fund raiser for hospice. It was being done throughout Ireland on this day.

So, the four of us knocked and were invited in. What a joy this was for us. We went in a lovely foyer with fresh flowers on an old bureau and were escorted back to a surprisingly modern kitchen. I could have started housekeeping right then and there. I loved the old home and the modern kitchen was like a dream.

Some men were sitting on a sofa with family around and it seemed like four women hostesses. We were told to sit at the table that was such a wonderful array of pastries to die for. Blackberry pie, wonderful scones, carrot cake, fruit cake, and a cheese type cake I think. Along with this was a huge bowl of freshly whipped cream and a bowl of blackberry jam. I had the blackberry pie as it brought back wonderful memories of when my mother used to pick blackberries on our farm fence rows and also make pies. They served it warm with whipped cream. Scones were served piled with jam and whipped cream. Dallas had the carrot cake - his favorite and he said the best he has ever eaten.

Anyway, the conversation too was so nice and we felt so warm and comfortable. When we told them we were staying in Camp, they questioned where- Rich said Seamus and Sheila were our hosts, they surprised us by saying that Sheila had just been there and one of our hostesses was Sheila's sister. Now wasn't that a surprise?

The owner of the home suggested we walk Glen Forge, so we left there and found Glen Forge. What a special hike this was!!

Long ribbons of waterfalls were streaking down Brandon Mountain and we started walking along a roaring stream that came from the waterfalls. We walked in the misty rain until we came to a falls that was coming from a lake near the foot of the mountain. It was so pretty and peaceful - what a nice hike!!

One evening we had nothing planned and it was nice to light you peat fire and kick back when Seamus appeared and offered his video of traditional Kerry. We really enjoyed that and appreciated him sharing it with us.
Well, now that is the end of my epistle and you must have wondered why I have written all of this. I really didn't expect to - I got started and kept going. I guess you can see we had a wonderful time… So now you know our entire 16 days. It is still all so fresh and wonderful… Thanks! D.& A. S.

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