|
The road due north from Killary threads along a narrow valley which opens up, briefly, for a famous salmon and sea-trout lough-fishery with the unlikely name of DELPHI (in the local pronunciation, Delph-eye ). The story behind the name involves the first Marquess of Sligo, whose seat, misleadingly, was at Westport. The flamboyant Marquess, a friend of Lord Byron, was caught in the sway of romantic Hellenism and in 1811 set sail for Greece to search for antiquities. He swam the Hellespont with Byron and rode with him overland to Corinth; but when he got to Delphi, he suffered a bout of homesickness, finding that it reminded him of nothing so much as his fishery at home in County Mayo. After numerous adventures, and some pillaging of ancient sites, the Marquess returned home to reminisce. Nowadays, there's an adventure centre at Delphi (tel 095/42307), offering supervised instruction in anything from wind-surfing and canoeing to abseiling and mountaineering, and pony trekking is based at the Drumindoo Stud (tel 098/66195). More important for people of a more sedentary disposition, there's also a hostel and a comfortable, glassed-in coffee shop where you can sit and gaze out as the cloud creeps down the slopes of Mweelrea and Ben Gorm. Luxurious accommodation , excellent cuisine, plus a taste of the area's history, can be had at the Delphi Lodge (closed Nov-Dec; tel 095/42211, www.delphilodge.ie ; GBP55-70/?69.84-88.88), an 1830s sporting lodge by the lake, built for the Marquess of Sligo in a surprisingly austere Neoclassical style. North of Delphi, the road runs alongside sombre Doo Lough , also known as the Black Lake, and over desolate moorland before reaching LOUISBURGH (pronounced Lewis-burg ). This is one of the few instances where a town this side of the Atlantic has been named after one on the other: it was renamed after Henry Browne, uncle of the first Marquess of Sligo, had taken part in the capture of Louisburgh, Nova Scotia, in 1758. Louisburgh is essentially little more than a crossroads, but its planned buildings give it an incongruous air of importance, and it's a pleasant enough place to stay. The Granuaile Centre (June-Aug Mon-Sat 10am-7.30pm; tel 098/66341; GBP2.50/?3.17) details the exploits of Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen , and has an audiovisual display and local tourist information (it is advisable to call before arriving as the opening hours can be erratic). There is also an exhibition on the Great Famine, as this area suffered heavily from 1845-49: there's a harrowing tale about the march of six hundred starving locals in 1849 to Delphi Lodge to beg, unsuccessfully, for famine relief; many of them, weak and ill-clothed, died on the return journey amid the uncompromising scenery of Doo Lough. This event is commemorated annually in the Great Famine Walk (enquire at the centre for details). Louisburgh makes a good base for exploring the sandy beaches that run along the north coast as far as Murrisk Abbey. One of the best places for food is The River Cafe in Bridge St (on the left as you cross the bridge from Delphi) which serves tasty home-made soups and salads. There are any number of excellent B&Bs around the area; try the excellent, family-friendly Springfield House (tel 098/66289; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) or two miles out of town is the modern Three Arches (tel 098/66484; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) which also has good family rates. Just outside Louisburgh, at OLD HEAD (on the Westport Road), there's a campsite with showers and laundry (closed Sept-May; tel 098/66021). Old Head has a good beach , though little can compare with the nearby Silver Strand beach, claimed grandiosely in the local tourist leaflets to be second only to Florida's Key West; it is, incidentally, the site of a mass Famine burial. You can reach it by turning southwest at the crossroads just outside Louisburgh on the Killary Road along lanes that pick their way through rolling country rich in megalithic monuments, with a clear view out to Clare Island, Inishmore and the smaller islets; it has a couple of B&Bs - Silver Strand House (tel 098/68730; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) is homely and comfortable and offers evening meals of local seafood.
Your Tip for Delphi and Louisburgh
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Delphi and Louisburgh - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Delphi and Louisburgh - visit the main Delphi and Louisburgh forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Delphi and Louisburgh webguide section below! Thanks.
|
