Hello from beyond the hills and mountains of Connemara. And the temperatures drop and the winter sets in in earnest the Letterfrack Lodge stays warm, cosy and inviting to the discerning traveler who ventures west. Good fortune favors the brave and the good fortune that awaits the winter traveler is the locals. In the winter the locals all have the time to chat and are even more interested in the (brave) people who venture west to see Connemara at it’s “savage” (- wb Yeats) best.
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and guests at the Lodge took full advantage. They all walked Diamond Mountain in the Connemara National Park and enjoyed the stunning panorama’s which stretch south to the Aran Islands and north to Achill Island. In fact, on a very clear day you can see the outline of Mount Brandon in County Kerry.
The Summit of Diamond Mountain in the Connemara National Park provides one of the best spectacular points in the whole country. To the east, is the 12 Bens mountain range and Maamturk mountains. To the West is the Atlantic Ocean and the islands of Inis Boffin and Inis Turk and Clare Island. To the North is Kylemore Valley, Killary Fjord, mighty Maoilriedh, the tallest mountain in Connaught. To the south is the Aran Islands and Mount Brandon on a very clear day.
In the afternoon, some people headed over to Kylemore Abbey which is 3 kilometers from the Lodge.
A fantastic Neo Gothic castle on the edge of a lake at the foot of a mountain steeped in history. This is one of Ireland’s top attractions. It takes about half a day to get through the entire estate which consists of the Gothic Church, the Abbey itself, and the Victorian Walled gardens. Although not in bloom this time of year, it is still very interesting and value for money according to those who visit. There is a craft shop and fabulous tea room. Read the history before going through the estate and the whole thing comes to life once more.
Today we did a lot of finalizing for the Lodge Restaurant’s very first theme night, ‘Vietnamese’ .We had a meeting with a interior decorator in the morning and came up with some good ideas. Some of these were a bit ambitious (giant Buddha and Karp tank) and also some very attainable (floating pettles & colored lampshades). It promises to be a great night of Asian Cuisine, and Shioban (chef) is very excited to back a style of cooking that she really loves.
Christmas is now just around the corner and Letterfrack Lodge and Lodge Restaurant are offering very attractive offers for 3 course Dinner / Bed and Breakfast from 45 euro pps.
So a few lively nights in store, we hope to see you at one of them
- Mike
