Cliffs of Moher - Ireland

After we trespassed on private land to shoot the Cliffs of Moher away from the mass of tourists and paid parkings, we arrived right at the edge and went all the way down to the ocean. It was a very windy and stormy weather, it felt quite creepy to be there, alone.

The Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair in Irish) are located on the west coast of Ireland, south of the Burren and around the area of Doolin (which is a very charming little town).
These vertiginous cliffs have a maximum height of 214 meters (702 feet) above sea level. It is often a very  rainy area with strong winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean.
It is a very impressive place to visit but I'd suggest to avoid the touristic area and go wander around to find a spot to sneak in and really appreciate the power of Nature concentrated on that area.

Of course, be careful not to get too close!

Simplicity

A simple yet beautiful Irish landscape. No wonder they call it the "Emerald Isle"!

I met once a half-drunk Irish guy in a bar in Galway. He smiled at me and said: "Feckin weather ay? Sorry for you tourists". I smiled back and said: "Well, on the contrary! Beautiful weather! That's why your island is so green and amazing!". I guess he loved it :D

This was taken from O'Connor's pass, on the way to Dingle on the west coast.

Stranded

This was taken in the city of Killarney - Ireland, near the castle Ross in the Killarney National Park.
It was a beautiful place to visit, long walks and not many tourists. I spotted these boats just sitting idle there as if stranded for a long while. There was an algae bloom on the lake and nobody wished to ride the boats for a little tour.

Hungry in Ireland?

While driving along the West coast of Ireland, near Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher, I stumbled upon this sign in the middle of NOWHERE! That was really odd. There was nothing on the horizon on either side of the road.
I actually was hungry and thinking of having a meal.. Is that what they call visualization?

Irish people really have a great sense of humor!

In case you are very curious, the sign was actually followed by another one "Need Rest?" a few kilometers further which pointed to a hostel near the cliffs.

I'm gonna go grab a bite now...

David vs. Goliath

A big stone formation on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. We had to trespass on private land to be able to go see the cliffs away from the touristic spots. It was so windy but such an amazing view!
My friend seems so tiny next to this rock.. You'll get crushed buddy!

Let's get wet!

In summer 2008, I offered myself a trip to Ireland in order to celebrate my 30th birthday. A few friends joined me and we decided to visit the west coast of the island from Killorglin (attending the Puck Fair) to Sligo.

On one of the chilly days, with a storm lurking behind the mountains, we decided to stop and have a swim in the ocean.
We found a little path down to an empty beach north of Dingle before reaching O'Connor Pass.

The beach was empty, apart from a few solitary joggers. There was a very light rain and the huge clouds were rolling fast to strike us.
I walked around trying to find a nice spot for a shot. I found this fence surrounding a section of the beach. I just had time to test a few shots before the rain drops became bigger. I had to put my camera away.

I guess we had no choice but to get wet! Either swim or get caught in the storm.

Well, at least I got a cool shot!

Trespassing in Ireland

There is something about Monochrome HDR photos that makes it so special..

I went to Ireland in summer 2008 for my 30th birthday (Ireland + Iceland.. Best Bday ever so far). I found it  such a beautiful and magical island, so green, it's no exaggeration!
We hired a car to explore the west coast as much as we can in a short time (9 days) from Kilorglin's Puck Fair up to Sligo.
One of the most famous places on our way was the Cliffs of Moher, near the little town of Doolin!

An incredible place, but very very touristic... People actually had to pay to park and visit the cliffs!
No way!

We ended up driving through small villages trying to find a hidden path until we arrived at a locked gate. There was a huge empty land for sale surrounded by a fence and a small rocky wall with a big note : <>

Nobody was around to check so.. we climbed the gate, went through the muddy fields all the way down to the windy cliffs to take the shots away from tourists.
We also got to visit an abandoned medieval watchtower closed to the public (Not O'Brian tower).

I took this shot just before jumping the gate. I loved the gloomy and dramatic effect the HDR gave to it and  the clouds turned out excellent!

Well... if we didn't trespass.. We would have missed all the fun and the great shots!

"If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun" 

~ Katherine Hepburn ~

(The Photo of the day is posted earlier than usual today because I am going on a visa run to Malaysia so I won't be able to post anything tonight here in Thailand.. Cheers!).