It's 4.30am and the bar at my hotel has clearly just closed as the last remaining customers have just clattered and giggled their way upstairs, bouncing off the walls as they come down the corridor, but I don't mind, my alarm is set for 5am as today is my first day on the Wild Atlantic Way and I want to catch the sunrise, and WOW, what a sunrise !
I make my way out of Muff, through Moville, and head on towards Inishowen Head, on my way I spot a photo opportunity at Greencastle Golf Club, there is the slightest frost on the green and the sun is breaking through the trees, so I pull over, go through the gate, and take a few pics, just as I am walking back, the gate is being opened by an official, and I'm thinking I'm gonna get a few choice words from him about the fact I shouldn't be there....conversation went like this
Me - I hope you don't mind, I just wanted to grab a shot of the sun breaking through the trees onto the green, I stuck to the path and didn't go onto the course.
Golf Pro - It's a great morning for taking pictures, but there's a much better shot than that, hop in the car and I'll drive you up to the 12th Tee, you can see Scotland from there on a good day !
This is one of the reasons I love Ireland so much, the people are just so incredible !
The golf pro having a practice after he dropped me off
View from the 12th
After a few shots on the 12th (pardon the pun) I carry on to the incredible beach at Inishowen Head, there's just me and a guy walking his dog, incredibly peaceful, the only sound is the waves lapping on the beach.
Inishowen
Magilligan Point
From there it's a steep drive up to Magilligan Point and you really feel like you are on top of the world from there, on the steep decent down towards Kinnagoe Bay I meet a very friendly horse, who appears to want to join me for the journey, popping his head into the car....and then it's on to the longest stretch of beautiful sand I've ever seen at Culdaff Beach, spent an hour just strolling along the sands.....
My final point to visit today is Malin Head, the most northerly point in Southern Ireland, and what a view, it was a lovely sunny day today, but tomorrow is high winds and rain and I plan to go back there tomorrow to see how it feels under different weather conditions.
Malin Head