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"Even
high, forbidding
Conor
Pass
presented something of a rush-hour
scene. Negotiating the pass, which links
Dingle
Town
on the south to Kilcummin on the
north coast at
Brandon
Bay
, is considered a
"must-do" experience. Leaving town from
Spa Road
, the paved way becomes
increasingly narrow and (depending on your sense of adventure)
thrilling/terrifying until it crests at 1,300 feet above sea
level. There were plenty of dicey moments as vehicles passed
each other on the slender, twisting track. "
"Winding
down
Conor
Pass
,
I tune into FM 94.4, the Gaelic station, fitting for a descent
into the
Dingle
Peninsula
,
a Gaeltacht. Gaeltachts are national parks for culture where
Gaelic (or Irish) is spoken and the government protects the
old Irish ways.
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"Conor
Pass will take you over the mountains to the north. Take
it easy here as the road is steep and narrow. The rugged
terrain through which you climb looks like some sort of
moonscape.
It's all worthwhile however for the views from the
lookout at the top. Look back towards Dingle, way down
there, or across to the north over Tralee Bay past Mount
Brandon, Ireland's second highest mountain at 950m, with
its peak shrouded in mist. There is a walking track
which gives access to the top of the mountain.
Down to the northern side and you'll find sandy beaches
like Castlegregory and an easy drive to Tralee."
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