So, if I think back to Dunquin I must say that the place is really small but pretty. You come along a long and winding road and suddenly, you have a spectacular view over the Blasket Islands, the most Western tip of Ireland. Dunquin consists of a few houses and it seems that people there either life of tourism or agriculture. An interesting point about Dunquin is that you see it featured in a lot of Irish postcards but you only realize that once you were there yourself. The reason is that the sea with old white houses on the cliff and the Blasket Islands in the background make a great picture. Here is one to proof my point:
House in Dunquin with the hills of Great Blasket in the background
From a touristic point of view, the main island (Great Blasket) offers exciting ruins of once strong houses to explore as well as a white sandy beach (quite unique in Ireland I would say). In addition, you can camp on the island wherever you like as long as you bring your own supplies and collect your rubbish when you leave. Having said this, I need to mention that you share the camping spot you chose with sheep - a lot of them since they freely roam around the main island and leave their natural "rubbish" everywhere so be careful if you walk around there.
Great Blasket with the White Strand, the ruined village and some campersI heard that there is a path that leads hikers around the main island but when we were there, the sun was shining on an amazingly sunny and hot summer day so that too much physical activity would not have been beneficial to once health. So, instead we were strolling around the island and walked along the beautiful sandy beach.
Apparently, there is an elderly woman who moves to the main island during the summer. We saw her little well-kept house next to the ruined onces that either stem from the 19th century or from the 1930s when some new houses were erected there in an attempt to improve the rather harsh living conditions for the islanders.
Arrival and departure on Great Blasket by rubber boatAnother adventure waiting for visitors is the boat trip Dunquin to the Blasket Islands. Yes, it still works the old and well-established way! In Dunquin you go down a steep stone walk to board a small boat and you then you have to wear a life vest. Once you leave the mainland, you have a great view of the cliffs on which Dunquin is sitting. After only 10 minutes, the boat stops close to the main island and then passengers have to change into a smaller rubber boat that can go through the shallow waters that surround the Great Blasket. This is a real adventure for city-people like me and it gives me a nice little holiday feeling, too - being on a boat and stepping onto new shores so to speak.
The boat leaves several times a day in both directions and is the only means of transportation to the islands. We stayed a few hours during one day and that was enough to see what is worth seeing there (since there is mostly ruins and sheep). But for (hard-core) hikers and campers, there is always the possibility to camp on their favorite spot. Just to remind everyone interested in visiting that there is no restaurant or kiosk on the main island. Some travel guides say there is but when we were there, the place was closed and locals said that it has been closed for some years now. So better take your own drinks and food.
In Dunquin however, there is a nice small pub where locals meet up and the B&B that we stayed in (70 Euro per room and night) also has a restaurant that won some prices according to our travel guide. Also, you can get nice Irish breakfast there. For smaller budgets, there also is a hostel up the road.
Summary: A nice trip within Ireland since the whole Dingle Peninsula is known to be one of the most beautiful corners of the country. However, for a weekend trip, it can be a bit stressful since you will spend some hours in the car driving there (if you come from around Dublin or from further up North). Also booking your B&B in advance is a good idea since everyone seems to share the thought of leaving the city once the weather is nice. -- If you love beautiful nature, you won't get bored. But don't expect a lot of cultural activities (pubbing yes) apart from the Blasket Islands Visitors Centre where you can learn more about the islanders and their life over the centuries.
Further reading: Stagles, Joan and Ray (2006), The Blasket Islands. Next parish America, Dublin 2006
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