I’m not sure what I was expecting when I peered out of the window on the morning of day three. It had been raining steadily all night and I was hoping against all hopes that it would’ve rained itself dry by morning. I closed my eyes, crossed by fingers and possibly held my breath as I pulled up the blind. I was met with a wall of grey, the fog hung heavy and low, the air was thick with moisture and there was rain, the particular type of Irish rain that’s not especially heavy or driving, but the type that is constant and never ending…. the type I like to refer to as “wet rain”. Yes, I know rain is wet, but this is a particular type of rain that only those who hail from Ireland can truly understand. It is the type of rain that I have yet to find rain gear to truly protect against, the type of rain that is soft, yet relentless. Ever the optimist I throw every good intention out there that it would clear, that a glorious beam of golden sunlight would break through the clouds and chase the rain and fog away, but deep down I knew the reality of the situation….it was going to be a wet day!There is something about the rain that is incredibly invigorating. All around us the vegetation glistened and bloomed with life, a life and lusciousness that would not be possible without it, rich vivid greens that would be dull, arid and colourless without drizzle. And that smell, the intoxicating, fragrant scent of creation that rises as the drops fall. Even the horses felt the rejuvenative energy of the rain, prancing and dancing beneath us as we disappeared into the mist. The fog was thick around us as we meandered steadily uphill, shrouding us in a sense of mystery and wonder as we could not see what lay ahead. Unfortunately, we had to abandon our climb, the weather was not co-operating and the views were non-existent, views that were bright, clear and spectacular only a few short days before. Such is the unpredictability of the Irish weather. I often believe that places such as the Dingle Peninsula, places of such astounding beauty will always hold something back to prevent you getting spoiled, give you a reason to return. And so, I will have to return to be enchanted by the views atop Mount Eagle.We may not have experienced the captivating vistas and hypnotic views of the Blasket Sounds, but we did enjoy an exhilarating gallop along a deserted Ventry Beach, horses flying wild and free, not normally done but today was an extraordinary day!! After 5 non stop hours in the saddle, cloaked in fog and rain we returned to Dingle Horseriding . Horses happy and dry in their stables it was time for us to assess exactly how wet we were………4 people each with different types of high-quality wet gear, all 4 people soaked to the bone!! A steaming hot bath, cup of tea, delicious fish pie, a pug on my lap surrounded by five more dogs in front of the fire…………the perfect end to a wet but wonderful day!The first two photographs are from our ride, the rest are from the same ride a few days ago (courtesy of Dingle Horseriding). Weather can change in an instant in Ireland and things may not always turn out as planned or expected, but there’s always beauty around every corner and magic in every step…….
