Day 2
A short ferry ride takes us to the Great Blasket island, for a six mile walk along its ridge, with spectacular sea views all around. This is the largest of the Blasket islands, which lie scattered about off the western end of the Dingle peninsula. Occupied until 1953, Great Blasket has a rich cultural heritage, with up to twenty books having been written by islanders describing their everyday life and conditions. All have been translated into a number of languages. The most famous is An t-Oileanach - the Islandman- by Thomas O'Crohán.

Day 3
We spend the morning climbing Ballydavid Head (950' climb – see photo below), with rewards of delightful cliff and ocean views, then visit some of the many local antiquities. The Dingle peninsula has one of the highest concentrations of archaeological features in Europe, some dating back to the Mesolithic period. Late afternoon is for participants to explore Dingle town itself, with its local crafts, cafés, pubs and shops.

Day 4
Leaving Dingle, we travel to the pretty coastal village of Portmagee along the Ring of Kerry, one of Ireland's most famous scenic drives. Recommended lodging is in 'The Moorings' (www.moorings.ie), a small maritime inn in the village of Portmagee for two nights. Many rooms have sea views, and the inn boasts an excellent restaurant, with its specialty of locally caught fish, crab and lobster. Portmagee is the departure point for trips to the Skellig islands. We cross the bridge to Valentia island, (from Oileán Bhéal Ínse, Island at the mouth of the river meadow), site of the first European trans-Atlantic cable station, slate quarries, ancient antiquities, sub-tropical gardens and recent tetrapod discovery. Eight miles of walking samples some of the flavor of this remarkable island.

Day 5
A forty-minute ferry ride, departing from in front of our inn, takes us to the Skellig islands, one of Ireland's most sacred sites and our best seabird colony. Passing close by Little Skellig, thousands of nesting Gannets contribute to the cacophony of seabird calls, then shortly afterwards we land on Skellig Michael, which rises to 714'. Our climb to the summit takes us past hundreds of Puffins, Kittiwakes and other seabirds. Near its summit nestles the well-preserved remains of its 6th C. monastery, with its beehive-shaped huts, tiny stone oratory and walled garden. Despite Viking raids from 812 AD onwards, the monastic community survived until the 12th.C.

Day 6
Following the Ring of Kerry we head inland for Killarney's lakes and dells. The Killarney National Park is Ireland's oldest and most diverse. We visit the 19th C. Muckross house, (Muc Ros, The peninsula of the pigs) ancestral home of the Herbert family. A stroll through the lovely gardens starts a six-mile walk along lake shores (see photo below) to the unusual yew woodland of the Muckross peninsula, one of only three large yew woods in Europe. This was the site of my breeding bird survey; Ireland's longest running bird population study. Here we learn about its flora, fauna and ecology. This evening we visit Siamsa Tíre, Ireland's national folk theatre for an evening of song and dance. Suggested lodging is the Lake Hotel, one of the oldest in the area and also a family-owned property. It is spectacularly sited on the shores of Lough Leane, and has recently added delightful suites, all with spectacular views.

Day 7
A two hour ferry ride conveys us through the National Park's extensive lake system to Lord Brandon's cottage, now a popular tea-room. After lunch in the shadow of ireland's highest peaks, the MacGillycuddy Reeks, a ten mile hike takes us past oakwoods and peat bogs, where we delve into the mysteries of Ireland's boggy past. Peat has been harvested as fuel for many generations. Archaeologists have also discovered its value as a source of information on our past floral, faunal and human history.