The sun was shining as we travelled through a fascinating landscape in the far north of Ireland. Our destination was Malin Head, the country’s northernmost point.
Our first stop was at another stone ring fort, the biggest in County Donegal and certainly one of the most impressive. Located on a hill 244 metres above sea level, it offers stunning views in all directions.
The stone ring fort Griana of Aileach was reconstructed in the 19th century, but was originally built in the 6th century BC.
Between 1942 and 1943, signs were placed on the Irish coast close to the locations of the coastal watch huts to identify the land below as Eire (Ireland in the Irish language) and not Great Britain or Northern Ireland. Shortly after the ‘EIRE’ signs had been constructed, mostly by volunteers from the relevant Look Out Posts (LOP), the LOP’s identifying number was added to the signs, enhancing their value as navigational aids. A list of LOPs and their locations and numbers was given to Allied pilots, providing them with more detailed information on their location.
We are now leaving Ireland by ferry, arriving in Northern Ireland and therefore Great Britain. We had applied for and received our Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) but as the border is essentially an open one, neither country controls any passports.
There is one more sight we have to see on that sunny day, and that is the Giant’s Causeway – more next!