Jaunting Carts, Killarney, Ireland (Friday, July 26th, 2019)

After experiencing breath taking views in the Ring of Kerry, we arrived at our hotel.  We had about an hour to rest up before meeting out front for a carriage ride through Killarney National Park.  The carriages in Ireland are known as jaunting carts, which makes it sound even more special.

Since we weren't able to do our carriage ride in Central Park because of the heat, I really wanted Steve's mom to ride up front with the driver, but when we realized what it would take to get her up there, we changed plans and put her in the carriage.  Getting in the back was difficult enough.

We even got a special surprise with our jaunting cart ride, a little box of chocolates each.

When the driver found out I was the photographer of the family, he insisted that I sit up front for the best pictures.





Once we were all loaded up, we headed through town toward the national park.

The national park starts right in town, and then heads into the mountains to the south. 

Soon after we entered the national park, we saw a herd of Irish red deer, once on the endangered list, they have now made a come back, and are even quite plentiful in the park during the winter.

The views of the park and the leisurely pace of the jaunting cart made for a very relaxing ride.  Our driver was clever with his information and jokes, and you could tell he really loved our horse "Debbie".

Every once in awhile we would come across some walkers, who would step to the side for us to ride past.

As we passed the lake, we looked to the left and saw the most beautiful Irish red buck.

There are even remnants of old castles in the national park.

At one point rhododendrons were introduced into the park, and now have become an invasive species.  In the spring, the entire park turns a beautiful purple-red from their flowers, but they are smothering out all of the native species.  This is a picture of  their efforts to now remove them. They have to be removed at the root, or they will come back.

As we emerged back into town, the carriages grouped up again so that they could get through traffic more easily.

And within minutes we were back at our hotel.  Our entire ride was about an hour.

A few pictures of the Dromhall Hotel where we will stay the night in Killarney Ireland.