Fri, 27 Jun 2003

author Tim	location Downings, Donegal, Ireland
posted 09:18 BST 29/06/2003	section Europe2002/Europe/Ireland/Ireland 1 ( all photos )

Mayo, Sligo - Seaweed Baths! ( 13 photos )
We eventually found where to pay for Thursday night's accommodation - it was the local post office/service station/shop/caravan park and probably everything else in the town, run by one little old guy who I think had major problems dealing with the fact that when I walked in there was someone else in there as well. Two customers! He got a little flustered, but worked it out in the end.
Leaving that one horse town on Friday morning, we drove out towards Achill Island, described as "full of villages deserted in the middle of the 19th century and others deserted outside of summer every year", we headed off in search of the former.
Stumbling we know not how across a tiny "Internet cafe" inside what seemed to be an Adult Learning Centre, I added a quick update so people knew we were still alive.
We did find Slievemore Deserted Village, some of which was the summer residence of cattle grazers and the rest of which the inhabitants have been traced as moving elsewhere. But nobody ever asked them why. It was a great spot, nestled in the rolling hills, now only the sheep and the occasional tourist wandered around the ruins.
About here we decided that those who had deserted Achill Island probably had the right idea - there was very little going for it, and the weather was terrible. So, when in Achill, do as the 19th century inhabitants do and desert the place.
The drive out there just to discover that we shouldn't have bothered had taken up a big chunk of our day in the wrong direction, so we drove and drove up through county Sligo, where the weather almost immediately turned much better. We didn't like Mayo very much. We found the picturesque Lough Talt (think lake) near Glencask for a rest and driver change, before heading eastward through the interestingly named Tubercurry, then north-east towards the town of Sligo.
Turning off just before Sligo, we went to Strandhill, where my Irish friend Gail had mentioned that there was something called a seaweed baths there. We were not sure what to expect, but poked our heads in the door anyway. We chickened out and had a look at their rocky beach and strange monument, before deciding that if Gail said it was good, it must be.
In this place, Liz and I shared a room where you alternate between a steam room and a bath full of none-other than seaweed! It was a very relaxing hour, even if our skin was all slimey from the seaweed gel, we felt most refreshed after it.
Looking for a caravan park not too far away, we drove into county Donegal and onwards to Ballyshannon, where we checked into a nice little caravan park by the lake. We set up, then wandered into town, around the steep streets then settled into a lively little pub for the night.

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