Castles in the sky, or at least close – my house sit in Fort William, in the Highlands of Scotland, came in the form of a Victorian manse, complete with a lively companion… The Highlands have long been high on my list, and I had two weeks to enjoy the fall, with free accommodations in exchange for keeping an eye on this lovely home and entertaining my new furry friend, Hamish. Little did I know that he had 100 times my energy, and...

Galway, a fair-sized harbor city on the west coast of Ireland, boasts the usual castle, cathedral, and old town square, but my favorite spot was in the winding lanes of the Latin Quarter, amidst portions of medieval walls, where a vibrant Irish music scene lives in the pubs as well as out on the streets. Galway is also home of the original makers of the famous Claddagh Ring, two hands holding a heart with a crown, symbolizing friendship, love,...

What in the world is the Burren? I’d read an article about it on my flight, but it looked pretty rugged and stark so I wasn’t sure I’d like it. Turns out it’s a magical place (a description I use a lot in Ireland). The Burren is a region in County Clare, and means “great rock.” It covers about 250 square kilometers, and the criss-crossing cracks in the limestone are called “grikes.” I headed first...

The famous Cliffs of Moher are one of the most visited tourist sites in Ireland, with almost a million visitors a year. After taking the car ferry over the channel from Troger, I headed for Loophead first, to check out the lighthouse and walk the loop around the peninsula head, with breathtaking cliffside views, before driving to the Cliffs of Moher. The drive on the peninsula is on some of those quintessential Irish roads – two-way...

This time I got lucky on a farm (at least in terms of accommodations!) I was a little leery after my other nightmare stay on a dairy farm, but Murphy’s Farmhouse, my B&B for the night near Castlemaine, was delightful. It’s a lovely place, perfectly situated at the start of the ring around Dingle, and they had a single room available, which is something you find quite often in Europe that I rarely find in the US. As a solo...