Aran Islands

On Friday I headed out to one of the Aran Islands. There are three islands total, but I went to the biggest and most populated one, Inis Mór. The island is about 9 miles long and 2 miles wide. In order to get around the island, you can choose between a minibus tour, renting bikes, or a traditional horse-drawn carriage. I went with a friend and we decided to get bikes and explore the island without a tour guide. The scenery on the island is so beautiful. There are amazing coastal views as well as incredible rural sights. The island has tons of hand-piled stone fences that are held together by nothing but have somehow still managed to stay intact after many years and lots of harsh weather.

One of the main attractions on the island is the ancient aran fort, Dun Aonghasa (pronounced dun angus). It's a large stone fort ruin on the top of a huge cliff. On top of the cliff, there were some amazing views of the island's coast. The islands are also really well known for their aran knit sweaters. There are a lot of little sweater and craft shops set up across the island which are pretty touristy but still fun to see. We picked a really good day to go because it wasn't raining and at times it was almost sunny. We've had a few really nice weeks without rain, but I'm pretty sure that is coming to an end so I'm glad I've been able to fit in a few outdoor trips before the weather interferes.