25th September 2013 - on the road again.

We left Derry/Londonderry fairly early in the morning to continue our drive. As we headed south-west, the terrain became more mountainous and we were soon up in the clouds.

We soon crossed the border from Northern Ireland to the Republic, and made our way to the town of Donegal, on the River Eske.

Donegal has a castle, built in the 15^th Century and extended in the 17^th Century. It is a great castle to visit – some romantic ruins and some well preserved areas.

There are some magnificent stone carvings.

Back in the car to continue south to Sligo, a very busy town with the ruins of a 15^th Century abbey, apparently well worth a look if you can find parking. Nearby, though, is an amazing place – Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. This site dates back to 3600 BC - even older than the Bru na Boinne complex. It is also much less developed in terms of tourist facilities, so you get to walk around the hills in relative peace and quiet.

The cemetery is made up of dozens of stone circles and dolmens, and one large chamber which has been reconstructed so you can walk in.

It is a strange, eerie place. So little is now known of the culture of the people who built these tombs, it is inexplicable that they went to such lengths - moving enormous stones to specific and meticulously planned locations, at a time when simply surviving and arranging food and shelter for the living would have been challenging enough.

Our drive continued through the afternoon, arriving in time for dinner at Galway. We are staying in budget accommodation right near the middle of the city, with views over the rooftops to the cathedral.