Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Travels of Joseph Woods, Architect and Botanist, in 1809 (Author: Joseph Woods)

entry 10

The following morning we again breakfasted at Mr. Hutchins' and Dillwyn and myself were still further enriched from Miss H[utchins'] herbarium. About one we left it and soon began to ascend the Priest's Leap69. Mr. Hutchins' care had provided no less than 15 men to push our carriage up this tremendous ascent, but we left the labours and dangers of the road to pursue our researches among the rocks and hollows of the mountains. Here we first saw Saxifraga hirsuta70, but on the whole we were not very successful. Isoetes lacustris71 grows in a small pool near the top. I missed my companions and got considerably before them and meeting three men one of whom could speak English I sent [p. 39a] them a message to let them know I was before. The man undertook it with as much alacrity as if he had received a great favour but as I found afterwards, never delivered it.

[p. 40] The character of the scenery at Kenmare River is entirely different from that on Bantry Bay. A considerable tract of cultivated land slopes with gentle undulations from the mountains to the water's edge. The mountains themselves are less abrupt and less high than those of Bantry except two or three distant summits which just appear in the view. Nature seems to have done everything possible to form some of her loveliest scenes in this valley; it wants nothing, but what man can do, more wood and scattered trees and the lines of a more perfect cultivation. The inn is a new building lately erected by Lord H.

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Petty (now Marquis of Lansdowne)72. It is roomy and convenient and the Landlady civil and attentive. It has since been burnt down73. [p. 40a] From Nedeen to Killarney are two roads — the one very mountainous but shorter — the other a better and more level road,74 & more beautiful but circuitous. We decided on the latter and found it wind up the Vale of Nedeen & pass between the mountains into Glanflesk. The first part of the latter is exceedingly pleasant. Fine woods principally of birch extend along the foot of the mountains & occupy the hollows to a considerable height. Further down some noble cliffs ornamented in the same manner form a magnificent [p. 41] object. They are said to have been the haunts of a noted robber75 whose name and story I forget but the idea is characteristic. After this the ride loses its interest [and] we seem before reaching Killarney to turn our backs upon the mountains. Some very pleasant woody scenes occur before the Entrance of the town & the road bending to the left offers us a view of the Tomies and Mac Gilly Cuddy's Reeks which as we first saw them under a slight haze with the sun behind them appeared stupendous mountains indeed.

Killarney is near 2 English Miles from the lake. In England the Traveller has sometimes to regret the distance of his lodging from the point he came to visit, but the distance of Killarney is a heavy tax on the pleasure of the place. The leisure stroll on its banks is entirely prohibited. Our first excursion was to Dunloh Castle76. [p. 42] Dunloh Castle is seated on a steep bank rising immediately above the river. About a mile below the lake the bank of the Castle is covered with wood & the meadows which surround it are richly ornamented with fine trees. The River forms some beautiful pools shaded with fine trees.

[p. 43] This evening we discharged our chaise & Driver. The latter seemed much discontented and told us no gentlemen would have given him so little. Sometime afterwards the same man drove me from Waterford to Cheek Point and assured me of the gratitude he felt towards me for having treated him so generously at Killarney.