After a restful night we were up for an Irish breakfast complete with potato bread. Bebe asked me why the eggs were so yellow and I told her it was probably due to free range chickens.  We chatted a bit with the B&B folks, Wendy and Richard and dog Bertie….a cute little ten week old  Jack Russell terrier. We had decided to stay over again tonight so made those arrangements as well as asking a few questions about the area.  Richard cleaned the frost off the car and we set out for Belleek by 9:30 a.m. The GPS and map in Bebe’s hand, the steering wheel in mine, we were off!!  Fewer u-turns today and we arrived at Belleek at the exact time the GPS predicted!!

The tour was not available on Saturday but we did see the video…impressive!  I can see now why the larger pottery basket piece with the intricate flowers and open weave cost 1,450 pounds!! A very small one, perhaps a 4 inch oval, with the same type of delicate work was priced at 69 pounds. I bought a few things including a necklace with a Belleek pendant and a lamp for my bedroom! The lamp is NOT available in the US. It is white with clusters of white roses. Stunning! We had tea and pastries in the tearoom  while we pondered what other things we might purchase. The tearoom serves on Belleek pottery and even the finials on the railing are Belleek.  We went back in ready to spend!! The clerk asked if we wanted them shipped directly home so we did. The shipping is expensive but he was able to take off the VAT (value added tax) so that offset the shipping cost. No VAT on shipped orders. The shipping came to about £ 5 instead of £43 with the reduction of 38 pounds for the VAT.  And we don’t have to worry about packing it in our suitcases!

Leaving the town of Belleek, the GPS and map were not extremely helpful. After a couple of obvious wrong roads, I stopped a fellow who was walking along the road. He gave us excellent directions with a beautiful smile! I think he was really laughing at two American women who needed help.  He also suggested that we might be interested in taking road 231 which goes out to the west coast for a bit. We did and it was an excellent suggestion! The drive gave us some grand views. The pics of the canopied trees, however, is typical of the roads we have been traveling in the past two days. The roads are well paved but narrow and winding (I know I've said that but you just cannot imagine!!). They are much more narrow than any of our county roads in Indiana.

Stone fences, farmland, Donegal Bay, Bluestack Mtns.

Farms and Donegal Bay

We were on our way to Donegal. I had my eye open for a cap and scarf like the ones I had seen at the Ulster Folk Park. The tags said Donegal so I assumed I would find a bigger selection in the town itself. That was not a good assumption. We went to at least six shops describing the plaids and not one person had any idea what I meant. They showed us other woolens but not anything like the Donegal socks, hats, scarves, jacket and purses I was looking for. We shopped around, did find a woolen shop for yarn and a couple of other things. We left Donegal at about 3 pm for our drive back to the B&B.  Coming out of town there was an exceptional view of a lough and hillsides. I pulled over and we just got out and enjoyed the scene and took pictures.

Some miscellaneous bits of information….There were signs announcing  ”traffic calming ahead”. That was a cue that there would be speed bumps. They were not so calming to me but I guess it does calm the traffic!! I have complained over and over to Bebe about the lack of adequate road signs. It is so difficult to know where to turn and what road you are on. There are just so few signs. I had to laugh out loud when I saw the sign that said   “no road markings”. At least they admit it!! There was another sign that in two words brought all sorts of thoughts to mind. This sign read  “famine graveyard” .  Even though it was over 150 years ago, it is still very much a part of the picture of Ireland.

We were back at Heron’s Burn by 4:15 pm. We walked out in the yard taking pictures of the sheep behind the house. There is a small bubbling brook that runs between the yard and the pasture. The sound of the brook can be heard from our little terrace. It’s very serene and charming.

One of many sheep in Northern Ireland!!

Since we had not had lunch, we went for an early supper at 5:30 at Sperrin’s.  I’m glad it wasn’t “date night” as I had garlic potatoes and onion smothered steak…all very tasty! Dessert girls that we are, Bebe and I each ordered a dessert and then shared them both. She had chocolate fudge cake with ice cream and I ordered Banoffi Pie. Sorry….no pics….but trust us….yummy!!

This is the chicken that laid the egg that went in the breakfast that Pat and Bebe ate at the B&B where Richard and Wendy live. And she wondered why the eggs were so yellow....free range!!