The impertinent sheep of Eask Tower

This weekend I'm down in the Dingle Peninsula, checking out the small touristy seaside town and jaunting around surrounding area.

But before I got there, I drove by some (cloned?) cows.

Did we learn nothing from Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang??

I climbed a large hill. (hey, it's 600 feet above sea level! that's a decent hike.)

upper right-ish is Eask Tower!

I met some sheep who I thought were new friends.

I thought about chasing them (like Malcolm and I did in England '99) but noticed that they were watching me out of the corner of their eyers. I was simultaneously creeped out and discouraged.

And I saw lots of wild fuchsias here, as well as in other parts of the 'sula.

Unfortunately, I hadn't taken my hiking boots. My shoes were fine for walking on flat ground, but are not tight. Therefore, with every step I took uphill, my shoe would bite onto and pull down a bit more of my sock. I could make it 70 paces (I counted) before my socks looked like this:

I mean, I am single-handidly making fanny packs a thing. But squinched socks is beyond even my trend-setting skillz.

I finally made it to the top of the hill, which had clear signs of life.

And great views!

Eask Tower is solid stone and was built in 1847. It had a giant wooden hand on its side to direct water traffic into the tortuous bay. Construction was funded by a Protestant priest who--according to the plaque--wanted to get in good with the starvation-stricken Catholic population.

Somewhat ironically, the locals eventually (100 years later) held Catholic Mass on the site.

Having gotten my fill of the grandeur, I headed back down.

BUT some sheep blocked my path. Some friends they turned out to be...

"Ewe shall not pass!"

The landowners have thoughtfully left a bucket of water and a brush to remove aforementioned signs of life, and there was a puppy border collie there to greet me!

Not quite a cat, but Sally did the job.