Eire Sandals in The Annexe

Back to Blighty this afternoon. This week in Ireland has been one of the best holidays I've had in a long time and I can't wait to do it again - but for two weeks, rather than just one. The scenery is simply stunning and if you're into outdoors stuff, then this is the place for you - well. the west of Ireland certainly is.

What has surprised me is the lack of branded shops in some of the smaller towns, like Westport and Cliffden. Just about the only ones that are branded are supermarkets, with the rest being independent retailers. That makes town centres a lot more vibrant - Westport is like Totnes (the place that banned brands), but bigger and better. Whereas Totnes hasn't encouraged much beyond independent coffee shops, Westport is a veritable entrepot of entrepreneurial activity. It's no longer the English who are a nation of shopkeepers, but the Irish.

Castpebar is another story - branded shops abound and it looks hideous.

The roads here are now much better than when I last visited for a holiday some 20 years ago. Then they were littered with potholes.

Looking for somewhere to stay? Look up The Annexe in Murrisk on AirBnB.  Perfect location and an excellent host in Helen (we were work colleagues over 10 years ago). I can heartily recommend it, whether for one night or a week (or longer).

Click on the above image to expand it and look at the sign on the wall...

Last night we went out for our final evening meal here and I wore socks with sandals. Yes, I know it's a fashion faux pas of the highest order, but I just didn't care, which means I'm officially old.

I'll leave you with a few random photos.

And my personal favourite.