The Coastal Cottage Ruin

Black Castle in Wicklow, County Wicklow, is a great ruin. I almost missed it. As I was heading out of Wicklow, I decided to pull into a golf course. The green land and the deep blue of the Irish Sea was calling to me. As I took some photographs, I noticed a castle ruin in the distance. So, I packed up and headed back towards town.

As I stood within the ruins of Black Castle and looking back towards the golf course, I noticed a new gem … a cottage in ruin. It looked perfect with white washed walls and bushes growing out of what would have been the roof. And, if you are new to my photographs, let me share a tidbit. I love taking images of plants growing on stone and ruins. This would be a perfect subject.

I considered following an earthen trail along the coastline to get closer to the the cottage. But my time was limited as I wanted to drive the East Coast Scenic Route. So, I took some photos and thought … if I have time another day.

A week later, I found myself heading south from Enniskerry with some daylight still available. There was a lot of cloud cover and rain in the area, but the sun was peeking through in places. I thought … please rain, just wait a bit. That cottage ruin was still floating in my mind, so I turned towards Wicklow.

Parked near Black Castle, I began the trek. With the rain clouds still holding in the distance, I decided to take my time. I started following the narrow and winding trail. It was slow since it was skirting the edge of cliffs. A couple of times I caught myself thinking … you won’t survive that fall.

Along the way, I found some great vantage points for images of the rugged coastline. In the meantime, there was a dip in the trail and I lost sight of the ‘cottage’. But, I continued to move forward while doing my best to avoid slipping and sliding in the muddy trail. There were times I found myself stepping even closer to the edge as I navigated around rocks while the waves crashed below. I was focused. My target, while still hidden, was getting closer. Those rain clouds … still holding.

I was glad that I had returned. There is something about plants on ruins. While I understand they can be destructive, I love how it reflects Ireland’s tenacity and strength. The trail finally crested and … Well, hell. Really? I mean … really?

There I stood with the ‘cottage ruin’ a few hundred feet in front of me. Ha! Instead of a beautiful coastal cottage ruin, I was looking at a white, ugly, wooden windbreak with trees on one side. I am sure it was built to help keep the wind from destroying someone’s golf game.

So, after standing there for a couple of minutes shaking my head, I turned around and made my way back; slipping and sliding. I kept telling myself, it wasn’t a complete loss.  I did get plenty of coastline photos.  Well, hell ….