Orderly battalions of low generously rounded trees emerged from the half light and led the gaze in a gentle descent towards the flatland around Ballyvaughan, and on to the enticing waters of Galway Bay. Cappanawalla on the left flank, it’s majestic, bald grey slopes spilling onto the upper grasslands declared in the new dawn it’s intention, once more, to impose, with the usual air of serene detachment, it’s stark alien beauty. Everywhere in the Burren such scenes of timeless nobility were being revealed by the growing light. Set well up on the gentle slopes, nestling among trees, a long low building, growing gradually brilliant white in the morning sun, stared inquisitively down the valley. With it’s neatly kept gardens, showing a profusion of early Autumn colour, and with it’s ranch style fencing set along the driveway leading up through rolling meadow land from the main road, it displayed many of the outward attributes of a modern Shangri La.
