We had a spectacular stay at Susan and Leo's place. We were charmed by the cottage, the town of Clifden, and the surrounding area. The cottage itself was spotless and so beautifully designed. Upon arrival we found bread, butter, jam, and milk in the fridge. There was also tea and coffee - all the basics were generously provided. Susan and Leo were very helpful and reliable with communication. The cottage is about a 10-15 minute walk to the town of Clifden. We walked there every day for provisions (the Supervalue is excellent), local Irish cheese from the Connemara Hamper, and delicious meals at Mitchell's, Guys Bar, Marconi's, Darcy Twelve, and Macdara's. We had a very good meal at the Beach Road Cafe as well. We used Clifden as a base from which to explore the area. Highlights included the Sky Road, Connemara National Park and Diamond Hill, and Kylemore Abbey. We walked the Sky Road, which took about 6 hours. You can drive or bike, but we were glad to be on foot to say hello to donkeys and horses along the way, and also to really take in the fantastic views. Climbing Diamond Hill was incredible. The entire climb can be done in a couple of hours, but note that you'll be going uphill and parts of the trail are quite steep. It's well worth it for the spectacular views at the top. There are several pubs in Letterfrack, a short walk from the park where we waited for the bus to take us back to Clifden. After the Diamond Hill climb, our pints and mussels tasted particularly good! Kylemore Abbey is very impressive and has a fascinating history. We stayed an extra day in Clifden just to see it, and we were so glad we did. We did not have a car, but it was very easy to take buses and taxis. Clifden has many nice shops that carry local handcrafts. On our last day we bought all of our gifts for the folks back home at Susan and Leo's shop, "Conn a Mara" - 12 pair of Irish wool socks! (Everyone loves them, by the way.) Our time in Clifden was the highlight of our trip to Ireland. There is so much to do here, and it's such a relaxing place, we hope to make it back one day. Thanks for everything, Susan & Leo.