This week Iolo is in Ireland and starts his journey in Glengarriff forest on the shore of Bay Bantry. He looks for a cabbage in the forest called St Patrick’s cabbage. This cabbage is very rare, it only grows here in Ireland and Portugal.
Iolo goes on a boat to Skellig Islands. There’s two islands here, - a big one (Sceilig Mhichíl - Skellig Michael) and a small one (Sceilig Bheag - Little Skellig). From far, the small island looks white because there are 30,000 gannets living on the island.
Iolo and the crew dive around the small island to see the wildlife under the water – crabs, starfish, anemones and seaweed.
Next Iolo goes to the big island. This island was home to monks for 600 years; the monastery buildings have been here since nearly 1400 years. Today the buildings are home to a very little bird called the European storm-petrel.
Then Iolo goes to Killarney National Park. Here there’s a forest of yew trees. Moss grows under the trees here but there are no birds singing in the forest.
Iolo also sees red deers in the park. These red deers are native to Ireland and they are here since the Ice Age.
Now Iolo travels up along the coast to see the Moher cliffs. These cliffs run for eight kilometres and they’re a great place to see sea birds. Iolo sees birds like the peregrine falcons.
Iolo goes to the small village of Dulin to look for hares. Hares are usually shy animals but these hares aren’t.
Iolo arrives in the Burren area, an area of limestone. Acidic rain has made cracks in the rocks and plants and flowers grow there. Over 70% of Ireland’s plants are in the Burren area.
There isn’t much rivers and lakes in the Burren area and Iolo wants to know where the water goes. So he goes underground, he walks through a very old rock and sees a waterfall.
Iolo goes around Ballycroy National Park with the warden, Cameron Clotworthy. They are looking for a very rare bird called the European golden plover.
Then Iolo goes to Boffin Island to watch the birds that live on the island. Many birds live here like the corncrake which is a very noisy bird. People don’t usually see this bird but Iolo enjoys hearing and seeing the birds.
