Ireland’s Black Valley is one of our favorite spots to hike on our many visits to this beautiful part of the world. When I came up with the idea for my next Sharpe and Donovan installment, I knew part of it would be set in the Black Valley. Tentatively titled Return to Declan’s Cross, it doesn’t have a pub date yet but I’m working on it. I’ll be offering a “sneak peek” in the coming weeks.

Here’s a photo I took on our first hike in the Black Valley. The cottage ruin is a well-known site on the Kerry Way, a marked hiking trail we crossed on our own route. It was early April, damp, chilly and moody. I grabbed my phone and took this shot.

The cottage actually features on the original paperback edition of The Angel. I only realized that when we were standing in front of it.

We’re back in Ireland for another visit. Our son is joining us. In addition to his work as a web developer, he’s an accomplished photographer. Can’t wait to see his latest Ireland photos and share them with you.

Enjoy!