Best Sellers
IrelandAll IrelandKerryCorkThe SkelligsMayoDonegalGalwayClareAntrim
Around the WorldAll Around the WorldSvalbardAntarctica & South GeorgiaIcelandGreenlandScotlandFaroe Islands
ThemesAll ThemesNewest WorkAerialsLong ExposureLighthousesNocturnesWildlifeAstrophotographyAurora Borealis
Gifts & BooksBooksGift CardsNew Home GiftsAnniversary GiftsWedding GiftsRetirement Gifts
Gallery
About PeterBlogReviewsContactShipping & Returns
Down the East Steps, Skellig Michael, Kerry

Down the East Steps, Skellig Michael, Kerry

5.0 · 1 review

Finish

Black wood frame, glazed with acrylic so it travels safely, with a mount on Exhibition and Feature sizes. Ready to hang.

Size
Ask about this print
€140

Tracked delivery to Ireland: €10

See it on your own wall first, freeQuestions? Talk to Peter

The photograph

Letters from the Landscape

There are three staircases on Skellig Michael. Most people only ever see the South Steps, the current route from the boat landing to the monastery. But the East Steps are the ones that stay with you. They're the steepest of the three, dropping away from the monastery at a gradient that makes your knees think twice. And here's the thing: they end in midair. The original base was blasted away in the 1800s during lighthouse construction, so this ancient stairway, over a thousand years old, simply stops. The monks carved these into raw rock six hundred feet above the Atlantic, and now the bottom just isn't there anymore.

I made this photograph looking down towards Little Skellig and the Iveragh Peninsula on a quiet evening. The cloud had been heavy all day, but it was beginning to break apart, and a band of diffused golden light reached across the water between the two Skelligs. Little Skellig was lit up, that dense white mass of gannets visible even at distance, the mainland sitting low on the horizon beyond.

The stone terracing on the right gives you some sense of the gradient. These were built by people with no fear of exposure, who needed to move between the monastery and the sea with purpose. Standing there with nothing between you and open ocean, you understand why they chose this place!

Read the full story of the island's history and find practical information on visiting Skellig Michael in my complete guide.

Peter Cox

Every print

  • Made to order

    Every print is made to order: printed, checked, signed, and packaged for you individually.

  • Hand-signed

    Every print is signed. Unframed and framed prints are signed and titled by hand on the white border beneath the photograph.

  • Archival

    Archival inks on museum-grade materials. Unframed and framed prints are Giclée prints on cotton rag paper.

  • Safe arrival

    Prints are well-packaged, tracked and insured. If one arrives damaged, I'll replace it at no cost.

Before you buy

When will it arrive?

You'll get an email with tracking as soon as it ships. If it's for a date, a birthday, an anniversary or a new home, add a note at checkout or email me at info@petercox.ie. I'll do my best to prioritise it and give you a realistic timeline.

What does shipping cost?

I ship worldwide, and every print from Exhibition size up goes free to Ireland, the UK and Europe. Studio prints and books carry a small charge, and the cost for the size you've chosen is shown under the Add to Cart button. The full table is on our Shipping page, and you'll see the exact cost at checkout before you pay. Every parcel is tracked and insured. Within the EU there's no customs duty; outside it, any import duty or tax is the buyer's to pay.

Does the size include the frame?

Yes. A framed size is the whole frame, edge to edge: 3 inches bigger each way than the print inside it. An unframed size is the sheet of paper, including the white border where I sign and title each print by hand. Canvas and Floating Panel sizes are the face of the piece.

Which finish should I choose?
  • Unframed Museum-quality Giclée print on archival cotton rag paper. Choose your own frame.
  • Framed Black wood frame, glazed with acrylic so it travels safely, with a mount on Exhibition and Feature sizes. Ready to hang.
  • Canvas Gallery-wrapped canvas.
  • Floating Panel Mounted on a 3 mm aluminium composite panel, made in-house. Frameless, no glass, ready to hang. Best for modern interiors and maximum impact.
Can I see it on my wall first?

Yes, free. Send me a photograph of your wall. I'll send it back with the print hanging on it, at its true size and in the correct perspective. Start my free preview

Can I send it back?

Changed your mind? Send it back within 30 days for a full refund; you cover the return postage. If it arrives damaged or isn't right, I'll replace it or refund you, free. And it's guaranteed for life against fading. The full policy

Rated 5.0 from 1 review

★★★★★Down the East steps Skellig Michael
I am very pleased with print,I admire it every day,it is very uplifting and has a very calming effect.Thank you, I hope to get some more prints dv in the New Year. Regards,Nora Kelly.
Nora Kelly · December 2020
Read all the reviews Write a review

More like this

More from Kerry

See all