Day: |
015 |
Date: |
Friday, 8 April 2016 |
Start: |
Millstreet |
Finish: |
Ballyvourney |
Daily
Kilometres: |
26 |
Total
Kilometres: |
470 |
Weather: |
Cold, windy and drizzling most of the day. |
Accommodation: |
Mills Inn |
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Full Irish Breakfast
Lunch: Jam tarts, muesli bar and chocolate Dinner:
Turkey and ham roast of the day, and chocolate for dessert. |
Aches: |
None. |
Highlight: |
The eerie and surreal journey through an
isolated fog-shrouded and wind-blasted extensive windfarm around
noon. |
Lowlight: |
Given the amount of road walking I am doing
it is better to have rubber ends on my trekking poles.
Unfortunately today, for the second time, one got sucked off in a
bog. I realised almost immediately but there was zero chance
of recovering it. Now debating whether to do without, or to
order some more online. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
Here |
Journal: |
A quick look out of the hotel window on
rising confirmed that it was raining. I have been wearing wet
weather gear most of the time, anyway, because it's too much trouble
to be getting out the rain gear every time rain threatens.
This works fine so long as it remains cold, but will be a problem as
the spring warms up.
I left the hotel around 9:30am
(breakfast is rarely available before 8:00am in the places I have
been staying) looking forward to a shorter day and more off-road
trekking, and I wasn't disappointed on either count. Shortly
after leaving town I was on a pine-needle covered path through an
old pine forest, gaining altitude, sometimes steeply, as it climbed
onto the side of Claragh Mountain. The trail emerged onto some
farm paths that contoured around the side of the mountain giving
good views, but often very boggy. The going was very slow in
parts and I began to doubt that it would be an early day after all,
but it was enjoyable hiking despite the drizzle and wind.
After reaching a minor road there was a trail split and my intended
route, determined after close examination of my map, had no
markings. This was a bit of a worry, as judging by the map,
the route was quite complicated for the day. I continued on,
checking my navigation at any intersections, and then was pleasantly
surprised after a couple of kilometres when trail marking posts
reappeared. I have to say that, so far, the trail marking in
Ireland has been excellent. Long may it last.
The then
trail mostly followed little-used forest roads high on a ridge,
sometimes in the forest and sometimes on moorland, with occasional
cross-country sections linking the forest roads together. It
was fun, battling the elements, nobody around (only saw two logging
truck drivers all day), along the high ridges on occasionally
challenging trail.
Around noon, the white poles of a windfarm
began emerging out of the misty drizzle, often with the vanes hidden
in the low-hanging cloud. They had picked a good spot, as the
wind seemed to pick up and I was being blasted in the open. I
stopped for a break in the lea of one tower and soon found myself
shivering uncontrollably so donned another layer and added a beanie
to my head before continuing. The windfarm went on for a long
way, but provided some interest and faster progress along the gravel
access roads.
Leaving the windfarm behind my trail resumed
its pattern of little-used forest roads with linking sections of
rough cross-country hiking, and then as I approached Ballyvourney,
began a descent through farmland. For a kilometre or two, my
route was high on the side of a very exposed mountainside and the
wind was brutal. Even with my extra layer I was freezing and
my hands felt frost-bitten. I marvelled at how the lambs in
the paddock were surviving in such conditions.
Finally I
reached a road and then the valley floor and was shortly in the
touristy Ballyvourney. I checked into my pub, which boasts
history along with a gift shop and ice-cream parlour, and really
enjoyed the strong hot shower. I ate in the hotel, getting the
roast of the day which was by far the best deal, though it was about
70% mashed potato. After dinner I walked down towards what I
hoped was a store in the late evening sunshine, but gave up after a
while and returned to my room, intent on catching up on some overdue
email and banking. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track (2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|