Day: |
016 |
Date: |
Saturday, 9 April 2016 |
Start: |
Ballyvourney |
Finish: |
Gougane Barra |
Daily
Kilometres: |
27 |
Total
Kilometres: |
497 |
Weather: |
Cold and sunny in the morning, very cold
with some sun mixed with rain and sleet in the afternoon. |
Accommodation: |
Gougane Barra Hotel |
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Cereal, scrambled eggs and
smoked salmon, toast Lunch: Rocky road slice, muesli bar
and chocolate Dinner: Roast chicken and vegetables, with
rhubarb crumble and custard for dessert |
Aches: |
None really |
Highlight: |
For an hour or so in the afternoon, I was
walking on the edge of a weather system in slow falling sleet/snow
with the sun shining on me. |
Lowlight: |
Time wasted trying find a store before
leaving Ballyvourney in the morning, though it worked out OK in the
end. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
Here |
Journal: |
The cars and beer garden tables outside the
hotel were covered with a layer of frozen sleet as I left the hotel
just before 9:00am in bright sunshine and nippy temperatures.
I was hoping, on my way out of town, to find a store to replenish my
snacking supplies but even after detouring half a kilometre could
see I was going to have to detour a lot more. I compromised
and stopped in at a cafe and bought a few drinks and a slice for
later in the day.
My route out of town crossed an old stone
bridge and then began climbing steadily along a picturesque narrow
country lane. Before long I was into the high pasture lands
with fields full of sheep and lambs. I noted that contrary to
earlier in the trip when it seemed there was always only one lamb
per ewe, every ewe now seemed to have two or three lambs. I'm
sure there's an obvious explanation. Anyway, watching the
multiple lambs run with fright at my approach, and then fight for
the comfort of their mother's teat, provided entertainment
throughout the day.
Most of the day was spent travelling
little-used rural roads in open country, gradually climbing over a
succession of broad ridges. There were few trees and it stayed
clear until late in the day, so there were always plenty of views
including some distant snow-topped mountains and some
interesting-looking weather fronts. There were some occasional
cross-country sections through farmland, but no forests today.
Early in the afternoon I reached the village of Ballingeary and
resupplied with drink and snacks to cover tomorrow as well. I
was staying in an isolated hotel tonight and there wouldn't a store,
and drinks and meals would be expensive. While I had a snack
outside the store at a picnic table it began raining lightly and it
looked like the weather was deteriorating in the west with a haze
over the mountains that was probably rain.
The temperature
dropped in the last couple of hours walking and although I was
mostly in weak sunshine, there were extended periods of light
sleet/snow, though it wasn't settling on the ground.
Eventually, in the distance I could see Gougane Barra Lake, my
destination for the day, and reached the hotel there at 4:00pm.
I received a friendly greeting, though I fear I will be the
lowest common denominator amongst the clientele. There is a
chapel on a small island in the adjacent lake and it looked like a
wedding reception was in progress in the hotel.
I accepted
the invitation to join the 6:00pm dinner sitting, knowing that I was
likely to be in for an expensive meal, but not having much choice.
I went for the cheapest two-course option, which was very tasty and
well-presented, but telling myself that it would be pizza tomorrow.
I've noticed a gradual change in the terrain over the last day
or so, as rocks and rocky bluffs become more apparent in an
increasingly barren landscape. I guess I'm getting closer to
the Atlantic coast, and will reach it tomorrow. The hotel
proprietor wants to talk to me in the morning about tomorrow's hike
over the nearby mountains given a poor weather forecast, but I'm
sure I will be OK. |
|
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)
|