Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Round Ireland - 2016
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Day: 077
Date: Thursday, 9 June 2016
Start: Glenarm
Finish: Ballynure
Daily Kilometres: 33
Total Kilometres: 2131
Weather: Mild and foggy to mid-afternoon, then warm and hazy
Accommodation: Derrin House B&B, Larne
Nutrition: Breakfast:  Fruit & yoghurt, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, toast & jam
Lunch:  Muesli bars, Snickers Bars and chocolate
Dinner:  Two sandwiches, fruit trifle
Aches: None
Highlight: Discovering there was a late bus from Ballynure to Larne, where I had a B&B booked, so that I did not have to hitch-hike or get a cab.
Lowlight: I walked past many spectacular views today, but didn't see any of them because of thick fog.
Pictures: Here
GPS Track: Here
Journal: I left the very nice B&B around 9am, and after passing through Glenarm village, began a long climb on a quiet backroad into the Atrim Hills.  After 3km, the waymarked trail left the road and continued climbing across sheep pastures and moorland up to Black Hill (381m).

The views would have been fantastic, but the fog was so thick that finding the next trail marker was difficult enough and the trail itself ranged from faint to non-existent.  And this was the way it continued for the the next five hours.  The terrain was mostly good for walking, though there were some boggy sections, and I could tell I was passing over a series of mountain tops and along the edge of some precipitous bluffs.  But the visibility did not get any better, and I had to comfort myself with the thought that this was the first time on my walk around Ireland that the views had been totally stymied by the weather.

I was just thinking to myself that I had not seen anybody all day when the shape of a hiker with a pack of similar size to mine emerged from the fog.  It turned out to be a young Irish guy on the second day of his hike along the Ulster Way and we had a long chat.  He had blisters from his new boots and no maps, and I feared he was already doubting the wisdom of his journey.  I tried to be encouraging, telling him that if he stuck it out for a week or two, it would get easier, but I suspect he was in for a tough few days.

Eventually, the trail descended from the higher elevations and it became hazy rather than foggy, and warmer.  I crossed a main road about 3:45pm, knowing that it was on a bus route that would get me to Larne, where I had booked a B&B.  However, my goal for the day, Ballynure, was another 11km further on, and I decided to keep walking though I was now sure I would miss the last bus from there to Larne.

The Antrim Hills Way (part of the Ulster Way) now passed through the Ballyboley Forest before beginning a frustrating descent into the Six Mile Water valley and Ballynure.  Frustrating because it took a very indirect route when I was keen to get there and sort out my transportation to Larne.  As it turned out there was a last bus to Larne at 7:11pm, about 50 minutes after I arrived in the village, which was good news.  I used the time to buy and eat a couple of sandwiches from the service station opposite the bus stop as dinner.

The empty bus duly arrived at 7:11pm and I had a top speed chauffered trip into Larne, 20 minutes away.  My B&B was 10 minutes walk from the bus station and I checked in without the need to go out later for food.  Another long but satisfying day, despite the fog.  Most of the Antrim Hills Way was runnable, so I look forward to returning some time to see the views.

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)

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You can email Dave directly at dave@davebyrnes.com.au or subscribe to his Adventure Blogs here.

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