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A swim anyone?? |
Yesterday I
went back to Killarney to meet Frank. We decided, as the day was wet and
windy, to visit the Cappagh Glen near Lough Guitane. It had been a while since
either of us had been here, and we were looking forward to seeing again, one of
the most beautiful places in the area. Once we had negotiated the obstacle
course, that is the road to the trailhead, we set off into the biting wind and
rain. For a change, instead of heading directly into the glen, we opted to climb
the steep northeast flank of Eskduff Mountain. Fortunately the rain had eased
off, and we were able to enjoy the flat walk past the productive pastures, before
we reached the wilds of the inner glen. Here, we had to cross the Cappagh River,
which today, after the dry spell of weather, presented no problems. At our
crossing point, there was a glorious pool just below a little waterfall, which we
were briefly tempted to have a plunge in, but good sense prevailed, and we vowed
to return when better weather arrived.
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We are going that way?? |
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The face of exhaustion |
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Wonderful views |
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What a trooper |
The slog up
Eskduff has little to recommend it, but at least we gained height quickly, and
soon the views opened up, and afforded us good reasons to stop and rest. The
wind was pretty fierce, and at times it was a struggle to maintain balance, as it
tried to blow us this way and that. The clouds that blanketed the top, were
fairly scudding by, and promised that conditions weren’t going to get better as
we got higher. Eventually, we reached the summit plateau, and we briefly toyed
with the idea of turning west and heading for Stoompa, but the wind, and now snow,
that was hitting us, made up our minds, and we opted to traverse across and
descend to the back of the Cappagh Glen. Here, we entered the beautiful wild
terrain, that remains one of Killarney’s best kept secrets. Even though the
heights reached here, are low in comparison to the larger neighbours nearby,
there is a truly wild and remote feel to this place, that is rare to find in
Ireland. Rugged rocky bluffs and boggy basins, make it tough ground to cross, and
you are unlikely to see another person to disturb you. Even the red deer we saw,
seemed startled by the intrusion into their domain. After we sheltered behind
some rocks for lunch, we had to head straight into the wind to reach the valley,
and here the snow, that was hitting us in a horizontal assault, made it tough
going, especially when it catches you right into the eyes.
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Head down into the wind |
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Having fun really |
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Corkscrew oaks |
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Fairy Glen |
Eventually,
we reached the sanctuary of the ancient oak woods, that straddle the river in
the glen. This is a magic place, where trees are gnarled and twisted into
strange formations, and everything is blanketed by a generous coating of moss.
Sheltered from the elements, it is easy to linger here, and imagine fantastic
adventures with a child’s mind. Soon, we reluctantly left the wood, and
entered the flat open ground at the back of the glen. |Here, the eye is drawn along
the glen, that is flanked on the west by Eskduff, and the east by the rugged
Bennaunmore. We followed the river out through the rocky narrows, and all too
soon left the untamed landscape behind, and re-entered farmland. It had been a
fairly short outing, but what it lacked in distance, it more than made up for in
ambiance. We even enjoyed the harsh weather, as it all added up, to make the
experience feel even wilder. I had had two very different mountain days in
succession, with different conditions and goals. The one thing that links them
is the great company I was fortunate enough to enjoy on both days.
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Bennaunmore |
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