Thursday Sept 24th;
If only I knew someone who worked in the railway, then I might not have missed the 13.20 train to Tralee and I would have been able to start my walk at 15.30. Instead I had to catch the 15.25 and this meant that I wasn't starting into the wilds until 17.15 after I got a taxi to just beyond Blennerville. I joined the Dingle Way where it left the main Dingle road and walked along the laneway until after almost a mile I was finally able to enter the open boggy slopes of the eastern Slieve Mish mountains. Initially a nice well built path made for easy progress on the gentle hill but soon this turned off and I found myself having to hike through wet boggy trackless ground that made you earn every step, especially with the heavy bag. I had brought my Voyager tent and food for a few days but I was feeling strong and lets face it I wouldn't be able to continue for too long this evening as after 7pm the light would be starting to fade. I continued up the left side of the glen and eventually Barnageehey at 482 mtrs. I had collected a couple of liters of water shortly below the top and I set my mind to searching for a place to pitch my tent. It wasn't easy to find anything resembling dry ground but eventually I settled for a spot half a kilometer or so further west at around the 500 mtr contour. I had my tent up and was getting dinner ready at 19.15 and I was enjoying myself immensely. Despite only waving been on the go for 1 hour 45mins I was well removed from civilization and I was enclosed by wild bleak mountainside. To the north lay Tralee and the views were extensive across the north Kerry plains. I enjoyed a long and peaceful night where the only sound I heard was the gentle breeze rustling the nearby heather.
Nice easy start |
Looking back towards Tralee |
I was up at first light and packed up and ready to go at 8am. It was a lovely morning and the day promised to be a good one. Now that I was on the broad ridge I hoped that the worst of the boggy ground was below me and so it proved to be as I set off on my serpentine way around to Knockauncorrig and then on to Glanbrack. The going was easy and the views lovely in all directions. I didn't have any water left so I hoped to come across a decent source en-route. I was pleased to find a very nice spring not far below the stony summit of Bartregaum 851 mtrs (one for future reference I think).
Beautiful sunrise |
Morning light looking south |
Towards Baurtregaum |
Towards Fenit-north. |
Towards Caherconree |
Towards Derrymore glen..last here with Frank |
Heading towards the fort |
Down by the little lane with Knockbrack ahead |
From Knockbrack back towards Caherconree |
Looking over Castlemaine Harbour |
Down to the forestry and across the valley |
Saturday Sept 26th;
It was disappointingly cloudy this morning but at least it was dry. After decamping I was faced with a 250 mtr pull to the next top. Thankfully I was soon out of the rutted ground and once I reached the long flat top it was a delight to make easier progress. I had intended to go beyond the Conner Pass and descend to the town of Dingle but since I had stopped earlier the previous evening I decided to head for Lispole instead where I could catch the 13.35 bus back to Tralee and thus home. This would still mean that I had almost 20 kilometers to cover so I had no time to waste. All too soon the good ground was left behind and I had to traverse a further 5 kilometers of very wet ground around the coum that lay behind the beautifully situated Anscaul Lake.
A good view of the rough ground of the previous day |
Looking ahead towards Mount Brandon |
Anscaul Lake |
Finally out of the bog |
An Cnapan Mor |
Dingle |
Lovely easy descent |
The old railway viaduct at Lispole |