A couple of days off gave me the green light for a flying visit to Glengarriff. As is usual I managed to pack the car full with everything I might need for camping, hiking, cycling and fishing.
Monday April 18th;
A leisurely start to the day saw me head for Bantry at 11am. The plan for today was simple. Fishing. After digging sufficient lugworm for a few sessions I headed for the steep stony beach near the airstrip. The tides were big right now and I hoped that this might bring some fish to this hit or miss venue. Well, to make a long story short, it didn't. The only thing that paid any attention to the baits were spider crabs. On several occasions the traces came back with the hooks nipped off. Add to that, the strong breeze and lots of weed, it was difficult fishing. In the past I have enjoyed great sport here but most of the time it has been very poor so I think I will give this spot a rest for a while. I packed it in at 18.30 and drove to Glengarriff and booked into the small little campsite a couple of kilometres from the village. It was very quiet and I enjoyed a relaxing peaceful evening.
Tuesday April 19th;
Today promised to be cool but dry and with little in the way of wind. Perfect cycling weather. It was true to its promise and I enjoyed my breakfast on a sunny calm morning. It wasn't going to be confused with warm though, so I donned an extra layer for the ride. What breeze there was, was coming from the north west so I decided to cycle my planned route in a clockwise direction. This would mean I would have the breeze against me as I climbed the Healy Pass but I hoped it would be with me for the final 30 kilometres or so from Kenmare. Right from the start the going is tough as the road climbs for the first few kilometres until it crests after a short very steep climb at about 130 metres. The reward that follows is a joy. Several gently downhill kilometres follow as you head towards Adrigole and the views get better and better. Next comes the climb of one of the most famous road passes in the country the Healy Pass. The six kilometre climb is never too steep and again the scenery is stunning. In the second half of the climb the road has a series of switchbacks that make it resemble an alpine road. A brief rest on top to catch my breath and have a drink of water and I was recovered enough to relax and enjoy the descent. I was glad to have put on an extra layer as it was quite chilly now.
There is no respite from the climbing however, as once you finish the descent in Lauragh, another climb awaits to surmount the Lauragh Pass. This is again not too steep but over 170 metres is gained so it it not to be sniffed at. Once again the views are wonderful and help to distract from the rigours of the climb. Once over the crest another enjoyable descent follows and easy cycling follows all the way to Kenmare. A right turn here and you head for the final challenge of the day..the Caha Pass. The first couple of kilometres is flat and the road is very rough. It is a bone shaker of a section. Some height is gently gained over the next several kilometres until finally after Bonane the real drag begins. Remember when I said I hoped that the breeze would be behind me here?, well it was not to be and as I got higher the breeze only made itself more manifestly into my face. That said the climb is not steep and i was able to make steady progress. My back was giving me my biggest problem and was quite painful by the time I finally reached the tunnel that marks the highest point of the day. Another rest here and a drink and it was simply a joy to coast the remainder of the route all the way down to Glengarriff. The final couple of kilometres to the campsite passed easily and I arrived back to my tent very satisfied and pleased with the outing. A total of 79 kilometres in 3 hours 10 minutes with 1050 metres ascent thrown in.
The less said about the fishing that afternoon the better, except that I did get sun burnt. 
Wednesday April 20th;
It was another fine weather day and once again it promised to stay good for the day. I decided that a hillwalk would be just the ticket to end this little trip before I headed home to begin another round of nights. One of my favourite things is being able to leave the car where it is and starting a hike without having to drive to the start. Today was like that as I was able to leave the campsite on foot and after a few metres on the road I turned onto a quiet little lane that morphed into a farm track that entered a beautiful open valley that led towards Sugarloaf. The first three kilometres were a delight as easy walking saw me draw ever nearer to the base of the hill. After consulting the map it showed the trail continuing right to the base of the steep climb but things became very different as the trail entered a plantation. It was actually a very pleasant change and the route became quite enclosed and the world shrunk to the dark undergrowth. The forestry was more extensive that it first appeared and the trail I was following became more difficult to navigate due to fallen trees and encroaching rhododendron bushes. I reckoned I was gone beyond the ridge I wished to climb so I made a break for it up steep ground through the trees until I reached open ground. I had indeed gone too far, so I was faced with a steep climb directly up the side of the mountain. I guess I could have traverses back across the mountain but the way up seemed doable so I set off up. I found myself progressing up a series of mini gullies up the face that provided some scrambling and route finding kept the mind busy. It was pretty straightforward really but I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if the day had been wet. The call of a cuckoo in the woods below made me smile and was a sure sign that summer is just around the corner.
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| Like a scene from "The Field" |
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| Straight up the face. |
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| A wonderful walk in..and out |
After 300 metres of steep ground I reached the crest of the mountain and now I was able to enjoy a glorious 360 degree panorama of this most special of areas. The breeze was a little chilly but an extra layer allowed me to relax and soak in my surroundings for a while. I looked at the possible continuance options of the hike and it looked very possible to continue all the way around Barley lake and make my way back to Glengarriff through the beautiful woods of the national park. I set off and after a drop of just 80 metres another climb of 80 metres followed before I came across the way markers of the Beara Way. On a whim I decided to turn and follow these and return that way. It is a pleasant enough way down, sometimes mucky and boggy and sometimes on a good track. When I reached the point where the trail descends in a more direct manner to the valley floor I once again changed course and decided to climb the rugged top of Derrynafulla and perhaps descend back to the valley I walked in. It was a steep climb to the top and the descent on the far side was no cakewalk as I had to at times pick my route carefully so as to avoid the steep slabs of rock that barred the way. It kept me entertained until finally I was past the worst of them, then the ground underfoot became very pitted, wet and rough. The next kilometre was something of a battle until I finally emerged onto a surprisingly dry, grass paddock, right in the middle of all the boggy rough land all around. A little was beyond this and I was able to join a track that returned me easily back to where it all began.
It had been an adventurous 17 kilometres over sometimes very rough and steep terrain, but it's fair to say I really enjoyed the whole thing. Just shy of 5 hours in total and just shy of 900 metres of climbing was a fitting end to this little trip. Glengarriff has soooo much to offer.
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