The Hags Glen Horseshoe

I went back to Killarney today for a good blowout on The Reeks again. With the recent dry weather continuing I decided that the Hags Glen Horseshoe would be a worthy day out. It was a little disappointing to arrive back and see things looking a bit grey but I was confident things would improve as the day went on. I left the car at 10.15 and set off into the glen in good spirits. My right hamstring has been tight for the last while and it was giving me some gib as I went in but it was okay. I opted to head up Cruach Mhor first and as usual it felt a bit of a grind. Unfortunately the mist came in as I went up but once I was up at the grotto things opened up again and I got some nice views for a while. Alas the mist returned and I spent all the way to near the summit of Carrauntoohil without any views but it is still a joy to walk the ridge. Thankfully the remainder of the route was mostly in the clear and I even caught some sun on Benkeeragh. Back down to the car in 6 hours 15 mins and I was well pleased with my day. Who knows...it mightn't be too long before we have some snow to enjoy.

Thankfully just out for a joyride

Always a great sight

Things cleared up when I gained the ridge..for a while

The East Reeks

A Holiday In Annecy October 9th-13th

Nothing outdoorsy or adventuresome about this post but I feel Annecy is worth including. It felt a bit weird returning to Geneva so soon after leaving the Alps but I was too preoccupied with ensuring we got  to our travel connections in a timely fashion to notice too much. Using public transport to get to Annecy is a little more bothersome than lets say Chamonix as it requires (normally) a couple of changes. It all worked out well for us as we got the train from the airport into the city and caught the SNCF train to Aix les Bains where another train took us into the centre of the city. An Adagio aparthotel was our choice of hotel and its excellent location near the station meant that we were settled and ready to explore shortly after 2pm.

A selection of pictures from Annecy

We stayed a total of four nights and to be honest we were sorry that we hadn't booked for longer. It is a gorgeous town with an old sector that is utterly charming and a vibrant modern sector that has much to please the visitor as well. While there there was a "return from the Alps" festival that was a delight of pageantry and family fun with lots of authentic Savoie delicacies to be enjoyed as we wandered through the packed narrow streets. Another display of interest was the enormous market that covered several streets that was crammed full of local produce and delights. We also visited the nearby city of Chambery that was once capital of the region before the hoi poli switched to Turin. Its plazas and grand buildings juxtaposed wonderfully with the narrow streets and "secret" squares the were scattered throughout the city.

The old town is wonderful

A 13th century building on an island. You can see why it is called the Venice of the Alps

The modern side was lovely as well

Only in France

Just a fraction of the huge market

They make a lovely sound

The parade

We very briefly visited Aix les Bains and saw enough to promise ourselves that if or when we return we will spend more time in this thermal spa town. A quick visit to Chamonix completed our tour of the area and it is fair to say that if you removed the mountain scenery from the town its charm is sadly exposed when compared to the other places we had been. For exercise I did nothing more than go for a couple of runs along by the lakeshore which (while in an undeniably stunning setting) was an exercise in dodge the people and cyclists that teemed in the area. I don't think I would like to go here in the high season as it must be packed to the rafters and would not be to our liking. A walk from the SNCF train station (currently closed and undergoing major reconstruction) to the central Swiss Rail station of Cornavin allowed us a decent glimpse of the bustling global city of Geneva before we caught our flight back home.

Aix les Bains

Le posh pissoir

A selcetion of pictures from Chambery

Some beautiful modern architecture as well

You can just make out a cross on the summit. Enormous at over 70ft high

Impressive and curious sculpture

An all too short visit but it is definitely a place we feel we would go back to and next time perhaps hire a car so that we could explore the outlying villages etc.

La Tournette in evening light

One of the reasons why I needed more exercise

Central Gully Carrauntoohil

I went with Frank ( who hadn't been out in two months) for a hike on Carrauntoohil. It was nice to return to our comfortable routine of me heading back on the train and hooking up in Killarney before the usual coffees and then heading to the hills. We decided to head to Carrauntoohil as whatever the weather it is worth a visit. About the weather, the forecast was for rain in the afternoon but it was dry this morning but cloudy with a stiff breeze blowing. We departed Lisliebane at about 11am and set off in good spirits. It seemed initially that most people had heeded the poor forecast and stayed away but as we entered the glen lots of people were heading up as well. We decided to go up O'Sheas Gully as one of the ridges wold be too dangerous in the wind. Frank was feeling the effects of his layoff but we made reasonable progress nonetheless. Things were very dry after the good spell of weather we have been enjoying and the waterfalls on the second and third levels were little more than trickles. We had a change of mind due to the conditions and decided to head for Curve Gully. The lower section offers a stiff Grade 2 scramble if you take it direct and we enjoyed it. All too soon we were past the good stuff and going up the loose chossy central section. Just before we entered the upper section of Curve Gully I decided to cross to our right and go up central instead. It had been years since I was here and it was a nice short (if somewhat loose) scramble to its top. Up to the summit and the crowds where we enjoyed a welcome lunch and we descended via the Heavenly Gates. 5 hours in total and the bad weather that was due didn't arrive so we reached the car dry, if a little windblown. It was great to get out with Francis again.

The lower section of Curve

In Central

The final section