Five nations tour

[Amarillo]

Hag’s Glen in the shadow of Carrauntoohil.

The stepping stones and the end of our Carrauntoohil expedition.

Random ramblers crossing

 

[The Merle]

Our ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan is booked for 11 August, but we need a couple of days to get to and climb Slieve Donard - unless we abandon that idea.

I think our focus along the WAW will be beaches and playing in rock pools, etc.

I wish we had 3 months not 3 weeks for this trip.

If you are doing the whole thing then there is some sort of book you can get stamped at certain points along the way (kids may like doing). I went out of season so places were shut, or you can collect the pins.
Beaches are stunning, I would play it by ear. Loophead light house is worth a visit, I sat up on the cliffs watching dolphins (with binoculars) for ages.
There’s boat trips on the Shannon estuary where you can get up close.

 

[Amarillo]

Makka Pakka

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Makka Pakka

Love a bit of stone balancing

 

[Perfectos]

Love a bit of stone balancing

St.Ives Magic !

 

[Amarillo]

Day 7 - Clogher Strand

Up early-ish and breakfast in the campsite’s backpackers kitchen. It made things easy. Ben had bread and jam, Jack had coco pops.

There are three main routes up Carrauntoohil: the Devil’s Ladder, Brother O’Shea’s Gully and the Coomloughra Horseshoe. The latter is the way I went in 2009, but it involves a short but very exposed section called ‘The Bones’ where a simple slip or misplaced foot could send you plummeting fifty metres. I’d take the boys that way but only in perfect conditions and today was far from perfect. Cloud base at 600m and 50kph winds.

So we set off towards the Devil’s Ladder at midday but only made it as far as the stepping stones. One of the stones was a few inches under fast flowing water and I would not attempt to pass with the boys.

We returned to the van and drove to Clogher Strand where we wild camped for the night feasting on super noodles and frankfurters.

 

[Amarillo]

History made real.

Artist’s impression of the view in 1834.

Same view at low tide in 2022. (Sorry about the wonky horizon).

 

[Amarillo]

Killimer to Tarbert Ferry.

On our approach we guessed the price of the ferry.
Me: €4.80
Ben: between €20 and €100
Jack: between €0 and €infinity

Both Ben and Jack (of course) were correct. Van
But Jack also said that he thought his guess would be infinitely closer to €0 than €infinity. Which brings up an interesting conundrum.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

What wonky horizon

 

[Perfectos]

One of the stones was a few inches under fast flowing water and I would not attempt to pass with the boys.

Showing respect for mother nature and safety for yourselves = a life lesson that will remain ingrained

 

[Amarillo]

Showing respect for mother nature and safety for yourselves = a life lesson that will remain ingrained

It wasn’t so much safety. It was more to do with the lack of desire to hike with wet boots and socks. And while the boys would have been happy to wade across bare footed, I didn’t want to.

Rivers can be dangerous things to cross; the correct way (without a rope) is socks off, boots on and in a triangular formation with arms Locked onto each other’s shoulders. But this river was far from that state for that level of precaution. I did still consider crossing for the experience alone, using the ford not the stepping stones.

Some years ago I completed the five day training as a mountain leader, and have long since consolidated that training with hillwalking experience, but have not had my knowledge assessed with the three day practical assessment.

 

[Amarillo]

Cliffs of Moher.

 

[Amarillo]

Country number 4

And a missing tooth

 

[Amarillo]

Sunset, as always, makes a nice photo.

 

[Amarillo]

Summit of Slieve Donard, highest peak in Northern Ireland, with Scotland on the horizon.

Edit: It is the Isle of Man on the horizon (with the Lake District visible on clear days).

 

[Amarillo]

We crossed the Bloody Bridge, walked alongside the Bloody Bridge River and found a bloody great water slide!

 

[Amarillo]

We crossed the Bloody Bridge, walked alongside the Bloody Bridge River and found a bloody great water slide!

 

[Amarillo]

Summit of Schiehallion 1083m. The boys’ first Munro.