THE BEARA WAY - PART TWO
Frequently seen along the Beara Way - the vivid colours of heather and gorse. Lovely, but both are prickly.
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CASTLETOWNBERE to AHILLIES
Day Five - 14km
After a rest day in Castletownbere, I think I found my mountain legs during the long climb on Knockgour, one of the Slieve Miskish mountains.
Slow and steady does it and don't keep looking up to see if you are nearly at the top.
When the top was reached, there were amazing views to both sides of the Beara Peninsula.
When the top was reached, there were amazing views to both sides of the Beara Peninsula.
Big landscapes don't work well on a phone screen in portrait orientation, so I will not try to show the view, but as Stephen said when I met him up there "it's mind-blowing!".
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AHILLIES to EYERIES
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O'SULLIVANS GALORE
Every second family in this part of the world seems to be an O'Sullivan. Four of my B&B hosts were O'Sullivans and a fifth used to be. There are lots of Marys and Johns.
EYERIES to ARDGROOM
BALLYCROVANE HARBOUR
Then I diverted from the Beara Way to visit Ballycrovane Harbour and its pier. I usually find that piers are interesting places.
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ARDGROOM to LAURAGH
As I came down from the first mountain I saw a busy scene ahead. Farmer Richie Lyne, with his wife, daughter and team had rounded up sheep to be run through a mobile sheep-dipping tank on the back of a truck.
LAURAGH to KENMARE
Jonathan O'Sullivan and his wife Helen who provided me with the water.
They told me they had previously lived in England but came to live in Ireland a couple of years ago. They have recently finished restoring the old house.
Jonathan told me that, as an O'Sullivan, he felt a strong connection to his ancestors who tilled this same soil.
I could hear the traffic roaring on the busy main road but I was somewhere other.
When eventually the way through the forest ended, I emerged onto a roadway and was amazed to see before me the Muxnaw Lodge where I had stayed eleven nights earlier, before beginning the Beara Way.
Muxnaw Lodge, Kenmare (again).
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My favourite memories of the Beara Way will be of the times when I'd stop walking, find a suitable rock on which to sit and eat a snack or the packed lunch I was carrying, gradually become aware of the stillness and silence surrounding.
EARLIER BLOG-POST
If you would like to read the first part of my blog on The Beara Way here is the LINK:
Stephen Slater from High Wycombe, England. He was one of only three people I met who were walking the whole of the Beara Way. The other two were from Germany - you'll meet them later in this post.
AHILLIES
A surprising thing to learn about the pretty village of Ahillies was that it has an industrial past. There was once copper mining here, on quite a large scale.
A tower seen on the approach to town looks very romantic, but in fact it was an industrial 'Engine House'.
And this is another ruined Engine House above the town.
But there is nothing drab or industrial about Ahillies these days. Skillful painters and sign-writers have been busy in the main street.
O'Neill's Bar & Restaurant with patrons eating and drinking at tables on the footpath.
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AHILLIES to EYERIES
Day Six - 14km
Day Seven - Rest Day
This was only day in which I got rained on. At first, there were spots of rain blown on the wind as I walked the high hillside track. Then gradually it became rain - light but steady. So, out came the poncho, which fits over my pack as as well as over me
No distant views this afternoon. Rain and mist have closed in over the way from Ahillies to Eyeries.
As I approached Eyeries, the Beara waymarks led me through a series of narrow grassy laneways. I gather that these were once used for moving animals from field to field.
The 'Beara Way' avoids roadways where possible. This might make the walk a bit longer but definitely more pleasant and interesting.
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A COLOURFUL VILLAGE
Eyeries has laid claim to being the most colourful village in Ireland.
Eyeries has laid claim to being the most colourful village in Ireland.
The village is small. Surrounding hills are a real presence.
O'Sullivan's Foodstore - Eyeries.
O'SULLIVANS GALORE
Every second family in this part of the world seems to be an O'Sullivan. Four of my B&B hosts were O'Sullivans and a fifth used to be. There are lots of Marys and Johns.
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EYERIES to ARDGROOM
Day Eight - 16km
All stages of the Beara Way, except this one, involve going over a mountain or two. Eyeries to Ardgroom was one of my favourite stages ... and not just because there was no mountain
The way starts with a few delightful kilometres along the craggy shores of Coulagh Bay.
The way starts with a few delightful kilometres along the craggy shores of Coulagh Bay.
Leaving Eyeries. The colourful village can be seen in the distance.
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BALLYCROVANE HARBOUR
Then I diverted from the Beara Way to visit Ballycrovane Harbour and its pier. I usually find that piers are interesting places.
My grandmother Mary used to do oil-paintings based on old postcards or photos. As each of her five children was married, she gave one of her paintings as a gift. The one she gave my parents always hung in the lounge-room of our family home. I have since inherited it.
Looking at Ballycrovane Harbour with brown-gold seaweed draped over rocks, I was strongly reminded of my grandmother's painting.
Abandoned house by Ballycrovane Harbour.
BLANKET BOGLAND
Then, as I continued along the 'way, there was a contrast as Í was led over the terrain seen below. Blanket Bogland is one description I have seen for it.
Then, as I continued along the 'way, there was a contrast as Í was led over the terrain seen below. Blanket Bogland is one description I have seen for it.
Yes, the guide notes warn that this section of the walk can be very wet and boggy! But because Ireland was/ is currently going through a dry spell (it has even been called a drought), I found that, with careful stepping, this stage of the walk was quite exhilarating, as it goes parallel to a long narrow lake called Lough Fadda.
Lough Fadda as seen from the Beara Way
At the end of the day, I came to Ardgroom, a village that seems to be trying hard to keep up with or outdo Allihies and Eyeries in colourfulness. But, to my eye, they've overdone it in the example below.
My B&B for the night is quite a distance from the village. The hosts, Mary & John Gerard O'Sullivan, offer to pick up walkers, in my case from the Village Inn where a coke and ice were refreshing after a warm day's walk. The following morning, after breakfast, John Gerard took me back to the village to resume my walk. For his main income, John Gerard works as a mussel farmer in the nearby bay.
In Ardgroom's main street
My B&B for the night is quite a distance from the village. The hosts, Mary & John Gerard O'Sullivan, offer to pick up walkers, in my case from the Village Inn where a coke and ice were refreshing after a warm day's walk. The following morning, after breakfast, John Gerard took me back to the village to resume my walk. For his main income, John Gerard works as a mussel farmer in the nearby bay.
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ARDGROOM to LAURAGH
Day Nine - 16km
This was a strenuous day that involved walking over two mountains before descending to Lauragh, a place that isn't even a village. Just a pub and a cafe - neither operational.
And it was another day spent with my kindred sheep. Another day of feeling up-close to the rugged, ribs-exposed terrain of the Beara Peninsula. With vistas a plenty.
Richie Lyne - sheep farmer.
Richie and I had a quick conversation and he was happy to be photographed.
Later in the day, high on the second mountain, I came across a prehistoric site with standing stones.
There are several important prehistoric monuments on these mountains. But this was the only one directly on the way.
There are several important prehistoric monuments on these mountains. But this was the only one directly on the way.
Off the way, there are several other stone monuments - some more complete that the example above.
While at the standing stones, I discovered that the soft rubber mouthpiece/valve for my Camelbak water reservoir was missing. I searched up and down the path a few times, but couldn't find it. Next day, there would be consequences.
At the foot of mountain slopes, the way often passes through a band of forest with thick overarching vegetation. Lovely, cool, quite mysterious.
Having arrived in the district of Lauragh (no village), I still had quite a long walk along minor roads to get to the Mountain View B&B - no lifts offered here.
But the place is well named, as seen in the photo below.
Mountain View B&B Lauragh
Here again I met with Nina, the young German woman who feared she had injured her ankle when I first met her a few days back. But she was going fine now and had since met up with Esther, another German hiker. Their English was excellent. We had good conversation at the B&B dinner, comparing our Beara Way experiences.
Esther told how, at the end of an already long day, she had walked for 25 minutes in the wrong direction and then had to walk 25 minutes back again. As a result, she had decided "that was enough" for her. She would be taxied next day to Kenmare.
Esther told how, at the end of an already long day, she had walked for 25 minutes in the wrong direction and then had to walk 25 minutes back again. As a result, she had decided "that was enough" for her. She would be taxied next day to Kenmare.
But as dinner and conversation proceeded she started to think that perhaps .. just maybe ... she might change her mind. She would sleep on it.
L-R: Nina from Munich and Esther from Hamburg in Germany - hikers on the Beara Way.
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LAURAGH to KENMARE
Day Ten - 22km. The final day.
In the morning, Esther decided that she would walk the final day, helped by the assurance that her new friend Nina would not be far away on the path.
This last stage of 22km was actually the longest of the whole Beara Way and there were two mountains to walk over. Not an easy day.
This last stage of 22km was actually the longest of the whole Beara Way and there were two mountains to walk over. Not an easy day.
In the distance the purple hills of the Iveragh Peninsula (County Kerry) can be seen. In 2015, I walked 'The Kerry Way' around that peninsula.
Lough Inchiquin in the background. There are more standing stones in this vicinity.
It seemed to me that allowing cattle to graze on this terrain was not appropriate. The hooves of the heavy animals make deep imprints in the soft, boggy soil.
On this stage of the walk, after going over the two mountains, the Beara Way continues along boreens - narrow paved roads, sometimes with grass growing down the centre. The grass is welcome because it is soft underfoot.
WATER PLEASE
On the previous day, you'll recall that I had lost the rubber mouthpiece for my water reservoir. Without the stop/flow valve effect of the mouthpiece, there were several leaks along the way - for instance when I bent over to undo my pack.
As a result, when there were still more than five kilometres to Kenmare (and it was quite a warm day), my water supply ran out. Not good.
Eventually, as I passed by an isolated house, I saw a man reclining in his yard. I ventured in, explained my situation and asked for "a glass of water please".
He kindly gave me a bottle of water to get me through the rest of the walk. The kindness of strangers.
On this stage of the walk, after going over the two mountains, the Beara Way continues along boreens - narrow paved roads, sometimes with grass growing down the centre. The grass is welcome because it is soft underfoot.
WATER PLEASE
On the previous day, you'll recall that I had lost the rubber mouthpiece for my water reservoir. Without the stop/flow valve effect of the mouthpiece, there were several leaks along the way - for instance when I bent over to undo my pack.
As a result, when there were still more than five kilometres to Kenmare (and it was quite a warm day), my water supply ran out. Not good.
Eventually, as I passed by an isolated house, I saw a man reclining in his yard. I ventured in, explained my situation and asked for "a glass of water please".
He kindly gave me a bottle of water to get me through the rest of the walk. The kindness of strangers.
Jonathan O'Sullivan and his wife Helen who provided me with the water.
Jonathan told me that, as an O'Sullivan, he felt a strong connection to his ancestors who tilled this same soil.
BY THE RIVER
After a few kilometres of quiet but hard-paved lanes, the Beara Way led me into a different environment entirely - a forested area by the Kenmare River with a lovely soft path.I could hear the traffic roaring on the busy main road but I was somewhere other.
The forest path by Kenmare River.
When eventually the way through the forest ended, I emerged onto a roadway and was amazed to see before me the Muxnaw Lodge where I had stayed eleven nights earlier, before beginning the Beara Way.
Muxnaw Lodge, Kenmare (again).
Such a surprising and fitting way to complete the loop.
Now, all that remained for me to do was to cross Our Lady's Bridge over the Kenmare River, make my way into town, and find my B&B (sometimes not easy).
Now, all that remained for me to do was to cross Our Lady's Bridge over the Kenmare River, make my way into town, and find my B&B (sometimes not easy).
Our Lady's Bridge over Kenmare River.
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CONCLUSION
That was the end of my Beara Way adventure. The total distance I walked was close to 150 kilometres - shorter than my walk round the Kerry Way five years earlier. But the Beara Way is a tougher, more strenuous walk, with all those mountains to cross. And I'd done it all after rupturing my left achilles tendon eleven months earlier. All those physio exercises for rehabilitation after surgery had had been worth it. Many thanks to Dr Michael Symes and Matt Ott.
My favourite memories of the Beara Way will be of the times when I'd stop walking, find a suitable rock on which to sit and eat a snack or the packed lunch I was carrying, gradually become aware of the stillness and silence surrounding.
Except for a few bleating sheep.
HOMEWARD
Time for a break.
HOMEWARD
Next day I caught a bus and four trains homeward! And, would you believe ... on the fourth train-stage from Kildare to Carlow, my wife Madge was on the same train (not planned). She was returning from a day with her niece Genevieve in Dublin.
So, after my ten days in the mountains, that was an unusual and lovely reunion.
So, after my ten days in the mountains, that was an unusual and lovely reunion.
P.K.
01/09/2022
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EARLIER BLOG-POST
If you would like to read the first part of my blog on The Beara Way here is the LINK:
