Slightly Doolally

Away back on the 10th April last year I set myself a target of 1000 miles before the 10th April 2012. I passed the 1000 mile target yesterday 2 months early!!

looking at my stats collected by Cardiotrainer (an Android app) I averaged 99.75 miles a month, and of the 1000 miles I did 478 miles of uphill walking and 522 miles of downhill walking – not quite sure why I have and excess of downhill walking, perhaps the bon mot that “everything goes downhill after 50″ is actually true. I averaged a speed of 3.1 mph and burned 627 bananas worth of calories (they also use avacadoes but I HATE avacadoes).

Since I am looking at 1200 miles this year I have re-set my target to 1300 miles which means I have to walk 150 miles in Feb 150 miles in March (and the first 10 days of April) which is do-able but not easy-peasy.

I have been a bit remiss over the last couple of weeks and my weekly “Summit for the weekend” posts have not been quite as prompt as they should have been, but hey ho such is the way the cookie crumbles.

I dander the full 17 mile length of the Giant’s Causeway at least once a year and 2011 was no exception. As for the last 4 years the walk is one where I am fire out an invite to all and sundry to come join me and this year was no exception I was joined by Andy Clark, Mary, Ashling Dearle and Stephen Mooney. Sadly Eileen Fitzgerald who had wanted to come found herself injured and thought it best on this occasion to have a weekend off and let her injuries heal. Friday night drinkies were drunk before delivering Ashling and Stephen over to my mother’s spare room for a relatively early night.

The Team Photo

The problem with dandering in winter is the available daylight is reduced to a minimum of 7 hours which is just about right for 17 miles if you start bright and early in the morning which is what we managed to do. Starting in Balintoy at 9:30am we headed west into a brightening day. Several of the team had not been up in this neck of the woods before so every corner was new to them which was rather nice as it does one good to show off the natural beauty of one’s back yard. Being gifted with living in an AONGD (Area of Naturally Outstandingly Great Dandering) one can become blasé about the environment.

White Park Bay

Off around the coast we wandered and onto the fine stretch of sand that is White park bay, through the odd little hamlet of Portbradden with it’s cannons anchor and smallest chapel in the north ( St. Gobban’s), (Note to self – it could do with a tea room for Danderers)

Portbradden

And onward westerly through the natural arch locally called “The Eye” under Templastragh church

"The Eye" on the coast path

Dunseverick

And on past Dunseverick Castle or what is left of it, which admittedly is not a lot but you get the idea that there was a castle there and it did (does) have a spectacular view and has some interesting myths. I really must write down the story of “The Sorrowing of Conal Cernach” one of these days… Anyway …this is the point at which thing start going up onto the causeway cliff path above the columnar rocks that make up the natural wonder that is the Giant’s causeway. Given there was a wee bit of up and downery I had to pull back a little and let the gammy leg recover a couple of times. But I am glad to say the frequency I have to do this is slowly decreasing as the leg gets used to the abuse I on occasions throw at it. The rest of our merry crew had no difficultly and even the other Stephen (not a regular walker) was keeping up a steady lick

The Causeway from 200m above

Sadly the Shepard’s Steps were closed so we couldn’t get down onto the causeway itself and had to keep to the cliff path, but this meant we got the alternate ..”Feck it is a long way down” view from “the causeway pulpit”. and yes that is the edge of the cliff in the picture. Mr Mooney I have to say has no fear of heights or the falling off same, thankfully it wasn’t too windy!

From there on through Portballintrae were we stopped for a drink, a sandwich and a rest of the legs looking out over the bay.

The Wee Cottage, Dunluce

Then up and onward towards Portrush and the finishing line. Now we were blessed with some cracking weather for November. Stunning clouds, not to much wind and the occasional flash of sun, in fact it was that mild that we were all down to fleeces by the time we went round “ooh ahh” corner and caught sight of Dunluce Castle for the first time and as fortune would have it the only rain of the day started to fall JUST as we passed Andy’s cousin Avril’s tea room “The Wee Cottage” where we took shelter and indulged in the danderers delight – Scones, butter, cream, raspberry jam,a slice or two of fresh  strawberry, pancakes direct from the griddle with butter, lemon juice, maple syrup and of course BIG mugs of tea. Once the rain

Sunset

having eased and daylight being at a premium we headed off again, down onto the East Strand at the white rocks and into a specially arranged amazing sunset we arrived back in Portrush’s Harbour bar, tired and bang on the expected end time.

A Grand days dandering with good chums, great craic and brilliant weather what more could you ask for?

Back home for a quick shower and then we repaired back to the Harbour Bar for some grub. It has to be said that when i mentioned to Niall (my son) did he want some £’s for a takeaway or would he like to come and join “the olds” in the harbour it took all of a nanosecond for him to say “the harbour please” such is the drawing power of that establishment … and once again the HB did not let us down a fine time was had by all

The next day Ashling Stephen and I did Mussenden and Gortmore up the Bishop’s road, well we have a plethora of wonderful views, why shouldn’t I not show it off

A great weekend dandering loads of craic, thanks to all for coming!!!

Since I had done the westerly walk last week this week I decided that it would be a easterly dander this week, so with this in mind it was off to Ballycastle at 9am this morning into the teeth of a North Easterly gale. Not the best dandering weather but it didnt half make the views stunning!.

The Children of Lir

I have to say Moyle council have done their rate payers proud with this bit of public art based on The Children of Lir, and old tale of evil step-parents, spells and sadness. Basically Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra and Conn the children of King Lir were changed into swans for 1000 years and as part of their wanderings they came to the straits of Moyle and as a result of this tale many houses have ornamental swans and this this recent stainless steel sculptural representation of the 4 cursed children just takes my breath away, well done Moyle council!

Kabooooooooosh!

Fair Head is a favourite walk of mine and today it did not let me down! The North channel that separates Ireland from Scotland is narrow and full of dangerous currents and tidal rips which means that it is not a nice flat bit of water at the best of times. Today it was torn by a 6 foot swell and very high tide. Incidentally I have discovered one of the secrets of Professional Photographers .. when taking pictures of big waves ensure that you are watching your feet as well as the waves for failure to do that leads to very

An "Oooh Ahhh" moment

wet feet in addition to spectacular photographs. The wind and sharp heavy squalls of rain had kept all but the most hardy folks (like me) in their beds, this sadly meant that the stunning views and raw elemental beauty of the north coast in the teeth of a November gale was lost to the majority of the locals. But then again getting muck all over your feet, up the legs of your trousers (what is called locally as being “Clabbered to the knee”) and getting buffeted and  blown hither and thither is probably not everyone’s cup of tea on a Sunday morning .. *sigh* aye well tis their loss and my gain!.

Ballycastle from Fair Head

I kept up a good lick and made the top of Fair head in a couple of hours and then started the wander back into Ballycastle down the back roads of Ballyvoy, Barnish and Corrymeela. Which while not as spectacular as the coastal path has the merit of being very quiet and when walking alone it affords the danderer moments of reflection that help to put the week just finished into perspective and set you up for the one that is being born as you walk.

Old Cross

I have walked this road many many times over the last 35 years yet I have never noticed this old celtic cross planted in the hedge on the left hand side of the road about a mile outside Ballycastle. It is marked on the Ordinance Survey Map as a Cross but I had always looked for it closer to Bonamargy Friary and missed it. Which just goes to show that you see new exciting things most days if you just get out there and look

So that’s it … a post about dandering, friends, food, swans, muck, waves, gales and forgotten crosses when push comes to shove what more can a body ask for in life

Toodle pip for the now.

Portstewart harbour

Out again this Sunday with Andy Clark and his tireless Springer/Cocker puppy “Tara” and the destination choosen was the small harbour town of Portstewart some 5 miles away from Chez McDonagh. Oddly, given the last few days of deluge, pish and mizzel the fact that the day started with an azure blue sky, a hint of autumnal frost and the odd whisp of mist, meant that the bold Mr Clarke and I set off on our weekly dander with a spring in our steps that was uncommon for the time of year

OHara's Castle

Our walk took us along the prom and up under O’Hara’s Castle now home of the Dominican convent school and along the nun’s walk past Port na’happle and down onto Portstewart Strand. This is a well trodden Sunday Dander for the amateur danderer. Although at 9am on a sunday morning there were few if any fellow strollers out and about.

Although there were a flock of cormorants and gulls making an unholy row on the rocks under the play park near the witch’s hat. As a fisherman I have mixed feelings about cormoants and the whole shag family. If they are around then there are fish around however … they fish a little to well

Impromptue Art

On the wander around we passed the site of the old Strand Hotel site of many an evening of bacchanalian excess in both Mr Clark’s and my ancient history and on the rock we came apon an act of impromptue art. The Whys and Wherefores remain a mystery and it stands there testament to someone taking 10 minutes to make a balanced cairn of 4 stones as a monument to.. well … something.

I applaud them and it makes a damn fine photo on this glorious morning!

Portstweart Strand

Onward over the rise and down onto what is for me one of the finest stretches of sand anywhere in the world….. Portstewart Strand. With the north atlantic on one side and the rich earth of the Bann esturary on the other this 3 miles of shore yhas much of interest to the walker. In 2000, the 180 acre dune system at Portstewart was included within the Bann Estuary Area of Special Scientific Interest, for the rare and fragile habitats/wildlife that it supports. In particular many species of butterflies and orchids including the rare bee orchid have been recorded, and can be viewed from the way marked trails. The combination of open sand, dunes and damp hollows or slacks provides a mosaic of habitats rich in plants and insects. The dunes reach heights of up to 100ft, were formed around 6,000 years ago and have significant Neolithic archaeological interest… and most importantly it was also the beach where I first managed to stand up on a surf board and ride a wave. A fact sadly missing from the information boards posted along the paths.

We dander the full length of the beach and then at the bar mouth where the river Bann meets the see we turned in and walked through the dunes down the way marked trail turning inland at the end of the Golf course to appear once again on the outskirts of Burnside and from there it was a road walk back to the car and home.

It was odd and worthy of repeating that I sit here typing in November and I have a tight hot sun tingled forehead .. weird very weird!