29th July 2007. Day Two.

After a mighty big fry for breakfast, we left Groarty House in sunshine at 9am. The big breakfast was something that was to become a regular for the trip. The thinking behind it was that I needed to bulk up for the energy I was to burn up during the day, so bulk up I did, with the works wherever possible! - Full Irish, but no egg, and marmalade on my toast. We arranged where to meet later and John took a few photos as I headed down the driveway.

It was a clear, crisp morning so before long I was getting cold with the fast pace I was going and the cold air on my chest. I stopped to put on my jacket. Away again and I was going uphill. Got a bit hot so stopped to take off the jacket. A dark cloud moved towards me and within minutes the sunshine was gone and the rain started. Stopped, jacket on. All of maybe ten minutes later, the rain was gone, the sun was back, the heat picked up and ……… bike stopped, jacket off. When the rain started again ten minutes later, I decided enough was enough - and suffered through the rain knowing the heat wouldn't be far behind. And so it went. From rain to sun to drizzle to sun …….

It was easy to contend with a bit of rain! In fact the rain often cooled me down between the hot sunny spells. While lost in thought, peddling along a quiet country road, I was going past a very ordinary looking bungalow when out of the blue ….. well out of the doorway to be precise, a HUGE black and brown Doberman dog came bounding and barking towards me! All pleasant thoughts left me immediately and most of my 41 years flashed before my eyes - in the shape of snarling, growling, saliva dripping, gnashing teeth ….. the Grim Reaper was a Doberman, and was effectively reaching for my throat when his own throat felt a tightening.

The chain caught him and yanked him back to ground. A chain - the best invention in the world at that particular moment. Give thanks for chains. I dropped a few gears and peddled on. Then came back and took a picture, much to the annoyance of Grim!

I pressed on up and over Holywell Hill, and when coming down at tremendous speed into Kildrum, my GPS popped up and out of its holding on my handlebar. It wobbled briefly before disappearing down under the bike with the horrifying sound of "bang, crash, and bits all over the road". I was grabbing for my brakes while looking behind to watch all the pieces, and managed to stop the bike without falling off. I went back and collected all the bits. Initially I was worried sick. I needed this equipment to get me down the country. In the previous two years, when travelling the country, I had logged various critical points into the GPS as waypoints. This equipment was vital. I was somewhat relieved to see the retrieved bits consisted of all essential parts - the body, the batteries and the battery cover. Nothing seemed to be actually broken - just some damage on the body cover. I put it all together, pressed the "On" button and the screen flickered into life. A tense wait for a few second and then the perfect map flashed up on the screen! The relief! That Magellan Meridian Colour handheld GPS can take a fair bang on a tarmac road and still go strong! It's still working fine today. I realised it was from pulling my handlebar bag forward that it unclipped the GPS. No more pulling the handlebar bag …..





On to Saint Johnstown, and a rendezvous with John, a strawberry Yop and a banana. Nice little town. Short, maybe five minute break and then back on the bike. I took Cycle Route 92, which is on small roads, with little traffic, especially on a Sunday. Through Ballindrait and on to Clady, for another rendezvous and short break. The next stage was a very straight road, up and over Fearn Hill and down into Castlederg, where we planned to have lunch.
But that road up to Fearn Hill was a "killer"! It didn't look that steep on the map but …… for some reason (probably gravity) I really struggled with it. It was a small road so very little traffic. I went from side to side, to try to reduce the vertical effort. The perspiration dripped down my face, and each time I looked up I could see John waiting patiently at the top. Just waiting to take the photo. I had to put on a brave face, albeit a sweaty one! I grinded and grinded, leg muscles solid with effort, the sun beating down …. and a photo opportunity ahead! I stopped a couple of times, maybe a few times, for a rest but eventually got there.

A drink and a quick discussion with agreement on just how steep that hill was, and I was off again. John went ahead to check out what was on offer for lunch. As I got to Castlederg, John was waiting in his car to greet me and gladly tell me that a place had just opened for Sunday lunch and we could park my bike and his car around the back in full view from a window in the restaurant. I think I had roast chicken and ham, and a big banoffi for desert! We studied the maps carefully as there were two routes to get to Pettigoe - the long and flat cycle route 95 or the straight and steep B72 road through a valley and up Crockalaghta. We discussed the merits of both options at some length, but at the back of my mind all the time was ….. the challenge. I think it was always going to be the straight and steep route!

Back to the bike and the decision was made - straight and steep - see you at the top! John drove off and I cycled. There was about 8km of reasonably flat road before I got to the steep part. The scenery was pleasant, with trees both sides of the road. A low gear, head down and away I went. Maybe two stops, but surprisingly quickly I could see John's car parked up ahead. I wondered if he was stopping to give me encouragement half way up. But a few more pedals and just beyond him the road was dropping down again, and I could see my turn off to the right. I was there - at the top. No bother!

John took this photo from his moving car! -

It wasn't long before I got to Pettigo - more Yop and a cereal bar, sitting in John's car, and then on to the road North of Lower Lough Erne. It lashed rain for a few minutes and then back to sun. We rendezvoused at a car park for a few minutes rest and photos.

I was feeling great. I was well ahead of schedule, I felt fine-and-fit, and there was only a relatively short section around Lough Erne to the B&B. I had rung the B&B at lunchtime to tell them I was a day ahead of schedule. I was glad to hear it was no problem - I had a bed for the night! There was still about another 14km to go but that was easy now. One more brief stop at the Rosscor viaduct bridge and shortly after, at 5pm and 94km, I arrived at the Loughshore B&B. John was already there. The owner Ann kindly gave me a cup of tea and showed great interest in my adventure! John had to travel back to Dublin that night so we packed my bike and cycling equipment into his car, for him to send to Limerick when he got back to Dublin. I waved goodbye to John, disappointed to see him go, and knowing full well that this disappointment would get worse as the evening wore on and I was left alone. Oh NO!!!! I just remembered ….. I left my credit card and cash in my cycling bag …… a dash upstairs to my phone …… and John was back a few minutes later. Credit card and cash retrieved, I waved goodbye again! Imagine the trouble if I didn't have phone coverage just then ….. John would have gone back to Dublin, and I would have been severely stuck without any means of payment for the following days! Marvellous mobiles!


Ann in Loughshore B&B (on the A46 between Belleek and Enniskillen) made a wonderful salad for me that evening. She offered to make a bigger meal for me but I don't eat much in the evenings! It's a great B&B, if you're ever passing. And I needed a nice salad. John had been with me through all this new adventure for the past two full days. His assistance and company was terrific. Now the country got very very quiet. A bit too quiet. I watched telly and went to bed early. I was thinking of the following day. I was looking forward to what the walking might bring. The plan was for four days of walking up the cliffs of Magho, along the Ulster Way across Lough Navar Forest, through Big Dog, Carrigan and Ballintempo Forests, followed by the entire Cavan Way to Dowra. From now on I didn't have any accommodation booked. I was to carry my tent and hope for the best. But my first challenge was something that had been playing on my mind for about a week. When I had been up this way about a week earlier to leave my walking gear in this Loughshore B&B, I had seen a sign at the start of the walk up the Magho cliffs. It said "PATH CLOSED due to landslide. NO ENTRY".

If I couldn't get up those cliffs, looking at the map and not knowing the area, I might have an extra day's walking to get around the problem. I went to sleep pondering over the morning's predicament, wondering if I would take heed of the warning sign …….. All will be revealed, next week!

28th July, 2007. Day one, Phase two

Peddling along the country roads, I settled very quickly into a comfortable rhythm. It was sunny and calm but not too warm - a big change to the thunder and showers predicted. I had agreed with John that I would meet him in Malin town (13km). We both knew, from experience, that this part of the journey would involve us meeting regularly along the trip. The plan for today was to travel 54km to Groarty House B&B in Derry City. Initially, with the car journey up to Donegal, I had hoped to ease into my trip and cycle just 38km as far as Carrowkeel (Quigley's Point), but the few B&B's in that area were booked out due to a golf tournament. The next nearest B&B en route was Groarty House.

I wanted to avoid main roads as far as possible, so shortly after my start I veered off the "main road" to Malin town and took a smaller road. I could see from the map that this was over a hill but it wasn't too steep. As I struggled up the hill I was taken by the silence. My training for this cycling was on Dublin City streets, but never out to country roads. The country silence was noticeably different and I enjoyed and appreciated that numerous times during my expedition. Before long I was over the hill and careering down into Malin town. When I got there John was waiting at his car.



I stopped for a quick chat and a drink of water. Some men that John had met up in Malin Head, who had rushed over to him as soon as I left to enquire about where I might be going, came out of a shop and wished me luck. They also suggested that maybe we were going to throw the bike in the car at the first opportunity! Huh! John and I made arrangements to meet at a later stage and I headed off. Everything was just fine, the logistics were sorted, the plan was coming together, I was on my way out of the town without a care in the world. Life was great, and I was peddling. Somebody whistled loudly ….. a kind of a warning whistle. In these cycling shorts I expected maybe an odd wolf whistle, but this was no wolf whistle. Definitely a warning whistle. I looked around to see if by any chance it was directed at me and there was John pointing inquisitively at another direction to mine. I looked at the road sign and "Oh nooooo ….". I turned the bike around and as nonchalantly as possible tried to make it look like I was just exploring that side of town before taking the proper route. Before me was an expedition of many miles on roads, across mountains, lakes, rivers …… and I had taken the wrong turning in the very first little town! How embarrassing. Pedal Seamus, pedal.







Are all weapons not decommissioned yet? That child has a gun!

Next stop was Muff, where I met John and had a banana and strawberry Yop.


I had noticed that during training for this cycling, when I was cycling from Dublin Port, around Howth Head, and back to my house in Clontarf, that a banana and Yop were a perfect snack mid-route. Tasty and sweet. I had noticed that I felt drained by the time I got home if I had chocolate. I reckon it gives you a quick sugar high but is followed by a quick low. That's my tip to you budding adventurers.

Back on the bike and in to Derry City. This was back to the horrible traffic, just like back in Dublin. The quietness of the country roads very quickly shattered - particularly so when some lads driving past let a roar at me out of their passenger window! Just for the fun I presume! I had a GPS mounted on the bike so followed that through the unfamiliar streets, and from an Ordnance Survey map I could see there was a hill to climb to get to the B&B. And what a hill. This was a killer, so late in the day. Looking back on the cycling part of the trip it was probably the third steepest hill. And that wasn't the only problem. The part of the City I was going through reminded me of certain parts of Dublin - the tougher parts. Except maybe perched on the steep side of Howth Head. So here I was, struggling to get up the hill but there was NO WAY I was going to stop. I was aware of people looking curiously at me but I was keen not to make eye contact with them. But with their peaked caps and hoodies, maybe that eye contact wasn't possible but I wasn't taking the chance anyway. So I peddled as hard as I could, as hard as that was. It seemed to take for ages, but eventually I was leaving suburbia and back onto a country road. Like leaving Jobstown for the Dublin Mountains. The GPS was telling me to keep going another couple of kilometres and the legs were telling me you've had enough. Peddle, peddle, peddle and there it was - Groarty House B&B (62 Groarty Road), at 7:30pm. A sanctuary in Derry!

John's car was there but no sign of John. It turned out there were two roads to this place and John reckoned I was on the other so he headed off to take photos of me arriving. I was relieved to hear the other road was just as steep! Stuart, a boy of nine or ten, efficiently took charge of welcoming me to the B&B, allowed me to park my bike around the back, and showed me to my room. He then enquired as to what time I wanted breakfast and told me that would be fine! His baby-sitter was in the background but he was in charge here!

John and I marvelled at the tremendous view of Derry City (my legs paid the pain for that view!), watched television for a short while and then dozed off. Day 1 - started and done. 52km. I was really happy that this expedition, so long in the planning , was actually happening.

Tomorrow's plan was to bring me 50km as far as Castlederg. But I had done 52 km in three hours today! I wondered if I could do more and get ahead ……… zzzzzzz

28th July 2007. Day one, Phase one.

A slight thud.

You would hope to avoid, but you'd possibly expect a slight thud at some stage during an expedition. An expedition that would be fraught with danger. Sure isn't that what an expedition is all about? Otherwise it's just a trip. But this was an expedition, and before it even started, there was a slight thud. I was sitting safely at the kitchen table in my mother's house when my brother John landed a magnum of Champagne on the table ... with a slight thud.

The HUGE bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin sat temptingly on the green and white shiny surface. It almost covered the patch that was burned out of the table with an iron many years ago. That patch is older than me, and might well outlive me, but I had other plans for the beautiful beautiful bottle. We could pop it open there and then, cancel all plans for the day and enjoy each and every bubble in good company. But there was a catch. The bottle was not to be opened until I returned safely from my expedition. The disappointment almost hit me with a slight thud, but instead it turned into more encouragement and more drive to complete an expedition that was years and years in the planning. The route was to take me by bike from Malin Head through Donegal to Fermanagh, walking across Lough Navar Forest, Big Dog Forest and Carrigan Forest to Blacklion, walk the Cavan Way to Dowra, kayak down the Shannon to Limerick, and cycle on to Mizen Head in Cork. All by human effort alone. Why? I couldn't really answer that then, but I think I can now. All that later.

Irene and Richie - my aunt and uncle, along with Irene's sister Ruthie, had travelled all the way from Boston to see me off. …. OK, they happened to be in Dublin that morning, but probably would have travelled from Boston otherwise. My sister Cecilia and her husband Brendan also called in so there was plenty of people about. John and I packed his car with my bike and belongings, as he was to drive me to Malin Head. I said my goodbyes to family, sensing their great fear and anxiety that this might end in trouble.
I did my best to reassure them that I would be safe but the truth is I really didn't know how this might go. Somewhere in my mind I was concerned about cycling on small country roads with fast cars, concerned about injury while walking alone up hills, concerned about kayaking across large open waters ……. but thankfully I had put this to the back of my mind. However, the sense of fear emanating from my family at this critical time was beginning to bring all my concerns to the fore. I was getting jitters. I needed to get going. If you don't just venture out there, you won't go. I like the expression "Just Do It". It was now time. We went. I hoped I wasn't going to disappoint my family by getting injured. I thought "I'd better take care".

We went about half a mile when I suddenly exclaimed to John "WAIT! I've left my cycling runners at home!" I had been packing all my gear for the past few weeks but I could not remember putting those runners into the bag. Disaster. I knew I had left them out in my house before travelling to my mother's house but had not packed them. John stopped the car and I went to the boot to confirm that they had been left behind. We would have to drive back to my house. I opened the bag and there they were. Packed, and ready. Panic over. A sheepish return to the front seat of the car. The mind was playing tricks!

As we drove to Donegal, it gave me LOTS of time to think. John and I chatted about various things but most of the time my mind was on the trip. It was easy to think about things that could go wrong, like something breaking on my bike, or my kayak getting stolen, or loosing a vital tent peg somewhere up the hills ….. it began to get to the ridiculous stage. I'm not normally the worrying type. Usually my attitude is "Go out and do it and deal with whatever might happen", but this time I started worrying. Not about getting injured but about a logistical hiccup with disastrous consequences for the trip. I think it was because so many people knew about this trip - I had informed people by direct contact, e-mail and text. And lots were to track my progress. My biggest fear now became "how embarrassing if something stupid happens"!! I longed to get on the bike and get going.

We stopped for lunch at The Magnet Bar, just past Derry, where John had a gammon steak and I had the Magnet Burger (don't worry - you won't see every receipt!). With thoughts of the trip before me, I wasn't hungry and found it quite tasteless but I knew I'd need the food for energy later so polished it all off. We continued on our journey and made it to a calm and sunny Malin Head at about 4pm.

Changing facilities are limited but I managed to change into my cycling gear in an old derelict concrete building while John put the bike together. There's very little at Malin Head other than an old derelict weather station, but there was a considerable number of people about - even a small traffic jam!


As John was to travel by car to our planned stop in a Derry B&B that night I didn't have to carry much. I quickly packed some essentials in a bag and was ready to go! No trumpets, no fanfare, just a few curious onlookers. Part of me was embarrassed, but part of me wanted to announce to the world MY EXPEDITION IS STARTING!! Instead, I posed for a photo or two for John, said "See you in a while" and away I went. Freewheeling down the steep hills from Malin Head I felt wonderful. In those first few hundred meters everything was coming together. The bike was working, the weather was perfect, I hadn't forgotten anything, I had the well wishes of family and friends. I was on my way!!
That little yellow dot in the centre of the picture is me!

I intend to post a new piece about once-a-week. Any thoughts, views, opinions? Please get commenting!