2nd. August 2007. Day six.

I awoke reasonably early in my comfortable apartment - probably about 8am. Well early considering I was on holidays! I got up and starting packing some equipment, and putting my walking gear away for collection from Dowra some other time. I knew I'd be able to leave it all in a bag here at Noel Keegan's place and collect it in the coming few weeks. While I was just finishing shaving I heard footsteps on the metal stairs outside the apartment. Just as I was wondering where they might be going there was a knock on the door! It was Declan - Noel's son, and they were ready to help transport my kayak to the river! I quickly put on a sweatshirt and went downstairs, where Noel was waiting with his van. He mentioned about the river being very rocky at the bridge in the town, and suggested that I might be better off launching my kayak from a field he owned just outside the town. I suspected it might be the one I'd checked out the previous day, and said this to Noel, but agreed it was worth checking again. Declan and I carried the kayak into the van, and luckily I had my kayaking gear all ready in bags because that went into the van too. We headed off, with me sitting up front beside Noel and Declan trying to balance in the back! While we were driving Noel said he heard I had camped in a field outside of Dowra the previous night. I couldn't recall mentioning this to anyone so was somewhat surprised how he knew. It turned out that the kindly old woman who let me use her field was Noel's mother! Fate brought me there for sure.

Noel's field was the same one I had checked the day before, but I went down to the end of it, as far as the river, just to check again. No - it was still not a good idea to go from there. I told Noel I'd take my chances with the rocks in the river, so we back into the town and unloaded the kayak and my bags down a grassy bank, on a flat piece of ground beside the shallow river. The kayak has storage compartments front and rear, and some space to hold gear in the middle of the kayak in front of my feet. I packed everything as neatly and securely as possible and then headed off to get breakfast in a local pub. The pub was empty and as I tucked into a full Irish with no egg, a man arrived in, ordered breakfast, ignored all the empty tables and promptly sat down at mine! I was a bit taken aback but knowing I wasn't local he immediately starting chatting! I was very quickly at ease as this Dub and Brian Kerrigan, a county council worker in the later stage of his career and part-time farmer with softly spoken county brogue chatted over a long and filling big breakfast.

After breakfast I went back to the apartment. Noel was out so I asked Bridie to pass on my thanks to Noel and Declan. Noel's help in storing my kayak for two weeks, giving me accommodation and getting my kayak and equipment to the river was invaluable. I am extremely grateful for his help.

Back at the river, I changed into my kayaking clothes - t-shirt, life-jacket, shorts and runners. After a bit of messing around moving things from one bag to another, I was ready. I was apprehensive, maybe a bit nervous, but longing to get going! I could see I had a few rocks to cross before getting to water that I could float in, so I stepped into the river, dragged the kayak off the bank, and away I went - walking down the river!


Sensibly, I had tied a long piece of rope onto the kayak, because the river was flowing strongly enough to take my kayak away quite quickly. I got past the first section of rocks and clambered into the kayak. I was going! Kayaking down the Shannon! I'd started!


I probably got just about 15m when the kayak rubbed on stones and I was out walking again. This went on for some time. Walking a bit, kayaking for a bit and then back walking again. I was loving it. I was quickly well away from the town and in complete solitude. The surroundings were fantastic. A small river, with banks covered in trees and all sorts of greenery overgrowing down to the river.

I was pleased to see that the river was passable. Where there were trees fallen down into the river, they weren't completely across it, and where the bushes and branches were overgrowing onto the river there was always some gap to get through.

But not knowing what to expect around each corner, and with all this such a new experience for me, it was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed that river section which lasted about five miles from Dowra.


I know other people have been down that section of river but it was easy to imagine I was the only person that had travelled that way - everything was so remote, undisturbed and left to grow naturally and wild.




Before too long I rounded a bend and the river banks opened wide to reveal the expanse of Lough Allen. What a change! From the almost enclosed river, with trees and bushes making a tunnel of green, I was now paddling out into a huge blue lake in bright sunshine. I was relieved to see that the lake was completely calm. No waves, no swell - just a massive inviting flat blue surface. I could see an island - Inishmagrath, a short distance off so I headed for that. I didn't have my spray-deck on but as the lake was so calm I carried on without it. The spray-deck goes tight around the hull of the kayak and my waist, and keeps out water that might spill over from waves. On reaching the island I stopped, got out, and ate my lunch of sandwiches, sardines and a banana. The sun was so strong I had to get into the shade of a tree to stop my legs getting burned! It was glorious sitting there enjoying the weather, the rest from exercise, the food and thought of the trip. I rang a few people, and replied to as many texts as possible.

I went into the centre of the island and explored the ruin of an old church. It was so peaceful and secluded there I decided I'd come back some time and camp on the island. Then back to my kayak and away I went. As I crossed the lake the waves started to pick up. The sudden change surprised me but I was all too aware that conditions can change remarkably quickly on a large lake like this. I carried on for a while, but I was uncomfortable not having my spray-deck on. When a wave nearly came into the kayak I headed for shore. Closer to shore the waves, where they meet shallow ground picked up and I had to be extremely careful not to get engulfed, even though the waves were only six inches high! With the spray-deck on I was a different kayaker. I was much more relaxed, and much more capable of kayaking properly. The nervous movements in trying to keep relatively still were gone and I battled the water like I should have been doing all along! That's the last time I'll ever tackle a lake without a spray-deck on!

I paddled for the afternoon going from one small island to the next. When I stopped for a rest at one stage, I guessed from the speed I thought I was doing, and trying to read the Shannon Navigation map that I was about a third of the way across the lake. Looking at that map it was difficult to establish my position on the featureless lake but I got out an Ordnance Survey map (26) and with some clever reading, and looking at forests on Slieve Anierin some distance away I figured out that I was two-thirds of the way across the lake, on Gubcormongan headland. This was fantastic going! I was delighted with myself. I got going again and was soon facing the bottom of the lake, with a choice to either head for the canal route or stay with the river. Both options meet again further down the river. I knew the canal route would take me closer to shops, and as I'd never been through a lock before I was keen to try that. Also, to take the river there's a sluice to negotiate. I wasn't sure how to navigate that - whether I'd have to shoot down through it, and risk capsizing, or climb up the bank and walk around it. But thoughts of food and shops dictated - I veered left, to the canal.

I stopped before the lock, pulled up on a grassy bank and got out of the kayak. I enquired with the lock-keeper as to how all this worked and he helpfully explained the system. They would open the locks whenever required and while boats had to pay kayaks were free! We were close by the town of Drumshanbo so I changed clothes, walked the kilometre or so into the town and enjoyed a nice meal of roast chicken in "Henry's", with desert and all. On the way back I bought a load of provisions. It's possible to pack a surprisingly large amount into the kayak, so compared to the walking, being able to get all this stuff was such a luxury. I started walking when suddenly a car stopped and a lady offered me a lift. How strange was that?! It was very nice of her, and as it wasn't cheating - this section was not part of the expedition, I jumped in. She seemed to know I was "at the boats" and wished me well when I told her about the expedition.

I changed back into my kayaking clothes and launched off, making for my first ever lock. I moved into it and waited. From the comfort of his office, the lock keeper closed the gate behind me. Slowly I realised the water level was dropping - I could see from the damp mark on the lock walls.


Everything was smooth and slow. As the level I was on dropped, water from the pressure building up on the gates behind me started gushing in.


I was glad I had earlier watched this operation in action so I wasn't concerned. With a few creaking noises, the gates in front opened up and the canal beckoned - smooth, quiet and incredibly green. It was the large number of shades of green that struck me first. From the dark murky water to the bright green of some foliage shinning in the sun. And that water was murky. It seemed thick and soupy. The canal, being so different from the running water of the river, appears to be almost stagnant. I made a mental note to avoid falling in at all costs!

I knew of a place called "Acres" by the side of the water which I reckoned would be suitable for camping. It was only a kilometre down the canal so I paddled for that. But when I got there, there was a playground full of noisy kids! I didn't like the idea of camping there so I pushed on. However, when I stopped at the few places where I could get out of the kayak, the fields were not suitable for camping - all overgrown and wet underfoot with rushes or reeds growing abundantly. It was 7:30pm and I knew I was running out of time to get a suitable place. This search could go on for another hour or two - I had learned from my walking section. Then it dawned on me - those kids would be going at about 8 or 9pm. I turned and went back to Acres, registering a distance of 23km that day.

I got a few curious looks as I pitched my tent on a grassy area and just as I was finished, at about 8:15pm the playground was emptying and everything was going quite. Soon the only sound was the bussing of midges at my ears. I made myself a cup of tea at the picnic table and read most of the paper I had sensibly bought when shopping. However, before I'd finished the paper the rain started, and I was scurrying to my tent with my bits and pieces. In the tent the sound of the rain tapped continuously. There was nothing else to do but go to bed. It was only just getting dark - about 10 o'clock. I curled up in the sleeping back and with the pleasant sound of rain tapping, I drifted off to sleep within minutes.