Another day and another big breakfast, but this time in Loughshore B&B. I was relieved to see another sunny day. I am fine with walking in rain or other bad weather, but I just didn't want it at the start of my walking. John had bought a selection of goodies for me to eat while walking, and then Ann in the B&B, along with a sandwich I had asked her to make, kindly gave me even more supplies! I was glad for the selection because I didn't know when I might get my next decent meal. My plan was to walk for two days up the cliffs of Magho, along the Ulster Way across Lough Navar Forest, through Big Dog, Carrigan and Ballintempo Forests and get to Belcoo or Blacklion - two towns next to each other divided by the Belcoo river. I needed to bring enough food and water for two days, so the big selection of supplies was very helpful. Packing them into the bag was the problem.
In the week before the trip, I had packed my usual walking rucksack with the essentials and very quickly abandoned that for my bigger rucksack! With that packed I put it on while sitting on my bed. I struggled to my feet and with legs buckling, carefully lowered the ton-weight back to the bed and revisited my packing strategy. This time only the essential essentials were going in. The luxury of spare evening socks, jocks, t-shirts, etc. was abandoned for a lighter load. And even then the bag still weighed 16Kg or 2.5 stone! I thought long and hard about what I had to bring and this was the final list:
GPS & maps, batteries, small camera & charger, dictaphone & spare AAA batteries, sun cream & after-sun, wallet (Visa, money), towel, runners, tent, sleeping bag, groundsheet, radio, lighter, hat, torch, toiletries, cup, pot, cooker & gas, t-bags, container for milk, raingear (jacket & leggings), sunglasses, boots, shorts, socks, jocks, t-shirts, trousers, fleece, water and food. Try putting that in a bag and pick it up!
In Loughshore B&B I packed my rucksack and squeezed in whatever food I could manage. I left some fruit and biscuits behind and carried a few bottles of water - two in my hands, one in my pocket and a 1.5 litre bottle of water packed away . I had my Platypus water bottle filled in my rucksack and the tube from that coming out for easy access near my mouth. My plan was to leave that water in the platypus until last. I would drink the bottles first. I launched the rucksack onto my back. With the food and water it was now weighing easily 19Kg (3 stone). What a weight! I couldn't wait to get eating and drinking some of that load! I struggled down the stairs and said my goodbyes to Ann. She remarked on the large bag. Although the rucksack was a good one and could be tightened in all the right places, as I headed off down the road at 9:20am, I could feel the massive load bounce slightly and tug at my muscles - even those in my neck which were now getting a stretching! I hoped this unaccustomed load would not leave me with a headache later in the day. It was tough going but being used to hill-walking I knew the first twenty minutes would be the worst and then the body adapts to what is happening and deals with it. So I walked. Confidently.
I had about a half-mile walk down the road to the forest entrance, and the path that would take me up the cliffs of Magho. I wondered along the way if I would struggle to get up the cliff. The walk would be bad enough but what was to face me considering the path was closed due to a landslide? I had every intention of crossing that fence and giving it a go. In fact I was now looking forward to the challenge!
This was the Magho cliffs I had to ascend.
I got to the path, took a look around to make sure nobody was going to stop me, and scrambled over the gate with my heavy load and headed straight on up the path. It was fabulously quiet, and all shades of green with the sun streaking through small gaps in the leaves. I was particularly taken with the ferns that were rain-forest wet-looking with all the rain we had that Summer.
The path quickly turned to steps up the cliffs and, I assume because the path was officially closed, there were a number of places where there were branches and trees down across the path which had to be negotiated carefully. Usually I would bound across these obstacles, but with carrying about 19Kg on my back, a bottle of water in each hand and one in my pocket, and a bit of a steep slide down the hill, I had to be particularly careful to avoid loosing my balance. The going was good. It was difficult and I had to stop quite regularly to take a rest and catch my breath but it was quite enjoyable.
About half-way up the cliffs, I came to the landslide. The path consisted of steps made from sleepers and in two sections where the sleeper steps traversed a steep side of the hill, the ground had given way beneath and left just the sleepers sticking out! There were gaps between the sleepers with a drop below onto a very steep hill! I reckoned if a person were to fall you would hit earth a few feet below but then slide about 40 or 50 feet before a tree would break your fall (or you break the tree!). Now this WAS exciting!
I carefully made my way across the sleepers, remembering the heavy load on my back - I reckoned that would surely cause me great problems if we went! And then I carefully took a picture or two half-way across. No sudden movements. There were two of those crossing and then onwards and upwards!
It was slow progress going up but I was very much aware that I was making progress. Every so often I could get a view out on Lough Navar lake and the view was getting better each time. I finally made it to the top, smiling as I passed another "Path CLOSED" sign for those thinking of going down. The feeling of getting to that top was tremendous.
I sat for some time, looking out over the incredible view of Lough Navar, and pondered this journey. It was to be one of a great sense of achievement numerous times by just getting places, and this was one great place to be. My dictaphone recording says "I'm at the top at 10:10am, fantastic views, fantastic weather, feeling great!"
I checked my maps and started walking again. I walked for about an hour and then stopped for a break - a muffin and some water. It was hot and sunny so I changed into shorts and carried on. My plan was to stop about every hour for a five to ten minute break. The Ulster Way walk goes through these forests but I was trying to take a more direct line, so I cut out some of the official walk. I was pleased with my map-reading as I was able to get myself back on the Way when I deliberately took short-cuts. And it was just as well that I could read the map for the Walk was extremely badly marked. There were signposts now and then but not at all the critical points where there were turns. I walked as far as the Sillees River and stopped for lunch at about 1pm.
After about 30 minutes I put the bag back up on my back. I recall the pain at the pressure points where the bag was sitting on my lower back, thighs and shoulders. I left a small road and walked up to Conagher Forest.
I was amazed at how badly the Ulster Way was left, with trees, a long time cut down, and left strewn across the walkway. It was extremely dangerous trying to cross them because I was walking on lots of broken sticks and there was a very real danger of twisting my ankle or getting imbedded on a sharp stick. If I didn't have the heavy rucksack, it wouldn't have cost me much thought but balancing was very difficult. I carefully made my way across the problem, which went on for about 1/4 mile!
I walked for the afternoon, up and down hills, through forests and around lakes ….. with all sorts of things biting my legs! Then at some stage, going along the very poorly maintained Ulster Way, my foot caught a thorny bramble and dragged it up along the back of my other leg! The pain! The blood! The annoyance!
I took a picture of it in the next day or two. It was clean and healing at that stage! See also the bites on my legs in that picture.
I had planned to stop at about 6pm., put up the tent, eat some of the food I had lugged over the hills, and generally relax. From about 5:30pm I was somewhere between Carrigan and Ballintempo Forests, looking for a suitable place to pitch my tent. A piece of flat grassed area would have been ideal, but nothing was looking suitable. At about 6pm I stopped for a break. My legs were sore at this stage. The strain on my muscles was taking its toll. I was not used to carrying loads so the pain was getting very noticeable. I opened my rucksack to check how much water I had, and what I found horrified me! I only had a drop of water left! The most important thing on a long walk and I was effectively out of it! In the middle of nowhere, which now became dramatically remote as the realisation of my predicament set in. This was inexcusable. I have walked with groups many times before and one of the most important rules is to have sufficient water. And I was out. I could not believe it. I realised that the water I had intended to keep for the evening, and the next day was in my platypus, with the drinking tube conveniently close to my mouth. But when my other bottled water ran out, I had been sipping on the platypus for the afternoon. And now it was gone. I can only presume that while feeling sorry for myself during the afternoon, feeling my muscles getting more and more sore, I lost concentration on the requirement to ration my water. I was in trouble. I looked around, somehow hoping that I'd see a sign for a shop! I was on a forest track, surrounded by trees, with a map showing me that's all I'd find for kilometres in any direction and I was hoping I'd see a shop. Desperation.
This was the stage I was supposed to stop and rest for about fourteen or fifteen hours. My plan had been to stop at about 6pm. My muscles NEEDED to rest. I was exhausted. But I couldn't stop. I knew I had a small bottle of warm milk with me, planned for the nice evening time cup of tea. This was now my only liquid. What a dreadful mistake. This place was so remote I had only seen a couple of people all day, and none on the hills or in the forests. I had no mobile phone coverage. I thought about what might happen if I got stranded here, thirsty and with no liquid. Dehydration can take its toll. If I fell or had an accident it might be difficult to get help. Now was the time to dig deep, and concentrate. I picked up my bag, groaned with the effort of putting it on my back, winced when it rested on the now very sensitive pressure points - my skin felt raw, and I started walking.
In the week before the trip, I had packed my usual walking rucksack with the essentials and very quickly abandoned that for my bigger rucksack! With that packed I put it on while sitting on my bed. I struggled to my feet and with legs buckling, carefully lowered the ton-weight back to the bed and revisited my packing strategy. This time only the essential essentials were going in. The luxury of spare evening socks, jocks, t-shirts, etc. was abandoned for a lighter load. And even then the bag still weighed 16Kg or 2.5 stone! I thought long and hard about what I had to bring and this was the final list:
GPS & maps, batteries, small camera & charger, dictaphone & spare AAA batteries, sun cream & after-sun, wallet (Visa, money), towel, runners, tent, sleeping bag, groundsheet, radio, lighter, hat, torch, toiletries, cup, pot, cooker & gas, t-bags, container for milk, raingear (jacket & leggings), sunglasses, boots, shorts, socks, jocks, t-shirts, trousers, fleece, water and food. Try putting that in a bag and pick it up!
In Loughshore B&B I packed my rucksack and squeezed in whatever food I could manage. I left some fruit and biscuits behind and carried a few bottles of water - two in my hands, one in my pocket and a 1.5 litre bottle of water packed away . I had my Platypus water bottle filled in my rucksack and the tube from that coming out for easy access near my mouth. My plan was to leave that water in the platypus until last. I would drink the bottles first. I launched the rucksack onto my back. With the food and water it was now weighing easily 19Kg (3 stone). What a weight! I couldn't wait to get eating and drinking some of that load! I struggled down the stairs and said my goodbyes to Ann. She remarked on the large bag. Although the rucksack was a good one and could be tightened in all the right places, as I headed off down the road at 9:20am, I could feel the massive load bounce slightly and tug at my muscles - even those in my neck which were now getting a stretching! I hoped this unaccustomed load would not leave me with a headache later in the day. It was tough going but being used to hill-walking I knew the first twenty minutes would be the worst and then the body adapts to what is happening and deals with it. So I walked. Confidently.
I had about a half-mile walk down the road to the forest entrance, and the path that would take me up the cliffs of Magho. I wondered along the way if I would struggle to get up the cliff. The walk would be bad enough but what was to face me considering the path was closed due to a landslide? I had every intention of crossing that fence and giving it a go. In fact I was now looking forward to the challenge!
This was the Magho cliffs I had to ascend.I got to the path, took a look around to make sure nobody was going to stop me, and scrambled over the gate with my heavy load and headed straight on up the path. It was fabulously quiet, and all shades of green with the sun streaking through small gaps in the leaves. I was particularly taken with the ferns that were rain-forest wet-looking with all the rain we had that Summer.
The path quickly turned to steps up the cliffs and, I assume because the path was officially closed, there were a number of places where there were branches and trees down across the path which had to be negotiated carefully. Usually I would bound across these obstacles, but with carrying about 19Kg on my back, a bottle of water in each hand and one in my pocket, and a bit of a steep slide down the hill, I had to be particularly careful to avoid loosing my balance. The going was good. It was difficult and I had to stop quite regularly to take a rest and catch my breath but it was quite enjoyable.
About half-way up the cliffs, I came to the landslide. The path consisted of steps made from sleepers and in two sections where the sleeper steps traversed a steep side of the hill, the ground had given way beneath and left just the sleepers sticking out! There were gaps between the sleepers with a drop below onto a very steep hill! I reckoned if a person were to fall you would hit earth a few feet below but then slide about 40 or 50 feet before a tree would break your fall (or you break the tree!). Now this WAS exciting!
I carefully made my way across the sleepers, remembering the heavy load on my back - I reckoned that would surely cause me great problems if we went! And then I carefully took a picture or two half-way across. No sudden movements. There were two of those crossing and then onwards and upwards!
It was slow progress going up but I was very much aware that I was making progress. Every so often I could get a view out on Lough Navar lake and the view was getting better each time. I finally made it to the top, smiling as I passed another "Path CLOSED" sign for those thinking of going down. The feeling of getting to that top was tremendous.
I sat for some time, looking out over the incredible view of Lough Navar, and pondered this journey. It was to be one of a great sense of achievement numerous times by just getting places, and this was one great place to be. My dictaphone recording says "I'm at the top at 10:10am, fantastic views, fantastic weather, feeling great!"I checked my maps and started walking again. I walked for about an hour and then stopped for a break - a muffin and some water. It was hot and sunny so I changed into shorts and carried on. My plan was to stop about every hour for a five to ten minute break. The Ulster Way walk goes through these forests but I was trying to take a more direct line, so I cut out some of the official walk. I was pleased with my map-reading as I was able to get myself back on the Way when I deliberately took short-cuts. And it was just as well that I could read the map for the Walk was extremely badly marked. There were signposts now and then but not at all the critical points where there were turns. I walked as far as the Sillees River and stopped for lunch at about 1pm.
After about 30 minutes I put the bag back up on my back. I recall the pain at the pressure points where the bag was sitting on my lower back, thighs and shoulders. I left a small road and walked up to Conagher Forest.
I was amazed at how badly the Ulster Way was left, with trees, a long time cut down, and left strewn across the walkway. It was extremely dangerous trying to cross them because I was walking on lots of broken sticks and there was a very real danger of twisting my ankle or getting imbedded on a sharp stick. If I didn't have the heavy rucksack, it wouldn't have cost me much thought but balancing was very difficult. I carefully made my way across the problem, which went on for about 1/4 mile!
I walked for the afternoon, up and down hills, through forests and around lakes ….. with all sorts of things biting my legs! Then at some stage, going along the very poorly maintained Ulster Way, my foot caught a thorny bramble and dragged it up along the back of my other leg! The pain! The blood! The annoyance!
I took a picture of it in the next day or two. It was clean and healing at that stage! See also the bites on my legs in that picture.I had planned to stop at about 6pm., put up the tent, eat some of the food I had lugged over the hills, and generally relax. From about 5:30pm I was somewhere between Carrigan and Ballintempo Forests, looking for a suitable place to pitch my tent. A piece of flat grassed area would have been ideal, but nothing was looking suitable. At about 6pm I stopped for a break. My legs were sore at this stage. The strain on my muscles was taking its toll. I was not used to carrying loads so the pain was getting very noticeable. I opened my rucksack to check how much water I had, and what I found horrified me! I only had a drop of water left! The most important thing on a long walk and I was effectively out of it! In the middle of nowhere, which now became dramatically remote as the realisation of my predicament set in. This was inexcusable. I have walked with groups many times before and one of the most important rules is to have sufficient water. And I was out. I could not believe it. I realised that the water I had intended to keep for the evening, and the next day was in my platypus, with the drinking tube conveniently close to my mouth. But when my other bottled water ran out, I had been sipping on the platypus for the afternoon. And now it was gone. I can only presume that while feeling sorry for myself during the afternoon, feeling my muscles getting more and more sore, I lost concentration on the requirement to ration my water. I was in trouble. I looked around, somehow hoping that I'd see a sign for a shop! I was on a forest track, surrounded by trees, with a map showing me that's all I'd find for kilometres in any direction and I was hoping I'd see a shop. Desperation.
This was the stage I was supposed to stop and rest for about fourteen or fifteen hours. My plan had been to stop at about 6pm. My muscles NEEDED to rest. I was exhausted. But I couldn't stop. I knew I had a small bottle of warm milk with me, planned for the nice evening time cup of tea. This was now my only liquid. What a dreadful mistake. This place was so remote I had only seen a couple of people all day, and none on the hills or in the forests. I had no mobile phone coverage. I thought about what might happen if I got stranded here, thirsty and with no liquid. Dehydration can take its toll. If I fell or had an accident it might be difficult to get help. Now was the time to dig deep, and concentrate. I picked up my bag, groaned with the effort of putting it on my back, winced when it rested on the now very sensitive pressure points - my skin felt raw, and I started walking.
4 comments:
Nice one. Looks like a brilliant route, superb views. Never could see the attraction of carrying a full haversack for a few days: you have convinced me to give that a miss! Ireland has changed. Time was we just took water from a stream to make tea! I was waiting for a story about how the water had all leaked away but you just drained the lot! What now? Soldier on for miles or is there water on the way. I await your next instalment.
If I could only turn the clock back I'd get (or rather send someone!) up that mountain and dispatch you home - you mad nutter!! Up a path with a road closed sign, miles from anyone, nowhere sane people would think to look and now out of water.....go on then.....what happened next!
You ran out of water....what a cliff hanger... can't wait to see if you survived!
This is one of the very best adventure blogs I've ever visited!
Congrats!
PALAVROSSAVRVS REX
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