Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Round Ireland - 2016
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Day: 031
Date: Sunday, 24 April 2016
Start: Anascaul
Finish: Dingle
Daily Kilometres: 23
Total Kilometres: 878
Weather: Mostly cool, overcast and hazy, with some drizzle and some sun
Accommodation: Alpine House B&B
Nutrition: Breakfast:  Full Irish Breakfast
Lunch:  Snickers Bar and Kit Kat
Dinner:  Fresh cod and chips, ice-cream
Aches: None really
Highlight: Finishing early enough to watch most of the Dublin vs Kerry Gaelic Football Division One Final from Croke Park.  It is similar to Australian Rules football (in fact there are hybrid internationals between Australia and Ireland) so was easy enough to follow.  I was barracking for Kerry, but Dublin got away in the end for a convincing win.
Lowlight: None really.
Pictures: Here
GPS Track: Here
Journal: The location of available accommodation on the Dingle Way means, that apart from the last day to Tralee, the daily distances are around 25km or less, which is relatively easy with my current fitness.

Consequently, I left Anascaul for the 23km to Dingle at 9:00am anticipating a short day.  If there was a laundromat open in Dingle (Google says there is a laundromat, but not whether it is open on Sundays) I had thoughts of doing a load of washing.

The downside of today's walk was that it was mostly along roads, though they were back roads and had little traffic.  It was cool, overcast and quite hazy and it was hard to work out whether it was going to start raining, or clear up.  In the end, it did a bit of both, but all in all it was a good day for walking.

The first section eventually ended up at a little beach backed by huge round boulders and overlooked by the ruins of Minard Castle which apparently was destroyed by Cromwell's forces, along with its garrison, in 1641.

There followed a backroads climb over a hill and descent to the village of Lispole on the main road.  I stopped shortly after for my only break for the day, before the last section which included some cross-country and old farm paths through sheep and dairying country.  It was pleasant walking through very green paddocks bordered by old stone walls that covered the lower slopes of heath-covered mountains to the north and the sea to the south.

I arrived in the very touristy Dingle soon after 2:00pm and detoured through town past where the laundromat was supposed to be and found it closed.  No big deal.....I'm not getting close enough to anybody for them to notice the smell, and every couple of days I wash out my hiking gear under the shower and dry it on the room heaters overnight.

The B&B owner was happy to let me into my room when I arrived at 2:30pm and handed me a Census Form to fill out later.  Tonight is the five-yearly Irish Census, and I am to be counted!  After a shower, I walked into the town and had a look around the harbour, in which a few very hardy looking Atlantic fishing boats and a tug were moored.  There were quite a few people out walking, nearly all looking like tourists (including me), and the waterfront was lined with competing eating establishments.

I replenished my supplies at a supermarket, including food for the next few days since there is no food available at the hostel where I am staying tomorrow night, and returned to my room to watch the Gaelic Football final on TV.  Later, I ventured back into town and bought some fresh cod and chips from a waterfront cafe, which was delicious.

ADVENTURE LIST

 

Round Ireland
(2016)

Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)

Via Alpina
(2012)

Australian Alps Walking Track
(2011)

Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)

Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)

Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)

Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)

Three Peaks Race
(2004)

Appalachian Trail
(1986)

Alpine Track
(1983)

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You can email Dave directly at dave@davebyrnes.com.au or subscribe to his Adventure Blogs here.

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