Day: |
048 |
Date: |
Wednesday, 11 May 2016 |
Start: |
Doolin |
Finish: |
Fanore |
Daily
Kilometres: |
21 |
Total
Kilometres: |
1288 |
Weather: |
Heavy overcast and haze all day, with mild
temperatures and a cool breeze at altitude. |
Accommodation: |
Annaly House B&B |
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Cereal, scrambled eggs &
bacon, toast & jam Lunch: Ice-cream Dinner:
Hamburger, chips & salad, ice-cream |
Aches: |
None really |
Highlight: |
Crossing the limestone karst plateau known
as The Burren, a landscape that supports grass, but not much else,
criss-crossed with old stone fences and clefts in the limestone. |
Lowlight: |
Feeling unwell for much of the day. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
Here |
Journal: |
I felt a headache coming on when I went to
bed last night and woke with a bad headache and nausea. I suspect
something with last night's bangers and mash at the pub didn't agree
with me, but who knows. Fortunately, because of the limited
accommodation options for the next few days, I only had about 20km
to Fanore scheduled for the day, which seemed doable in my impaired
state.
I had a late breakfast, and although I didn't feel at all like
it, forced myself to eat most of it, knowing that I would need the
energy. I took my time leaving and didn't start walking until
10:30am, heading for Lisdoonvarna where I hoped to find a shop to
replenish my muesli bar supplies. It was mild enough to walk
in a T-shirt, though again with a heavy overcast sky and thick haze.
The road was quiet and gradually climbed through rural grazing
country, but I wasn't paying much attention.
After an hour
and a half, I reached the large touristy village of Lisdoonvarna,
famous for its match-making history and annual September
match-making festival. I found a small supermarket, but no muesli
bars. Instead, I bought myself a bottle of Diet Coke, one of my
trusted remedies for indigestion, and an ice-cream which I consumed
sitting on a bench in the village square watching the world go by.
There was no rush, so I took my time. On the way out of the
village, I found another little supermarket and some muesli bars, so
with my mission accomplished left town.
I rejoined the
Burren Way on minor back roads which gradually climbed up onto the
limestone (karst) plateau. The views were limited by the heavy
haze, but were still impressive. Limestone cliffs marked the
edge of the plateau in places, and on the plateau there was plenty of grass and quite a
few fat-looking cattle, but no trees. The land was
criss-crossed by old stone fences, with white limestone outcrops and
slabs visible here and there. In the distance I could just
make out the Atlantic Ocean over the edge of the plateau. For
one long section, the Burren Way followed an old farm path, and with
nobody around, gave a great sense of isolation.
As the day
wore on, I felt better, though still unwell, and began to believe
that whatever was ailing me would be gone by tomorrow. The long
road descent from the plateau was hard on my feet, and I felt more
tired than usual, but still reached Fanore at 3:30pm for an earlyish
day. The village's very small shop was inexplicably closed and
the pub across the road also showed no sign of activity. A
ghost village?
I walked a couple of hundred metres to the B&B
I had booked and was greeted by a girl who explained that the owners
had had a death in the family and were away at the funeral and
wouldn't be back until sometime tomorrow, and that she
worked on farm-related business in a small office round the back of the house. I could
not have a room in the house, but could stay in a small adjacent
apartment, which was fine by me. The owners of the shop are part of
the same family, so were presumably also at the funeral. The girl
said there would be no breakfast tomorrow, but offered to do some
shopping for me in another town and drop it back later. I asked her
for a couple of filled rolls and she returned with them later.
I walked down to the pub around 6:00pm to find it more active
than earlier and ordered from the (over-priced) bar menu.
After dinner, I returned to the apartment, feeling much better than
this morning, and intent on getting an early start tomorrow for what
could be a long day. |
|
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)
|