|
Day: |
060 |
|
Date: |
Monday, 23 May 2016 |
|
Start: |
Ballina |
|
Finish: |
Mass Hill |
|
Daily
Kilometres: |
24 |
|
Total
Kilometres: |
1655 |
|
Weather: |
Mild, dry and mostly cloudy. |
|
Accommodation: |
Mass Hill Guest House |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Fruit & yoghurt, scrambled
eggs & sausages, toast & jam
Lunch: Muesli bars and
ice-cream
Dinner: Sandwiches and choc chip cookies |
|
Aches: |
Nothing new |
|
Highlight: |
Getting back into remote mountain country
after the 'civilisation' of the River Moy valley and Ballina. |
|
Lowlight: |
None really |
|
Pictures: |
Here |
|
GPS Track: |
Here |
|
Journal: |
'Preferred' entries opened at midnight,
Irish time, for The Great North Walk 100s ultra-distance trail race
for which I am Race Director and I found myself checking my email in
the early hours in case there was a flood of emails indicating
technical problems with the online entry system. Fortunately,
apart from minor hiccups for a couple of individuals, it seemed to
be going as planned and I went back to sleep. I will be a lot
more nervous in a week's time when 'General' entries open.
Knowing I had a short day, and also that there would be nowhere to
get dinner tonight, I made another trip into town to buy some
sandwiches before checking out, and while there, bought some
pre-paid vouchers that will give me reduced cost roaming charges for
my mobile phone/data later this week when I cross into Northern
Ireland for three weeks.
After packing the sandwiches into
the middle of my pack where I hoped they would stay cool, I left the
B&B about 10:15am, and headed east out of town towards the Ox
Mountains and the Sligo Way. Initially, I was following a
fairly busy regional road through closely settled farming country in
the Moy River valley and after a couple of hours of dodging traffic
reached the village of Bunnyconnellan. Although earlier than
intended, I took a break and bought an ice-cream and Diet Coke from
the village store which I consumed on a bench watching the world go
by.
A few kilometres after leaving the village, the road
began climbing into the Ox Mountains and the traffic diminished.
In what seemed like no time, I was back into the mostly tree-less
mountains (apart from a few pine plantations) covered in the usual
mottled khaki colours of grass and heath. After crossing a low
mountain pass I reached the pretty Lough Talt and turned off the
regional road onto a very minor road and the Sligo Way.
Apart
from one break, where I spent a lot of time slapping midges, the
very annoying small biting insects that are beginning to come into
season, I continued walking along deserted back roads until I
reached my remote B&B, where I received a very friendly welcome from
Monica, Dermott and their children. I am the only guest, and Monica
has told me to use of the guest lounge as well as my room.
Since there is no internet access, I spent the evening catching up
on my TV viewing, eating the dinner I had purchased
in Ballina before leaving, and chatting with Dermott about travel
and his work farming and offering outdoor recreation for school
groups. It made me tired just listening to his 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)
|
