Day: |
086 |
Date: |
Saturday, 18 June 2016 |
Start: |
Dunleer |
Finish: |
Skerries |
Daily
Kilometres: |
39 |
Total
Kilometres: |
2409 |
Weather: |
Mild and mostly overcast |
Accommodation: |
Hamilton House B&B |
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Full Irish Breakfast
Lunch: Muesli bar, Snickers Bar, chocolate and ice-cream
Dinner: Fish & chips, ice-cream |
Aches: |
Sore feet |
Highlight: |
Finishing a long day |
Lowlight: |
None really |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
Here |
Journal: |
After another chatty breakfast with the B&B
host, I started walking south from Dunleer at 9:20am on a sunny
morning. The road was busy, including the occasional cyclist
and runner, but there was room to walk at the side, so it wasn't too
stressful apart from the traffic noise.
I had a long day
ahead of me, so I just plodded along listening to podcasts and
watching the world go by. After a couple of hours, I entered
the fringes of Drogheda and spent the next hour traversing the large
historic town, busy with Saturday shoppers and tourists. I was
planning to stop in at the railway station to purchase my ferry/rail
ticket back to London, but couldn't see the station from my route
and didn't want to add kilometres and time looking for it.
Ireland was playing Belgium in Euro 2016 at 2pm, and there were
clearly a lot of people, most wearing green, heading for pubs to
watch the game. I'm sure it would have been a good atmosphere,
though not perhaps later in the game which Ireland lost 3-0.
After four and a half hours, I took my first break, believing I had
covered more than half of my journey to Skerries, my destination for
the day. The problem with walking so far without a break at the
start of the day, is that fatigue, particularly of the feet, seems
to come on very quickly after breaks in the afternoon. Such
was the case today, and with a busy road and without many scenic
distractions in the fairly flat farmland, I was soon wishing the day
was at an end. I forced myself to keep walking to Balbriggen
before taking another break, knowing that I would only have single
digit kilometres to go after that. Eventually I got there and
rewarded myself with a Magnum ice-cream which I ate sitting on the
grass in a town park.
The last hour and a half was a little
more interesting as the road followed the coast of Fingal Bay and in
the distance, on a narrow peninsula, I could see Skerries. I
reached my B&B at 6pm and checked in. There's a sailing
festival on in the village this weekend and I was lucky to get a
room.
Following the advice of the B&B owner, I later walked
down to the port (on very tired legs and feet) and bought fish and
chips for dinner. There were a lot of people out, many very
dressed up, heading out for dinners or parties in the busy village.
I took my meal to a bench overlooking the peaceful Fingal Bay.
Just visible, in the far distance, I could see the silhouette of the
Mountains of Mourne, and closer in, a single yacht making its way
south. Just offshore a couple of seals rounded the peninsula.
I was in a contemplative mood, pondering the last three months,
life, and what's next.
It's my last day tomorrow, and if all
goes to plan, a friend and clubmate from Terrigal Trotters, Ciaran,
who is visiting family in Ireland, will join me for the morning's
walking. It will be nice to have some company. |
|
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)
|