Walks 2017
Collooney - Slieve Daeane - Lough Gill - Holy Well. 18th June 2017
Had a great day walking and paddling with Annie ( aka The Import). Set off from Collooney a little after noon, left Annie's Bucket and my Yellow Yolk parked at Auntie Margarets. Under the motorway hop skip and a jump through Union Wood, came out at southern tip of Ballygawley Lake and we ran up the mountain, all 235 metres of it. That said the running was very slow, to an onlooker it possibly looked like walking. There was good reason for this slow running; I discovered that I get hay fever ( I bet I got it from the Almanni: It was possibly meant for her but took a look, understandably got scared, and made for the innocent Irishman instead) the other reason was a late nights dancing in the Landmark, Carrick on Shannon. Though there was that big a crowd on the floor it involved as much pushing and shoving as jiving. I stayed on dirty water and had several pints of the stuff through the course of the night. At least is was water once but someone changed it into Guinness somewhere along the line ( thank heavens for miracles ).
Anyways, here we are up a big hill in front of a wee lake enjoying pasta and cheese with tomato sauce followed by a desert of seeds, nuts and strawberries. With just a hint of Donegal Poitín to wash it down, just a hint. Forget to mention the coffee disguised as tar. I would love to blame Annie for the treacle but some fella who looks awfully like me put it together. You know what; there is a strong possibility it was me. I blame the funny water I was drinking last night.
So then there was the dance in front of the lake. Annie & I decided we would have a wee jive on top of any mountain we climbed this year. It was Annie that got me to go dancing about a year and a half ago. Just in case you are one of the few people who never heard the story here it is.
A long, long time ago ( 2015 )A few of us, some people who I have the pleasure of calling friends, and Annie was there as well, meet up for a meal and a few drinks in Sligo Christmas week 2015. So we have a few bites in Casa Mia and then head to Shoot the Crows for the first of several pints. We try to go in the side door and guess what, it is fairly full, actually it is packed. For those of you not familiar with this premises it is a long narrow pub with a great pint. I turn round to Annie & Auntie Margaret and say "Guys we will never fit in here" to which the not so slow at coming forward import pats my not so insignificant belly and says "we will of course: you just have to breath in, a lot ". So in fairness to her she was right. I was not having my bruised ego and generous mid section standing in the way of good pint so I sucked it up and in. So there we are about half an hour later enjoying our second drink in this very tight fitting pub, everybody is happy, all of me included, when Alemania turns and asks me
"Do you feel guilty Padraig?"
Me "No! Why on earth would I feel guilty"
Alemania " For Taking up enough space for two people?"
So several pints later dance classes were suggested as a way of not having to buy jeans with a 36 inch waist and four weeks later they were started. In fairness she had a point; over sixteen months later and no size 36's have had to be purchased.
So our little mountain jig is over and we head for Slish wood and the Kayak. We had arranged with Big Fionn that he would meet us there and he would bring the Kayak over on his pick-up and we would paddle from Slish to the Barge. Just to point out that this Big Fionn is not the singer who had the little known hit single "Hurrying down the mountain".
So a little over an hour later and we are paddling. We were very lucky with the day, there was a very light breeze so the lake was very calm and kind to us. There was hardly a ripple until we rounded Beezies island and even then crossing to the river head was easy enough going. You can also see from the photographs that is was about this time that the sun decided to come out and play, well shine at least. We made the barge about 50 minutes later having encountered several other paddlers, a grey heron and a leaping sprat. After changing into some dry gear in the Barge we headed to the Holy Well to meet Emma who was bringing us back to the Bucket and the Yolk. Apparently this was arranged last night but some of the black water I had indulged in had interfered with my memory and the only part of our conversation I could recall from the journey home last night involved Elves that fixed the nozzle on my Platypus. ( these Elves done a fine job on it to )
So we hiked up the lane and onto the Holy Well road. Now it is just over the mile. I wanted to take the lift from Molly but Annie says no: I am a German, I am hero, So we walk...
Actually it was my idea to walk, I told her it was less that a mile, in truth it would have been less than a mile if we had started closer to the well. However we didn't so it was just a tad more. As we walked under the glorious sunshine I do believe she mentioned once or seven times how she wanted to kill me for not taking the lift.
Anyways a great day was had.
P.S. We have the beginnings of a song to be sung to the are of Pick a bit of cotton. Emma is going to compose the music, I will have a go at the lyrics and Annies Band will record it. Jaysus I hope Emma and myself get sorted for the royalties down the line. More to follow about this.
Anyways, here we are up a big hill in front of a wee lake enjoying pasta and cheese with tomato sauce followed by a desert of seeds, nuts and strawberries. With just a hint of Donegal Poitín to wash it down, just a hint. Forget to mention the coffee disguised as tar. I would love to blame Annie for the treacle but some fella who looks awfully like me put it together. You know what; there is a strong possibility it was me. I blame the funny water I was drinking last night.
So then there was the dance in front of the lake. Annie & I decided we would have a wee jive on top of any mountain we climbed this year. It was Annie that got me to go dancing about a year and a half ago. Just in case you are one of the few people who never heard the story here it is.
A long, long time ago ( 2015 )A few of us, some people who I have the pleasure of calling friends, and Annie was there as well, meet up for a meal and a few drinks in Sligo Christmas week 2015. So we have a few bites in Casa Mia and then head to Shoot the Crows for the first of several pints. We try to go in the side door and guess what, it is fairly full, actually it is packed. For those of you not familiar with this premises it is a long narrow pub with a great pint. I turn round to Annie & Auntie Margaret and say "Guys we will never fit in here" to which the not so slow at coming forward import pats my not so insignificant belly and says "we will of course: you just have to breath in, a lot ". So in fairness to her she was right. I was not having my bruised ego and generous mid section standing in the way of good pint so I sucked it up and in. So there we are about half an hour later enjoying our second drink in this very tight fitting pub, everybody is happy, all of me included, when Alemania turns and asks me
"Do you feel guilty Padraig?"
Me "No! Why on earth would I feel guilty"
Alemania " For Taking up enough space for two people?"
So several pints later dance classes were suggested as a way of not having to buy jeans with a 36 inch waist and four weeks later they were started. In fairness she had a point; over sixteen months later and no size 36's have had to be purchased.
So our little mountain jig is over and we head for Slish wood and the Kayak. We had arranged with Big Fionn that he would meet us there and he would bring the Kayak over on his pick-up and we would paddle from Slish to the Barge. Just to point out that this Big Fionn is not the singer who had the little known hit single "Hurrying down the mountain".
So a little over an hour later and we are paddling. We were very lucky with the day, there was a very light breeze so the lake was very calm and kind to us. There was hardly a ripple until we rounded Beezies island and even then crossing to the river head was easy enough going. You can also see from the photographs that is was about this time that the sun decided to come out and play, well shine at least. We made the barge about 50 minutes later having encountered several other paddlers, a grey heron and a leaping sprat. After changing into some dry gear in the Barge we headed to the Holy Well to meet Emma who was bringing us back to the Bucket and the Yolk. Apparently this was arranged last night but some of the black water I had indulged in had interfered with my memory and the only part of our conversation I could recall from the journey home last night involved Elves that fixed the nozzle on my Platypus. ( these Elves done a fine job on it to )
So we hiked up the lane and onto the Holy Well road. Now it is just over the mile. I wanted to take the lift from Molly but Annie says no: I am a German, I am hero, So we walk...
Actually it was my idea to walk, I told her it was less that a mile, in truth it would have been less than a mile if we had started closer to the well. However we didn't so it was just a tad more. As we walked under the glorious sunshine I do believe she mentioned once or seven times how she wanted to kill me for not taking the lift.
Anyways a great day was had.
P.S. We have the beginnings of a song to be sung to the are of Pick a bit of cotton. Emma is going to compose the music, I will have a go at the lyrics and Annies Band will record it. Jaysus I hope Emma and myself get sorted for the royalties down the line. More to follow about this.
Dartry Mountain walk May 2017
Route: Luke's Bridge - Kings Gully & Pinnacle - Mulligans Gully.
It was my first walk with the Sligo Mountaineer Club.
We set out from Luke's Bridge @ 11:25 and the last of us got back to the cars @ 16:15.
It was a fantastic day, lovely walk with nice and interesting people and hopefully the first of many to come.
