10/6/26 Iron Bridge to Glenmalure

 Good morning!  

Today was not my favorite day. I transferred to Iron Bridge and walked back to last night's hotel. This area is so remote, and there are no hotels nearby.  Tomorrow I transfer to Iron Bridge again and continue on.

Today in the Carrickashane Mountains was supposed to have the best views, but it poured rain from about five minutes after I left the taxi until I got back to the hotel. I had to put my camera away fairly early, but it didn’t matter because I couldn’t see anything through the fog and rain. A fairly short 9-mile route with about 1700 feet of vertical climb felt like forever. 

 I wasn’t cold when I started, but as I got wet, the chill soaked in.  My gloves were soaked, and my hands were so cold that when my shoelace came untied, I could barely tie it back. The good side of that is that it sure made me appreciate all of the good weather that I have had. When I got back to the hotel, I took a hot shower and snuggled down in my bed. fell asleep, and now I probably won’t sleep well tonight, but ahhhhh - the joy of being warm and dry.

Glenmalure Lodge is by far the most distinctive building in the valley. Dating from the early nineteenth century, the building has been preserved in its original exterior style. These premises have retained their character and charm throughout the years. 

The present bar was the coal house. At the time, they bought twenty tons of coal to keep the hotel fires lit. They lit big fires downstairs in addition to the range in the kitchen. Solid fuel fires were the only form of heating in the lodge until the 1960's.

I ordered the Fresh Cod Goujons, lightly breaded and golden-fried, served with chips, homemade tartar sauce, salad & lemon.  Talk about your basic comfort food.  The fish coating was crisp, and the cod inside was moist and flavorful.  Everything was good.  I mostly ate the fish because they offered Pavlova for dessert.

Pavlova!  One of my favorite desserts.  Inside the crisp meringue shell were sweetened berries that flowed out when I broke into it.  It was topped with real whipped cream.  If I ever get to sleep, I will have sweet dreams.

So what is the old cliché: into each life a little rain must fall.  Today was my day, but I still wouldn’t trade any of these days on the trail. And tomorrow is supposed to be dry!

So good night and God bless!

10/5/26 Laragh to Glenmalure

Good Morning!

This photo of the Cathair Mhainistreach Monastic City Tower is one of my favorite views. These woods provide a rich harvest for both animals and man. The site was above flood level and had fertile soil. The monks would have spent their days gathering herbs for culinary and medicinal purposes and timber for fuel. 

 Lugduff Brook has dramatically shaped the valley's landscape over the past 9,000 years. 

At the end of the last Ice Age, Glendalough Valley had only one lake, where two now lie.

The rocky side of the mountain.

Ireland is committed to preservation. In this area, blocks of non-native conifer trees have been removed and are now being replanted with native trees like Oak, Birch, Alder, and Scots pine. The Wicklow Mountains National Park is committed to protecting and expanding its native woodlands, and many signs reinforce their commitment.

The other lake.

I had about a 4-mile climb today.  Either I am getting in better shape, or it wasn’t as steep as I imagined. There was about 2000 feet of vertical climb, which is enough to make me huff and puff.

At the top, many of these planks had U-shaped nails hammered into them for traction. The boards were necessary to cross the shoulder of Mullacor, which is a large bog.

As always, the top of he mountain has breathtaking views.  I could see all the way to the ocean,

I had a bit of a road walk as I came down the mountain.

Still some uphill even though I was descending.

A view of the Poulanass Waterfall.

Down and down into the Glenmalure Valley.

 Glenmalure is a remote glacial valley renowned as a historic stronghold for Irish clans and rebels who used its rugged terrain to resist English rule. For centuries, Glenmalure served as the O'Byrne clan's main territory, and they used the valley's isolation and local knowledge to evade Crown forces. On August 25, 1580, Irish forces led by Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and James Eustace ambushed an English army under Lord Grey de Wilton. The English troops were routed on the steep, boggy slopes, suffering hundreds of casualties in one of the Crown's worst 16th-century defeats. Fiach was eventually executed in 1597, but the valley remained a thorn in the side of English authorities.

These are my trail friends, Kelvin and Kathy.  They were born in America, but now they live in the Netherlands.  They were in Poland before.  He is a manager, publicist, etc for the Opera and she is a former dancer. A really bright and fun couple.

I had corned beef and cabbage.  I haven’t had corned beef and cabbage since I was a kid.  My Mom used to make it, and I loved it. The beef was fall-apart tender, and the cabbage was well seasoned and cooked just perfectly, not too much and not too little.  I had Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert, but I forgot to take a photo.  It was rich, gooey, and yummy.

So after this good Irish meal...

I bid you good night, and God bless!

 

Carrigeen Duff to Laragh 10/4/26

Good Morning.  This post is a day late because I had computer issues.  My mileage was about 12.5 miles.

Today's walk started out reasonable enough, through lush forests and quiet country roads.

As expected, it did not stay that way.  This is the first time that I have seen a storm shelter.

 Trails across the mountain

At first, I felt pretty tired, which I think was left over from the day before. I mostly had tired feet and legs.

Every way I turned, I saw views of majestic mountains.

I walked right through Glendalough Monastery as part of the Wicklow Way. Glendalough has been a place of pilgrimage since the 6th century, when St. Kevin lived there as a hermit and ascetic, attracting followers and establishing a monastery.  Kevin, one of Ireland's most important saints, lived as a hermit in a cave for seven years. Legends and stories handed down highlight his key personal qualities, such as his love of nature and deep respect for all created things. He had an extraordinary closeness to nature and found his companions in the animals and birds around him. Legend also tells us he lived a very simple life, wearing only animal skins, sleeping on stones, and eating very sparingly.

Round towers were the Campaniles or Bell Towers, of Early Irish Monasteries and were used to summon the monks to prayer. This tower is 100 feet high and has six floors with wooden landings-now vanished. The top story has four windows, and the other upper stories have one each. The door is almost 12 feet above ground and was presumably reached by a movable ladder that those inside could pull up after them to prevent an enemy from entering the tower. This Round Tower was probably built some time between 900 and 1200

I didn’t go inside, but the house was called God’s House.

Such peaceful views.  

Fast-flowing water is one of my favorite sounds and music to my ears.

I stayed at the Tutor Lodge, odd architecture for the area, but a very nice B&B.

For dinner, I ordered Mediterranean Vegetable and Red Lentil Lasagne.  It came with a salad and buttery garlic bread.  I was quite pleased to have such a tasty meal at a pub.

When I saw the meringue basket with fresh berries and whipped cream, I had to order it. It was worth every calorie, and I practically licked the plate.  I didn’t, because I always try to be on my best behavior when I am traveling abroad.

 

Enniskerry to Carrigeen Duff 10/3/26

 

GOOD MORNING ALL! 

Today promised to be a long, arduous day, and it delivered, and then some.  My Trek turned out to be 21.1 miles with just over 3,000 feet of vertical ascent.  Whew! That is why you are getting this a day late.  

The scenery was really beautiful.

I saw plenty of wildlife, but this was my favorite snap.

This is the first time I have seen such a sign.  It made me laugh.

Lots of different types of trails, and more up and up and up.

My first big climb of the day took me over Powerscourt Waterfall, which is Ireland's highest waterfall

Plenty of streams and babbling brooks gave the walk a sense of serenity. That is when I wasn’t gasping for air as I climbed from mountain to mountain. The Glencree River is a tributary of the Dargle River. The river and its banks are a natural haven for wildlife. Birds such as the Dipper and fish such as Brown trout and salmon thrive in the high-quality waters. Daubenton's bats feed close to the water's surface by night

The walk through Lacklan Wood (not Woods) was a welcome break from the bright sunlight.

By the time I got here, I had already climbed plenty.  You can see the trail across going up - steeply.

And more up.  And the up just keep coming. Every time I turned a corner, it was just more up.

And sure enough, I went over that nearest mountain.

Up!

Up

But the scenery was worth all the climb. These are the days that make me remember why I love to hike. Nothing compares to the exertion of reaching a mountaintop, feeling the cool breeze, and needing to turn 360 degrees to take in the full view of the surrounding area. It is magical!

I like the down better than the up.

When I got to the end of the trail today, I was woohooing, and then I learned that it was 2 and 1/2 more miles up the Wicklow Mountain.  OMG! The definition of trudge, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is: “to trudge means to walk slowly and heavily with a lot of effort, usually because you are tired (already walked 18.5 miles), the ground is difficult, (rocky and uneven trail) or you are carrying something heavy (that dang backpack got heavier with every mile).

I didn’t get to my B&B until after 5:30. The host told me they weren't serving food that night. I must have had horror written on my face. I was starving.  She quickly gave me a card and said the owner would come pick me up whenever I was ready. The Willow Heather was a terrific place.

I was seated in the Writers Room, and on every wall, there were these cabinets with first edition books by Ireland's famous writers such as James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Johnathan Swift and Bram Stoker.  I bet at least a few of you thought Bram Stoker was Romanian.

I ordered the Irish Chicken Supreme, which was described as a Pan-roasted chicken supreme served

with sautéed wild mushrooms, smoky Irish chorizo, and spinach with a pumpkin purée, creamy wild mushrooms and pepper sauce, and a golden buttery fondant potato, served with house vegetables. I can take or leave cauliflower, but this cauliflower had a superb white cheddar cheese sauce on top. My chicken was moist and tender, and the vegetables on my plate were so flavorful. 10 on a 10 scale.

I thought 21 miles was worth a dessert. I ordered Warm Apple and Mixed Berry Crumble served with creamy custard and vanilla.  It was decadent - all warm and buttery, much like the cobblers I grew up with.

If I were on death row and was ordering my final meal, this would be a top candidate.