Well, we’re midway through the second week of the new year. I hope you’re training is going well. Nine weeks until this year’s Cara Bundoran Run. No pressure then….
Compared with this time last year, the weather has been great. Where last year you were trying to run with a bit of skating thrown in for good measure, this year the weather has been great. Having said that I probably have now jinxed us all.
So what have I been doing this week? Monday and today I went to Rossnowlagh beach to run its 2mile or so length. On a nice day there is no place finer, on a bad day it can be rough. Today was a kinda rough day. The comedian Billy Connolly said it best, there is no such thing as the wrong weather, only the wrong clothes. Today you could see the wall of rain coming in from miles away. I didnt bother with some form of jacket. Just my usual wooly hat due to having less thatch on my head these days.
It was nice though, in its own sadistic way. From a beach that is occupied by thousands during the summer months, today it was empty, and clean. No rubbish, dog poop, random holes left in the sand by youngsters building sandcastles. What there was though, was water. Lots of it. With drains and ditches overflowing from the recent rains, it was running down onto the beach, which has been carved down several inches from also recent stormy seas. A receding tide and heavy rain had left the beach with a layer of water. Great fun trying to navigate to run on the ridges of sand between the shallow puddles between them. Cold wet feet and cold wet sandy legs was the result. But its worth it to know that another 4 miles or so has been added to the spreadsheet (yes, I’m one of those people)
Another great place for a run is Castlecaldwell, just outside Belleek, County Fermanagh. Its still right on our doorstep, and gives the chance of a sheltered walk or run at this time of the year. Last year I went out there quite a few times. Its a beautiful place, and with a criss cross of paths and roadways, provides lots of variation to those who want to do more than its 3.5K length. With gravel paths most of the way it provides decent traction in frosty weather. We haven’t had any real frost this winter so far so we are probably due some over the coming weeks. I took a walk there on Saturday with my daughter as she wanted to try out her new hiking boots. The pathways out there looked like someone has swept them clean before we’d arrived. If you fancy a bit of variation from running on the roads or beaches, its worth a visit.
Having now made the semi-successful transition from running on treadmills to running outdoors under my own propulsion, my goal is to now add an extra mile a week to my runs. At the moment I can comfortably do 4 miles, on Friday’s run I’m going to try 5 miles, which should bring me to the point where I can join Paddy Donoghue’s training without making a show of myself.
Til next week….keep on truckin’
Another milestone was tripped over by yours truely yesterday. I’ve passed another birthday, yet still mercifully I’m still in my thirties. To celebrate my brothers, a pal and I decided to climb to Diarmaid and Grainne’s bed, a cave 560 metres (1867 ft) up the Dartry Mountains. It has long been a goal of mine to climb some of the great hills that we all take for granted here in the North West. Years ago I had driven around the Geniff Horse Shoe glen and marvelled at the rock formations and hills around the valley. Up the valley on the south side is an enormous cave that is just below the summit. Its easy to see how the cave became embroiled in the old Irish legend of Tóraíocht Dhiarmada agus Gráinne.
For those who don’t know the story, Grainne the daughter of High King Cormaic McAirt was to be married to Fionn MacCumhaill leader of the Fianna Warriors. At the wedding Grainne was disgusted at how old Fionn was compared to her father. She slipped a sleeping potion into the drink of Fionn and the other guests and then coerced Diarmaid MacDuibne to run away with her by threatening a geis (or curse) on him. ( Women! They never change…) This set off a chase throughout Ireland as the couple try evade capture by Fionn. Many places in Ireland are called Diarmaid and Grainne’s bed, so named for the couple who spent time there as they tried to stay ahead of Fionn.
Diarmaid and Grainne's Bed
The cave is in Sligo roughly at 54°22’20.36″N and 8°25’22.30″W. The easiest way to reach it is to drive to the village of Cliffoney, Co Sligo and then follow the signposts for the Gleniff horse shoe Glen.
We parked below the cave at a derelict house and started out at 10.30am under sunny and breezy conditions. Our plan was to go up along the more gently sloping path left of center in the photograph, and then cross to the steeper slope below the cave. I would have considered myself the unfittest of the bunch climbing, and the burning in my calve muscles started pretty quickly. Of course it didn’t help that I was laughing at the smart ass comments coming from the guys ahead of me. Comments about setting out from base camp, rationing provisions and having to eat sheep. We were all un-used to climbing and had to take regular breaks on the way up. The terrain was scrubby grassland, very well cut back by sheep. As the incline became more steep, we had to progress spiderman style on hands and feet. This of course meant watching where your hands went as there was nettles and thistle lurking among the grass.
We lost a good man on the way up. Our pal John who none could call a sissy, stopped and stuck to the hillside like a limpet. John has fished for King Crab in Alaska on a trawler. Anyone who has watched Deadliest Catch knows how tough that job is. John also regulary saves kittens from trees, rescues damsels in distress and helps little old ladies across the street, so his credentials are impeccable. John decided to turn back and we decided not to slag him… at least until we got back to the car.
Gleniff Valley from half way up
From just above half way up the view is spectacular. Looking north Mullaghmore can be seen and if there was less haze, one could see clear across Donegal Bay to Slieve League. Just above the halfway point the terrain levelled out to make travel a little easier. The remaining four of us, walked along the sheep trails to the scree slope beneath the cave. This is where the hill walking gave way to mountaineering. Below the mouth of the cave is a rock gulley that zig-zags to a small grassy slope at the mouth of the cave. Previous climbers had left a rope dangling down the gulley to assist those that would come after them. Using a combination of the rope and careful climbing we took turns at climbing up to to the grass slope at the cave mouth. A second rope anchored to a pin at the mouth of the cave gave assistance over the last couple of meters.
I now know the meaning of the word exhilaration. When I could turn around and take in the scenery, and the surroundings of the giant air-craft hanger of a cave perched atop a mountain… exhilaration is the only word. My younger brother had been here the previous year and had told us about the numerous caverns and smaller chambers further in, so in preparation we had brought torches. In the back of the cave to the right is a chamber about the size of a big house that has second chamber leading off into the mountain. On the other side of the cave is an even larger cavern that has some interesting stalactites. Not having any experience as cavers or climbers we left the deep exploration for those with the proper skills. What we saw though, was certainly very impressive.
We were nervous about the decent so after half an hour we started back down again. Going down one at a time and taking exceptional care we managed it without difficulty. Not surprising the descent went a lot faster than the ascent. Climbing took us just under an hour and twenty minutes, while the descent was just over half an hour. From a fitness point of view I was happy; I wasnt as fast going up as the rest of the guys, but racing up and down would have defeated the purpose.
The buzz from climbing up to Diarmaid and Grainne’s bed is still with me, though last night I caught myself twitching a few times as I thought I was falling. On hindsight it may have been less than wise for five untrained guys to climb to a cave at the top of a mountain and then explore inside. The ropes that were so helpful during the last section are made of nylon. Nylon rope deteriorates faster than any other type or rope, and with the exposed conditions up there, it definately shouldnt be trusted. While some kind soul left these ropes for those that came after, we dont know how long ago that was and wether the archor points they made can still be relied upon. If you decide that you would like to climb Diarmaid and Grainne’s bed in those mountains I would suggest going as part of an experienced group and being exceptionally careful.
I heard recently that more than 5000 Irish people have taken up the hobby of hillwalking in the past year, which isn’t really surprising. There is fantastic countryside all around us and the cost of starting out is minimal. On beautiful clear days like yesterday, it also beats going to the gym.
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- Diarmaid and Grainne’s Bed
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- Gleniff Valley from half way up
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- View from inside the cave
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- The dangerous section beneath the cave
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- Looking down from the entrance
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- Looking North
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- steep!
Well, the first baby steps have been attempted, and I’m glad to say that I have run nine miles in total this week. On Monday night I ran 3 miles on the road, Friday lunchtime I ran 3 miles on the beach, and today I ran 3 miles on the beach also. I should have gone running on Thursday night, but I thought the minus 4 temperatures and the darkness would conspire to end this endeavour before it begins properly. Thinking I was being wise, I had deferred the Thursday night run to Friday lunch time. My erstwhile younger brother had run 4 miles in Dublin on Thursday as planned, and he believed I was slacking off. You can’t win, can you?
Today I ran the 3 miles with the same younger brother, and boy do my legs feel it now. He is a lot fitter than me, but that wouldnt be hard. The plan was to run today but having run yesterday it was going to be tougher on me than on him.It was a beautiful day, but quite cold on Rossnowlagh beach. Off we went, at a pace that was ever so slightly faster than I would have normally gone. It was tough but I managed it, I had been drinking water like a fish all morning and had some porridge which I’m sure helped. At the end of the beach, we slowed to a walk and went through some stretches, some of which I hadn’t done before. They worked very well because when we turned to run back I almost felt recovered. That notion left me pretty quick, coming back was way harder, as my long dormant muscles really began to squeal in pain. But I did it. The aches in my legs will go away, but the self satisfaction will outlast the aches.