Saucony Progrid Omni 8 - what a name!
It has been a while since my last post, and you may be forgiven for thinking that I have again fallen off the wagon. Life tends to get in the way of ones best intentions, and there are always great reasons not to get up and do something.
Over the past month or more I have been building up my fitness again. When I say building up my fitness. I really mean trying to lose more poundage. But I do see some improvement in the distances I can cover, alongside the slowly ( oh soooo slowly) disappearing gut.
I’ve finally solved the mystery of why my ankles and calves have been giving me such trouble; I’ve been trying to run in the wrong runners. The website where I bought the last pair is www.sportshoes.com, and in hindsight I just bought what was on sale. This time around I did a little bit of research and found a very useful little video on the sportshoes.com website. It asks you to try a little experiment to find out what kind of footprint you have. Basically you put your bare foot into water and then step on a sheet of paper. Depending on the print that you leave you will need either a neutral shoe, support shoe, or control shoe. Needless to say, I was not what I thought I should be and I needed a support shoe.
Since I bought a proper support shoe, my calves or ankles have given me no jip at all. This time I bought Saucony Progrid Omni 8 runners ( probably named by the same marketing people who gave us Gillette Stealth Fusion Power III razors).
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.
-
- Diarmaid and Grainne’s Bed
-
- Gleniff Valley from half way up
-
- View from inside the cave
-
- The dangerous section beneath the cave
-
- Looking down from the entrance
-
- Looking North
-
- steep!
Yesterday was supposed to be a work day, but as it was technically the last day of the summer, my brother and I took off to explore the Barite mines in the Darty Mountains in Sligo. We approached from the other side of Slievemore, coming up the Gleniff Horse shoe valley. From this side there is an old road that led from the valley floor to the mining operations at the top of Slievemore. Unfortunately this road runs through private property and the owner doesn’t want people using it. Luckily we met the farmer before starting and he waved us off! The road is now mostly overgrown, and in parts doesn’t look like a road at all, as floods have turned it into a riverbed.
Mining has been going on in the valley for over 150 years, and while there is the remains of a fairly recent mining operation at the top, throughout the valley there are mine shafts that were in use in the 1800s. Our plan was to try find some of these early mine operations and have an explore. This valley also has Diarmaid and Grainne’s cave, though not strictly under the remit of an Urban Explorer is worth a visit. I haven’t found any historical evidence of mining taking place inside the cave, but there are a serious amount of chambers and tunnels inside, that are well worth a look.
This is the view from the approach on the Gleniff side
In this picture you can just about see the 3 black dots at the bottom of the cliff face in the centre of the picture. Just above them and slightly to the left is the entrance the mine
This is the closed up entrance to one of the early mine shafts from the 1800s. To get to here the miners used ladders, and according to one historian they had a wood walkway constructed down to the mine from the top of the mountain.
Following the roadway up about a quarter of the way, you can see whats left of a road way over to the foot of the cliffs
From underneath the cliffs, the 3 dots we can just about see from the second picture are a little closer. There are still two steel cables coming down from the cliff face and the closed off mine, further up the cliff face
The three shaft entrances up close and personal. The one on the top right is the one that can be seen from the road, and goes in for about 5 metres, the one in the upper left only about a meter or so….
but this mine shaft goes in for quite a bit. The entrance was flooded, but once inside its fairly dry going. I would say that the mine goes in for about 100-125 metres.
You can see the drill marks on the walls
The cables leading down the mountain. Originally the barite was sent down in buckets. A railway system was used to bring the barite to the port of mullaghmore, and coal to power the drilling machinery
Its steep climb to get to this mine, and there is quite a drop if you fall!
There are supposedly quite a few mineshafts around the Gleniff valley. We tried to reach this one but couldn’t, as the ground was slippy underneath. We think that it definately was a mineshaft due to the barite spoil on the ground around the entrance
After exploring this mine, we treked around to the most recent mining works for an explore. Open cast mining was carried out in the past and the cleft that can be seen at the top of the mountain runs north/south with the seam of barite.
This is the remains of one of the open cast clefts, to the left of the mine entrance.
Further down from the cleft above, is one of the earliest open cast clefts from the 1800s.
In one of these is a section that drops down about thirty or forty feet. Be vary careful
From inside the mine, this gulley leads to the surface, and is in line with the vein of barite, from the last two pictures
Beneath the gulley
The GPS watch said that we covered just under 15 kilometres from start to finish, and it took us six and half hours. If you fancy trying to visit the first mine on the Gleniff side, be extremely careful. The ground is fairly wet and loose in places, and the death factor is fairly high! Wear proper hiking shoes/boots as your feet will get wet, no matter how careful you are. Keep your hands free and keep a hand hold as you walk. Bring good torches, and plenty of food!
It seems that someone up there is keeping an eye on me, even if they seem to be trying to be cruel to be kind. I’ve had a good week of regular exercise, having been out jogging a several times. But twice in the last week, my dodgy ankle has acted up at the most inopportune moments. I was crossing the main street here in Ballyshannon, going from the post office to the bank, when my right ankle sent me sprawling onto the road. Thankfully I wasn’t driven over. I’m sure that there were those who found amusement in my Mr Bean type transition from vertical to my trying to leave a face imprint in the warm tarmac. The second act occured on Friday as I was leaving the office of a prominent Donegal Solicitor. I was decending the stairs from his suite of offices, when two steps from the bottom, my right ankle again decided to assasinate me, by again sending me to the floor at high speed. On this occasion, I did howl, and I’m sure was heard throughout the offices above me. No-one came to check, but maybe they aren’t the ambulance chasing kind of solicitor
I cant’t remember if I have shared this with you before dear readers, but I may tell you why exactly I have the ankles of an intoxicated sparrow. Some five years ago, my younger brother and I decided to go sea fishing. Being a busy sunny Sunday, there were many people fishing along the shore which is my usual haunt. So we moved further along the shore past some cliffs trying to find a quieter location. Being someone whom I shall say believes in economy of effort ( ie. Lazy), I tried to climb down what I thought to be the lowest part of the cliff. I lowered my 9 foot fishing rod down from the tip and then dropped it. I noted that it fell quite a bit. Realising that maybe this was not the ideal route to get down, I attempted to climb back up. Unfortunately, I slipped some 30 feet to the rocks below. One of the memories that will stay with me forever is the sound I heard as I landed. I heard a tearing POP sound coming from both my ankles. This sound was the ligaments from both sides of both ankles tearing away from the bone. I mentioned before that someone up there is looking out for me, and maybe you think that was a throwaway comment, but I do belive that to be true. As I fell, a very useful thought entered my head, keep knees and ankles together, keep knees bent. I was told later that had I not done that, I would have severely broken both legs, or broken my back. As it was, I just made jam of the ligaments on my ankles. The bruising extended from my toes to my ass. But since then my ankles like to remind me on occasion, what at plonker I was back then.
Well, I managed to jog at lunchtime today again, and once more I enjoyed it. But then again, the weather is fantastic…..
I’m not long back from an enjoyable jog on the beautiful Rossnowlagh beach in South Donegal, which is about 8 miles from where I live. My younger brother suggested a lunchtime jog, and after a few minutes thought, I decided, why not? I’m in the lucky ( or notso lucky, depends on your point of view) position that I’m self-employed so that I have no boss other than me. So an executive decision was reached, I would go jogging.
Rossnowlagh is a beautiful beach that unfortunately can sometimes be like a bombsite, after a sunny weekend. There are a lot of visitors who leave disposable barbacues, beer bottles and cans, and all manner of awful refuse behind them. But thankfully today the clean up crews had worked their magic and it was spotless. I managed to cover quite a bit of its one and a half mile length. There are plenty of features to help measure out intervals and distance on the beach including two lifeguard stations, breakwaters, and two concrete watchtowers left behind from the second world war. Looking west from the beach there is nothing but horizon, with the next piece of land being the United States. So today, apart from some surfers we had the place to ourselves.
I’d like to think that I would go jog every day, taking advantage of the fact that I’m the boss, but it may just be the really good weather talking. We’ll see…..