Walking Club
Ballyhoura Bears Walks 16th May 2010
Report By: Robin Lee
The Thursday evening walk last week took us on to Seefin from the Lacca Car Park on an indifferent evening for viewing. Nonetheless we had an invigorating climb with plenty of chat going on. Willie O’Rourke led us on our route flawlessly. All arrived back to their cars well satisfied with their evening out.
Saturday saw the beginners walk taking to Glenanaar in the hope that the bluebells would b in full bloom. Nineteen of us headed off in good conditions. There had been a lot of talk recently about the dumping of tyres and waste around Glenanaar – something that featured in Primetime on Monday night. What a relief it was to see that Coillte have cleared up these areas of the debris and waste discarded there by those mindless miscreants that consider it their right to do so. Congratulations Coillte for this. Once again we had a number of beginners on this walk and if the bluebells did not oblige as they were expected, it did not spoil the afternoon for us.
Wrapping the knuckles of Galtymore. That is the best way do describe the “A” walk last Sunday led by our Chairman, Denis Bates.
The heights of Galtymore may hold the hearts of many as the goal of a good Galty walk but there is more than one route to the heart of the boggy beast. Galtymore can seem like a hand with fingers outstretched into the plains below. Temple Hill, Knockaterriff, Carrigeen mountain, Knockduff / Knocknagalty and Knockeentoung are long hilly shoulders outstretched like fingers from the main mass of the Galty mountains. So Sunday’s ‘A’ walk set out to walk the knuckles of the Galty’s outstretched hand. 18 well soled souls set off from Galty Castle car park on a bright though breezy May morning. A short traverse brought us to the meeting of the Pigeon Rock and Blackrock rivers and interest of the walk took hold. Pigeon Rock Glen is a narrow fjord like valley with its river emptying the bogs of Temple Hill and Knockaterrif. A steady pace brought us to the head of the valley amid the splendid scenery of the high sloping sides and sheep scrambling up steep muddy banks to get out of our way. A pause on the coll between Knockaterriff and Knockaterriff Beg provided the chance to view the glen from which we had come and Blackrock River Glen into which we were headed.
We felt like smugglers, travelling in the valleys and avoiding the heights, not a single summit was crossed in the entire outing. And if we were smugglers, we had nothing to declare but our wit, as Oscar Wilde once wrote - the chat was as mighty as the craic. Descending to the Blackwater river we passed a number of walkers on the familiar ascent to Lyragappal. Climbing out of that valley by means to the wartime turf road which zig zags to the next coll on Carrigeen mountain, a short pause on the heights gave a chance to view the remains of the famine village whose ghostly bones are furrowed on the hillside.
Another steep descent to Glounreagh river brought us across to the slopes of Knockduff and Knocknagalty for the final haul onto that spur. The view was splendid across to Mitchelstown and the plains beyond. The snaking path of the new motorway and the glinting flashes of passing cars caused us to wonder, on Famine Commemoration Sunday, what our ancestors of the famine era would have made of it all.
The final descent into the Attychran valley took us along the banks of the river gorge. The canopy of larch, spruce, beech and holly provided a cloister like corridor of reflection for the journey home to Galty Castle car park. 17 kilometres and 1,000 metres of ascent gave us a worthy walk in excess of a traditional ascent of Galtymore which held us in the palm of its hand as we wrapped its knuckles in our footprints.
It was back to Glenanaar again on Sunday for the “B” walk and the doyen of walking in this area, Cal McCarthy. Twenty one of us were entertained and regaled by him as he led us from the Car Park to New Fields and revealed the hidden bridge that is almost lost now amidst scrub and rhodedendrons. At his ease he broke into verse as we advanced on Norris’ Cottage and onwards to the barriers that define the borders of Counties Limerick and Cork. A lunch break there set us on our journey home by the Mass Rock and the charming Ogeen and Aar Rivers so that we reached our cars after four hours of real pleasure. Well done Cal. A walk to remember.
On Thursday evening Joan Caulfield (087) 9478276, will lead a walk from Christ the King Statue in Aherlow. The Saturday morning walk will depart Ardpatrick Church at 12.00 noon – contact Robin Lee (087) 6385290.
Pete Haverty will lead an “A” moderate walk in Dingle on Sunday – The Ryan’s Daughter Walk . Departing from the Dingle Aquarium Car Park at 10.00 a m. Further details from Pete on (087)2806372
Cyril Morley will lead a walk around Cork Harbour departing Blackrock Castle Car Park at 11 a m on Sunday.
The Thursday evening walk last week took us on to Seefin from the Lacca Car Park on an indifferent evening for viewing. Nonetheless we had an invigorating climb with plenty of chat going on. Willie O’Rourke led us on our route flawlessly. All arrived back to their cars well satisfied with their evening out.
Saturday saw the beginners walk taking to Glenanaar in the hope that the bluebells would b in full bloom. Nineteen of us headed off in good conditions. There had been a lot of talk recently about the dumping of tyres and waste around Glenanaar – something that featured in Primetime on Monday night. What a relief it was to see that Coillte have cleared up these areas of the debris and waste discarded there by those mindless miscreants that consider it their right to do so. Congratulations Coillte for this. Once again we had a number of beginners on this walk and if the bluebells did not oblige as they were expected, it did not spoil the afternoon for us.
Wrapping the knuckles of Galtymore. That is the best way do describe the “A” walk last Sunday led by our Chairman, Denis Bates.
The heights of Galtymore may hold the hearts of many as the goal of a good Galty walk but there is more than one route to the heart of the boggy beast. Galtymore can seem like a hand with fingers outstretched into the plains below. Temple Hill, Knockaterriff, Carrigeen mountain, Knockduff / Knocknagalty and Knockeentoung are long hilly shoulders outstretched like fingers from the main mass of the Galty mountains. So Sunday’s ‘A’ walk set out to walk the knuckles of the Galty’s outstretched hand. 18 well soled souls set off from Galty Castle car park on a bright though breezy May morning. A short traverse brought us to the meeting of the Pigeon Rock and Blackrock rivers and interest of the walk took hold. Pigeon Rock Glen is a narrow fjord like valley with its river emptying the bogs of Temple Hill and Knockaterrif. A steady pace brought us to the head of the valley amid the splendid scenery of the high sloping sides and sheep scrambling up steep muddy banks to get out of our way. A pause on the coll between Knockaterriff and Knockaterriff Beg provided the chance to view the glen from which we had come and Blackrock River Glen into which we were headed.
We felt like smugglers, travelling in the valleys and avoiding the heights, not a single summit was crossed in the entire outing. And if we were smugglers, we had nothing to declare but our wit, as Oscar Wilde once wrote - the chat was as mighty as the craic. Descending to the Blackwater river we passed a number of walkers on the familiar ascent to Lyragappal. Climbing out of that valley by means to the wartime turf road which zig zags to the next coll on Carrigeen mountain, a short pause on the heights gave a chance to view the remains of the famine village whose ghostly bones are furrowed on the hillside.
Another steep descent to Glounreagh river brought us across to the slopes of Knockduff and Knocknagalty for the final haul onto that spur. The view was splendid across to Mitchelstown and the plains beyond. The snaking path of the new motorway and the glinting flashes of passing cars caused us to wonder, on Famine Commemoration Sunday, what our ancestors of the famine era would have made of it all.
The final descent into the Attychran valley took us along the banks of the river gorge. The canopy of larch, spruce, beech and holly provided a cloister like corridor of reflection for the journey home to Galty Castle car park. 17 kilometres and 1,000 metres of ascent gave us a worthy walk in excess of a traditional ascent of Galtymore which held us in the palm of its hand as we wrapped its knuckles in our footprints.
It was back to Glenanaar again on Sunday for the “B” walk and the doyen of walking in this area, Cal McCarthy. Twenty one of us were entertained and regaled by him as he led us from the Car Park to New Fields and revealed the hidden bridge that is almost lost now amidst scrub and rhodedendrons. At his ease he broke into verse as we advanced on Norris’ Cottage and onwards to the barriers that define the borders of Counties Limerick and Cork. A lunch break there set us on our journey home by the Mass Rock and the charming Ogeen and Aar Rivers so that we reached our cars after four hours of real pleasure. Well done Cal. A walk to remember.
On Thursday evening Joan Caulfield (087) 9478276, will lead a walk from Christ the King Statue in Aherlow. The Saturday morning walk will depart Ardpatrick Church at 12.00 noon – contact Robin Lee (087) 6385290.
Pete Haverty will lead an “A” moderate walk in Dingle on Sunday – The Ryan’s Daughter Walk . Departing from the Dingle Aquarium Car Park at 10.00 a m. Further details from Pete on (087)2806372
Cyril Morley will lead a walk around Cork Harbour departing Blackrock Castle Car Park at 11 a m on Sunday.
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