Ballyhoura Bears Walks 18th July 2010

Rain or shine our walks keep going ahead. Thursday evening at Lisvarrinane was the worst affected by the rain, but despite this the numbers turned up. Joan Caulfield led us on a trek on Slievenamuk, and if we did not get the views that this beautiful area can deliver on a finer day, we still had a pleasant walk through the woods. This is familiar stomping ground for Joan; you can easily tell once she delivers soupcons of her immense knowledge of neighbourhood. When you are dressed for the conditions the wet hardly matters – there is actually something invigorating about walking in the rain. We were well invigorated by the end of this evening walk! Well done Joan for “minding” us and giving us a most enjoyable evening.

On Saturday our weather fortunes had changed. Assembling, as usual at Ardpatrick Community Centre, Robin Lee led us onto Greenwood for a two-hour trek through the Coillte tracks. It was good to have visitors from London and California with us. The visibility was very good displaying the lush pastures of County Limerick spread out before us. Coillte is to be commended for the work that it has done in maintaining the tracks in this area and for creating new ones. Our group was not alone in using these on Saturday, as there was plenty of evidence of others, with their families, enjoying the recreation that these tracks provide. At the end of this walk we were able to join the cycling fraternity at the Cycle trailhead refreshments facility at the car park. This is just another little bonus that has sprung up on the back of the success of the Mountain Bike Track, and it is most welcome.

The club had planned two walks from Kings Yard on the southern foothills of the Galtys on Sunday. What a wonderful facility has been developed here to accommodate walkers on the Galtys – ample car parking, toilet and shower facility, canteen for supplies and refreshments, and all at little cost. These facilities are a tribute to the King family, and their effort in providing them are appreciated by all of us who use them. Despite the forecast, the weather was stubbornly sitting on the higher ground and it seemed as if it wasn’t going to shift. Once this had been concluded, Denis Bates (leading the “A” walk) and Elizabeth Enright (leading the “B” walk) made an executive decision to combine both walks for the day. Twenty five of us departed the hospitality of Kings Yard for the Attychrann Valley, ascending the track with the Attychrann River, now in full flood from the overnight heavy rain, to the west. The higher reaches of Knocknagalty disappeared into the thick cloud overhead the river, while the more inviting slopes of Knockeenatoung beckoned us to the east and onto its summit. On reaching the monument to the Longford airmen lost to the mountain in 1976, we sought out shelter to have our lunch. We had a number of new members and some aspiring members in our midst. Elizabeth made it her business to ensure that everyone got introduced, and so our trek back to the start was just that bit more convivial. Our route took us back over Seefin (yes, there is one on the Galtys as well). But what was this? There was a clearing appearing to the south, so on Elizabeth’s beckoning most of us – those that didn’t have sporting events on our minds – took in an extra hour along the Attychrann valley enjoying the growing fury of the river as it sped southwards towards the River Funshion into which it feeds. The promised clearing didn’t materialise, but what harm – we had great fun. We are thankful to Denis and Elizabeth for making this a most enjoyable day.

For those that are interested there is an additional walk planned for Sunday August 8th. Jim Flynn will lead a moderate “B” walk from Kilfinane at 11 a m lasting approx 4 hours. On Thursday evening next, 22nd July, Bridget Hennessy – 087 9229405 – will lead an evening walk from Darragh Bridge at 7.30 p m. On Saturday Robin Lee – 087 6385290 - will assemble the beginners walk at Ardpatrick Community Centre as usual. It is hoped that the finish of this walk will coincide with the open afternoon that is due to take place at the Church of Ireland Church in Kilfinane at 3 p m. Sunday sees Mary Blewitt – 087 9486039 – leading a moderate “A” walk at Annascaul departing the famous South Pole Inn at 10 a m. Closer to home Tom McCarthy – 085 7605268 – will take the “B” walk from Ballyorgan at 11 a m.