Ballyhoura Bears Walks 25th July 2010

We really are having a great season of walking right now – Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. These are the scheduled walks. They do not take into account all the other walking activities that are undertaken by our members, whether it is on behalf of charitable causes or preparation for “away” trips or walks that are arranged by members to accommodate their own needs and schedules. Added to this we have members in Tanzania presently climbing Kilimanjaro – the highest mountain in Africa – and another group of members that is completing it’s preparations for a trip to the Swiss Alps departing on Saturday. So it is all go with us at present. This is the way it needs to be with a membership now standing in excess of two hundred and fifty.

Bridget Hennessy looked after us last Thursday evening on our walk from Darragh Bridge. These evening walks are as popular as ever. For most they provide a convivial two hour stress free amble in the locality; for others they help to keep the edge on their fitness between weekend walks; for more they are a great opportunity to have a chat! Whatever ones reason for coming on these walks is, they certainly seem to achieve their purpose. Being from just up the road from Darragh Bridge, Bridged knows this locality like the back of her hand so last Thursday’s walk went off like clockwork taking in all of the popular spots – Bothareen Dearg, Beechwood walk, and the Molanna River. The fourteen that turned out had their expectations wholly fulfilled.

The beginners continue to turn up at Ardpatrick each Saturday. Ten turned up last Saturday and this time Robin Lee decided to take us onto Magnier’s Wood just outside Kilfinane. We had the best of the day for the duration of this walk. This provided us with the opportunity to get occasional views of east Limerick, north Cork and the beautiful Glen of Aherlow. These notes often remark on the great work that Coillte does in creating and maintaining the roads and paths throughout its lands. This is especially true of the area that we walked on Saturday – we could have done the walk in our slippers, so firm and clean were the tracks that served us on our way.

Tom McCarthy took the “B” walkers on an interesting and satisfying walk on Sunday. Starting from Ballyorgan eleven of us advanced to the Holiday Homes and then by the road to Greenwood. The day was bright, fine and warm, so our entry into the wooded area around Greenwood provided us with some welcome shelter. Trees help to generate airstreams, so the balmy breezes that the Greenwood forest generated for us was most acceptable. Having completed a loop on Greenwood, Tom took us into the Wilderness stopping for our lunch at the back lodge to Castleoliver. Onwards with us by the “green gate” (where is it/ where did it go to/ was there ever one?) through Clovers Wood leading us eventually onto the road back to Ballyorgan at Whelan’s Quarry. If we got back ahead of the estimated four hours this was largely attributable to the firm underfoot conditions throughout, even through the Wilderness!

Mary Blewitt and Pat Hevenor pooled their considerable resources to provide a magical “A” walk at Anascaul on Sunday. Where better to assemble than at the Memorial Garden to Tom Crean, the Antarctic explorer of three expeditions to this inhospitable land. One cannot be but moved on a visit to this memorial to a monumental man; a veritable inspiration to the adventurer. It came as no surprise to the seventeen of us that we were to start out on this walk from the shore of Lake Anscaul, a large lake that is wedged between the cliff faces of the high mountains that surround it, and that soaks into itself the waters of the Garrivagh River. Surprises were to abound, however, for the remainder of the day. The sheer rugged rustic beauty of all that was around us as we ascended the steep rise to Cnoc Mhaoilionáin, the abundance of robust and delicate flora on every step of our way, the azure blue of the waters of Castlemaine Harbour to the south and Brandon Bay to the north, the vast lushness of the valleys beneath us, the peace and solitude of it all! The combination of everything that greeted us gave you a sense of responsibility to handle it all with care and respect, and hand it back to the great forces of nature that create it in the same condition that you found it. Stops along our way were frequent – they were necessary to absorb what we were experiencing. When we observed Pat and Mary conferring we were sure that another gem was to be revealed – it was that kind of day – two masterful leaders in full control of what they were at, and determined to make it a memorable outing for all of us. They achieved their purpose with aplomb. Our route took us to the source of the Garrivagh River, and so, by following its course (including some spectacular waterfalls, one of which provided a refreshing shower for one of our company) we found ourselves back at our cars after 10 miles and six hours of glorious walking.

Declan Clancy – 087 9792174 - will lead the Thursday evening walk from the Lacca Car Park at 7.30 p m on Thursday.

On Friday Willie O’Rourke and Susie Flavin will take charge of the Ardpatrick Festival Walk departing from the Community Centre at 7.30 p m. Registration for this event is essential at the Community Centre from 7.00 p m.

John Hennessy will look after the Beginners Walk, also from Ardpatrick Community Centre at 12 m d on Saturday.

As next weekend is a Bank Holiday weekend there will not be a scheduled “A” walk on Sunday, but Cal McCarthy will lead a “B” walk from Glenanaar Wood car park at 11 a m and Denis Bates will conduct a skills walk from The Lacca car park commencing at 10.30 a m.

Finally we wish our sleuth of Bears enjoyment and safety on their upcoming trip to The Alps.