Ballyhoura Bears Walks 4th July 2010

These are busy times for the Bears. Over the past week we held no fewer than five Club walks all of which were well attended. Added to this others in the Club are doing their own walks preparing their fitness levels for the upcoming trips abroad.

Declan Clancy led a group of twenty five walkers from Ballinaboola on Thursday. The number that turned up is evidence of the popularity of this location for walking and the competency of Declan to get the best out of a walk. We were belssed, again, with fine weather so all was set for a lively two hour jaunt. Declan knows Ballinaboola inside out. He took us to parts of this area that are less used by the casual walker turning us, eventually, to the cycle track leading back to the start.

Our Beginners Walk on Saturday took us to The Quitrent for a lovely five-mile trek through the Coillte tracks there. The weather was hot, so the decision to stay in a wooded area was sensible. The gentle breezes that trees generate are always welcome to the walker on day such as this. The pace was generous, and the track lent itself to strategic stops that were welcome. As always on these days the chat was as lively as the walking, and we found ourselves back at our cars in goodly time.

Deirdre Fitzpatrick took a group of twenty “B” walkers from Glenbrohane Church on a beautiful walk. Firstly we ascended onto Slievereagh by the new wind turbine. When the weather is fine there are few nicer spots to be in the locality than at the mast on Slievereagh. The views are always spectacular – straight down through The Glen of Aherlow, with Slievenamuk on one side and the majestic Galtys on the other. We feasted ourselves on this, before heading on towards Cush and Ballinvreena until we found ourselves adjacent to Kilfinane. It was time to turn for home now. Those that were anxious to view the football match were accommodated at this point, Ben O’Sullivan leading this group to base, while we continued on to Glenbrohane. The whole trip took about five hours, but we didn’t feel a bit of it while we were out there.

The “A” walkers found themselves down in Kerry again on Sunday, and why not. We may as well take advantage of the clement weather while it is there. Twenty seven of us arrived at Cronin’s Yard for what appeared to be an exciting day on the mountain. This was also billed as a training day for the forthcoming trip to Arolla in the Swiss Alps. Eugene Stephens took charge of the day, ably assisted by Vincent Brennan and Paddy Hegarty. We hardly have three more qualified leaders in the club to undertake the task that they did on Sunday. However, we got an early warning of the conditions that were in store for us when we had to cut our way through a fallen tree on our way into Cronins. The wind was definitely gathering up and so safety became paramount. Plans for the day were changed. Off with us along the track that took us under The Hags Tooth and up to the lough at the foot of Brother O’Shea’s Gully. The gully was the next section to be undertaken. Some of us put it behind us with less effort than others, but nonetheless we all arrived at the top of Corrauntohill safe and sound. If the conditions were indifferent on the way up, the cloud lifted, as though to script, and provided us with the unique views that are available from the top of the country. Having replenished ourselves here, we descended to the top of the Devil’s Ladder, and thence up to the top of the Zig Zag. Some of our group continued on to The Bone while the remainder of us descended by the Zig Zag. It is to the credit of Eugene, Vincent and Paddy, and the patience that they exercised, that everyone returned to Cronins without a bump or a scratch, but rather, well exercised and all the better prepared for our forthcoming trip to Switzerland.

Monday evening is a special day on our walking calendar. The first Monday evening of July each year is the day that the Parishes of Doneraile and Shanballymore descend on the Mass Rock at Carker Mountain for the annual Mass there. Approximately two hundred people attended at the Mass last Monday, some forty of which were Bears. Cal McCarthy, a parishioner of Doneraile and a club member, coordinates this walk for us each year. We gathered at Glenanaar Car Park and walked on to the Mass Rock as a group. The event that we were about to experience was preceded by the simplicity of the natural beauty that was all around us - the flora in full bloom, the views across north Cork to the Nagle Mountains, the birdsong in the air – it was as if these were the fulfilment of a well thought out plan. Very Rev Canon Casey P P Doneraile, a most learned man, celebrated the Mass. This was abundantly evident from the beautiful sermon that he gave, linking ancient Christianity to Irish Monasteries and holy places along the western seaboard. The serenity of the place was honoured by the devotion of the congregation as the Mass progressed to its conclusion. At the end and after some brief chats we reassembled and walked onwards to complete the Glenanaar loop returning to the car park by the Ogeen and Aar rivers. It was a suitable conclusion to a wonderful evening.

On Thursday night, 8th July, Mike Moroney – (087) 8296749 - will lead an evening walk from Lisvarrinane at 7.30 p m. The Saturday Beginners Walk will assemble, as usual, at Ardpatrick Community Centre at 12 noon, contact Robin Lee – 087 6385290. Pat Hevenor – 087 6403050 – will lead a moderate “A” walk of 6hrs approx on the Burren meeting at Fanore Strand at 10.00 a m. Denis Bates – 086 8047570 - will assemble a skills walk at Cush Car Park at 10.30 a m, and Willie O’Rourke – 087 7934958 – will lead a “B” walk of 3 to 4 hours from Mountrussell at 11 a m.