Walking Report Jan 10th 2010

By Robin Lee (Ballyhoura Bears PRO)
One of the real pleasures of walking as a pastime is that you can be faced with the unexpected at little or no notice. One would have thought that we had plenty of notice of the conditions that were going to prevail last Sunday; frosted ground and severe cold. It is easy to prepare for this – you just wear the proper footwear, wrap up and away you go. Until the snow arrives, that is. Now there in a new plan, especially when the snow lodges on the already frozen ground. These were the conditions that our three leaders were faced with last Sunday.

Teresa Brosnan led the “A” walk from Glenroe Community Centre. It goes without saying that not as many turned up as would normally be the case. Access to Glenroe was not easy, but those that did turn up were provided with a lively jaunt around the lower reaches of the Ballyhouras. Fair play to Teresa, she adjusted her original plans for this walk to provide the best loop walk that was available on the day whilst ensuring the safety of the walkers. Departing Glenroe we went towards Darragh and then on to Castle Gael by the Bothareen Dearg. The underfoot conditions were acceptable, but no one took chances. Our loop continued on to Kilcruaig from where we had a complete panorama of the adjoining countryside, carpeted in the snow that commenced to fall on Saturday night and that continued its gentle fall as our walk progressed. Onwards through the clear fresh air that accompanied the weather through Magnier’s Wood, on to Rea’s Hill and home to the start. What better way to spend a Sunday like this than in the genial company of our leader on this corner of the Ballyhouras? Now came the real challenge – getting home safely from Glenroe. Thankfully this was achieved by all without incident, even if the trip was scary from time to time.

Deirdre Fitzpatrick undertook the “B” walk from the same starting point, and again the turn out was not as it might have been had the weather permitted easy access to the start. Nonetheless Deirdre exercised every bit as much ingenuity is redesigning her walk as Teresa had done. We all got off to an energetic start to ward off the cold of the day and headed on a similar but slightly tighter loop as the “A” walk had done. On a day like we had on Sunday, the difficult part is persuading oneself to get out. Once out, no matter what the conditions are, things are never as bad as you imagined. This was true of this “B” walk. Soon the group settled down into a comfortable pace with plenty of chat and banter going on to shorten the route for us. All the while we had the splendour of the Ballyhoura Country sweeping away from us in every direction as we strode our way over Magnier’s Wood, on by Barrabronaka Bridge and around Rea’s Hill until we reached the cars at Glenroe. Thanks to Deirdre for pressing ahead with this walk in the true tradition of the Bears – the walk goes on, even if it has to be scaled down.

The Ballyhouras was the venue for both of these walks, and why not? Ballyhoura Country has been chosen by the “Go” tourism supplement to the Irish Times as being one of the top ten tourist destinations in the World. No mean achievement given all of the intense competition that exists on the global tourism markets. Ballyhoura Fáilte and all of the hardworking team there are to be congratulated on this wonderful achievement. Walking in the Ballyhoura Country is an integral part of its tourism product, and it is with a little satisfaction that the Bears can say that they are playing their part by conducting as many walks as possible in the region.

Sunday last was chosen months ago by Denis Bates as being the date that he would hold his third day skills walk, this time on the Knockmealdowns. How could anyone tell back then that the conditions were going to be as they were on Sunday? Nevertheless he had some inkling of it from his reconnaissance of this intended walk undertaken on New Years Day, and from keeping a careful eye on the weather forecasts since then. Being the prudent leader that he is he not only prepared a list of tasks to be achieved on the intended route, but had done likewise on two alternative routes that were planned as “escape routes” if the weather turned badly against us. Crampons were affixed half way on our ascent of The Sugarloaf and what a relief they were on the solid ice? Visibility was rapidly decreasing reducing to less than 50 metres at the top. This was going to be a real test of the navigational skills that we had practiced up to now. We were compelled to draw on the night navigational skills that we recently acquired; such was the limited visibility available. Maps were consulted, compass bearings were taken, cross checks were done, and away with us on the blind. Having no landmarks to use a reference points you either got your target exactly right or you were lost. There is great satisfaction in getting it right! Again and again…..! The wind chill on top dictated that the group of seven should get to the more sheltered side of the mountain, and accordingly one of the escape routes was pressed into service. The given tasks were no less here that they were to be on top. We navigated our way down to the road that was to lead us back to our cars in a few Kilometres. The mug of tea that has become such an integral part of these days was yet to be boiled by our leader. All of the equipment and ingredients was produced for this delicacy – except the water! “Where’s the water Denis?” “What water do you need, sure aren’t we surrounded by snow?” And so this wonderful day came to a satisfactory end with snow made tea! Well almost to an end. We still had to get home from The Vee. The odd slide, 90degree spin, tug from a high powered dumper and final crawl to our destinations ensured that this was not just a satisfactory day, but a memorable one as well.

We are back to two walks again next Sunday, both of them starting from Kilfinane at 10.00 a m. Willie Ryan is leading the “A” walk and Mike Moroney – 087 9267948 – is leading the “B” walk which is over the route of a new and interesting loop from the town and returning there. Both walks are of moderate category.