Another interesting day walking

Ballevourney to Gourgane Bara

The night watchman has organised some breakfast for us, the news has predicted a very hot day. A hot day by Australian standards is not the same as by Irish standards – or so I think. A weather warning has been sent to Irish mobile phones. The morning is cool to start as we head over the small stone bridge over the Sullane River and we meander along keeping to the verge of the road and the yellow lines, single file as the traffic is quite busy for this time of the morning.

The crossroads loom and we turn and a hill ahead, the first of several serious hills for the day, the bitumen road narrows into a lane with several potholes. The most astounding lace cobwebs are everywhere on the bushes that run alongside the track. They are truly   magnificent.  Only one small spider to be seen and it scurries away when we come closer to look. The webs appear to be only covering one type of thorny bush. What has made these large webs, surely it cannot be the job of the little spider that we sighted?  Is it a Cross Spider? The fields are green, tangled and wild, a place of nettles, cow parsley, a smell of grass, mulched leaves and moisture. We continue to walk as the day starts to get hotter so we must be careful with our water supply. Not a breath of air but still only about 22 degrees.
The fragrance of the variety of wild flowers, bushes and yellow buttercups close to the track, the  hills and pine forests in the distance and all against the backdrop of the cloudless, turquoise sky. The rows of cut hay attract the black crows and other birds picking at it before it is baled. Another crossroad and another hill, the road becomes narrower and overgrown with weeds. The overhanging trees with their overhanging branches stroke our cheeks as we take advantage of some shade and a rest. The hills keep coming – up to 390 metres in height. So exhausting in the heat. It is interesting to see how the vegetation and land changes as the altitude increases.
 There is not much shade as we head over the Pass of Keimaneigh.

The Pass of Keimaneigh is a precipitous ravine, created by who knows what natural process between the peaks of Foilstookeen and Doughill in the Caha Mountains on the route between Macroom and Bantry.  This place of ever changing beauty marks the western extreme of our parish of Uibh Laoire. 

Less than two hundred years ago the only way through the pass would have been an almost impossible route amongst huge boulders, screes and dense vegetation.  The only usable route across the ridge was high above the cliffs on the south side, and this was little more than a meandering sheep track through very rough country. 

The red Fuchsia is in abundance as the track becomes narrow with a high side on one side, overlooking the green fields with their stone wall dividers. We know we are high as the Wind Farms are starting to appear on the adjoining mountain peaks, mountains which we will most definitely cross today. Spectacular scenery, delicate little Alpine flowers – Common Butter Worth, on the verge of the path and the flowering Heather up the sides of the hills, we are now walking on the Sli Gaeltacht Mhuscrai Way. Large chunks of rock are appearing in the fields and tufts of grass which is usually a sign of Bog all held securely behind the green barb wired fences. The hills continue as the heat rises and we trudge on – it is going to be a long day. The large art like slate boulders perched on the sides of the hills and down in the valleys, now start to appear in smaller quantity in the farmers’ fields, just lying there for the taking. The signs for O’Sullivan start to appear so great to see we are on the correct track as we have walked for several hours without seeing a person. A few pushbike riders are now struggling up the steep hills, walking looks much easier.

The Top of Coom signs appear, Ireland highest Pub and we are 12klms from our bed but the hills and heat are still with us. Not a cloud in the sky. The small 12^th Century Teampolin Eachros Church, close to Ballengeary was abandoned and in ruins by 1602 when O’Sullivan passed through the area. We decide to rest on the side of the road close to the ruins but not walk the distance to the ruins. We need to conserve our energy. As we rest a man and his son pull up and within several minutes we know his life story. We cannot stay long as we are sitting in the sun, there is no shade.
O'Sullivan Beare is reputed to have camped near this, already derelict church on the first night of his epic march to Leitrim on 31st Dec. 1602. His stallion, Cearc, broke a leg here and is remembered in the name of a pool in the Bunsheelin River nearby, Pol na Cearc.
Adjacent to the road to the east is a bullaun stone, locally called 'The Font', and a little north of this a holy-well.
It is past midday and getting hotter, the air is so heavy, and our water is getting low but we try not to panic, we now sip the drinks. Up another hill and the farm houses start to appear, the sides of the track are covered in shades of yellow and purple, wild and standing quiet. The pink and white bell petals of the Lesser Knotweed cover the hedges which shadow the fronts of the farmhouses and we look down on the stone piled high forming the fences to separate the fields of sheep.

We gradually wind down into a valley surrounded by large stone boulders and green fields and a few small startling blue clear lakes appear.  We can now see the big lake that surrounds the chapel and hotel at Gougane Barra. We are nearly there so decide to drink the last of our water. The temperature has now reached a stifling 26 degrees, humid and still, our hottest walking day yet. I feel there is a storm on the way.

The views from the last hill are breathtaking, the still blue waters, the small chapel tucked away on the holy island, sheep dotted around the lake and the white hotel with the small cemetery perched on the higher section. The manicured area around the lake is a result of the sheep from the farms which back onto the lake. The weeds and bog flowers grow wild on the sides of the lake while the pine trees rise high above the lake.

Gougane Barra is a place of retreat, with its origins with St Finbarr when he built a Monastery on the island in the lake during the 6^th Century. During the times of Penal Law the remoteness of the small settlement meant that the Roman Catholic Mass could be celebrated in peace. The small chapel is a popular chapel for weddings.

The hotel car park and café are full to overflowing with some tourist buses also parked there waiting for their passengers. All I want is a very cold drink of water followed by an even colder drink of Guinness and in that order we ask the barmaid for them. She can see we have had a very long hot and exhausting day so takes us under her wing, she happens to be the owner of the establishment, Mrs. Breda Lucy. We are soon booked in to a very comfortable room overlooking the café area. I feel we may acquire whatever we ask for during our stay. We have made a friend. The Cronin Family are the owners, past and present of the area. Our connection to the Cronin family: Fr Donogh O’Cronin was a tutor to Donal O'Sullivan but he was hanged in Cork in 1601.

A cold shower and we strip to shorts, something we have only done a couple of times and head out to have a look at the area. I have visited before but it is always a place that I will revisit. The cemetery has several interesting headstones, including a few O’Sullivan names and some Famine chunks of stone poking out of the ground. We soon work out the Family History of the owner, of which Mrs Lucy was very pleased when we mentioned it later in the day. She said “That no one has ever done that before”. 

A colourful version of the Lochness Monster overlooks the lake and hides in the bushes; he is definitely in the wrong country. We wander up to Fr O’Mahoneys tomb and then further to the little Chapel, St Finbarr’s Oratory and St Finbarr’s Monastic Cells perched on the side of the lake. The clouds are starting to form in the sky leaving a reflection across the lake, we light some candles for the boys as we admire the coloured stained windows and wait for the tourists to leave so we can have a wander on our own. The pathway leads to the cells with its ancient bell hanging precariously on the top of the stone fence and then meanders to the edge of the lake to enjoy the peace and serenity. There are eight small half circle cells with grass and stones on the floor, no doors and various types of moss growing on the inside walls and ceiling. A large wooden cross dominates the centre of the ancient monastery, so holy and peaceful.  

The clouds are forming so we wander back to the café for a quiet Irish whiskey, and we check on emails from home and catch up with diaries, some quiet time as we have booked a night meal. In the outside field at the back of the hotel is a large white marquee for the Opera by the Lake which will take place later in the evening. As we sit a lady appears before us grinning at us but I am sure I do not know her - how wrong could I be. I met Kathleen some two years ago and we are staying with her and Johnnie when we reach Castletownbere in a few days.  They are here for a meal and the Opera, such a lovely unexpected surprise, so much to tell them. They wondered whether they would see us as they were not sure how far along we would be. We shared the same table for a meal and left each other’s company, feeling a complete idiot for not recognizing Kathleen.

The rain has started and a storm through the night so cools the air down and the humidity disappears. Mrs Lucy organises us for the next day and a ride to the O’Sullivan Castle, Carriginass Castle where we meet our guide for a few hours and an O’Sullivan member. She gives us a donation for Cancer as do several people staying in the hotel and who have overheard what we are doing. Such gracious generosity. We retire for the night as we have had a very long and exhausting day.

The Gourgane Bara Hotel is the only accommodation near the lake, the closest bed to here is about 20klms away. The hotel is old fashioned but friendly and very airy and lovely staff. When I booked, I chose to include a three-course meal and we were charged €168 for the two of us. This hotel and the lake are worth a visit and a night stay. Today we walked 21.5klms.