Walking the Beara

Glengarriff to Adrigole

It has rained most of the night but the early morning dawns clear but overcast as we head off to the water edge of the Blue Pool for a look, no seals sitting on the rocks. I would have been terribly excited if there had been seals.  The Blue Pool is an ocean inlet, the area where some walking trails commence and finish, swimming for the children and the Garinish ferry departs. The blue waters weave in and out of the islands with massive mossy rocks. Some small boats are moored at the edge and there are stone stairs up the hill. We wander back to the hotel past the Glenarian Irish Market, see the mosaics on the walls near the Post Office and several brightly coloured shop fronts, which are all still closed.

As we start the days walk the fog is low so guess we will be wet before the day is over. Over the bridge where the mother duck ushers her speckled ducklings to the safety of the bushes on the side and we walk single file along the yellow side line with the massive rocks up the side of the hill and the bay on the other side. The main road winds making us constantly change side for our safety; this is going to be a long few kilometers until we reach the trail into the hills. Past the Glengarriff Camping and Caravan area and Magannagan farm, we stop for a chat with a dissatisfied O’Sullivan man about the walking track. The variety of red flowers growing along the track are stunning.  The next few kilometers are very exhausting until a gentleman stops to check we are OK and offers us a lift to the section where we turn onto a lane at Lackavane after the old-school building, only a few klms and our personal safety. We now head off the coast road and up a cycle path and into the hills. The soft showers of rain are approaching but are they just passing or here to stay? We decide to take a chance that they are passing – wrong again. From here we walk up and up and down and up some more. A very quiet road and only pass a couple of cars.

We are now heading into the rocky hills with the fog approaching low and quickly so after some photos, as we are both in the school shirts, we decide it is a good idea to at least put on the jackets, even though it is only a passing shower. Wrong again. The black faced sheep with red shorn markings on their backs watch us from the steep stoney green fields. The hills are steep and covered in massive clumps of grey rocks and shale outcrops. Tall grass grows in bog areas alongside the path. We pass Sugarloaf Mountain (over 500mt high) and the views through the showers of rain are stunning.

A short stop at the Leitrim Beg, a stark standing stone perched on a rise in the field overlooking Bantry Bay. We watch closely for any cattle or a stray bull and make our way through the thistles and muddy hoof holes. The views are worth the trudge through the mud. The field stile is in need of some immediate repairs, we must juggle the broken boards and brambles as we cross. We meander past the Leitrim Beg Farmhouse advertising its Eggs and Produce for Sale and the Ballynahowen, Wedge grave and church remains, the Oceanview B & B signs start to appear. They say 1.5klms, we decide it is time to change again as the rain has arrived and heavy and blowing horizontally. This is Ireland – a complete weather change in a span of a few hours. The 1.5klms turns out to be closer to 3klms. It is now bucketing down and we are hoping the next corner shows the accommodation. We have arrived much earlier than we had planned so throw the owner, Margaret, into a small panic as she is not ready for us. There is not much that we can do about the situation except sit in front of a raging fire and try and dry out. We are soaked to the skin. The accommodation is a family run farmhouse. The rooms are large and a little old fashioned, shared bathroom but clean and warm and at present this is all that we ask for. Tomorrow is our last walking day so the end is in sight. The views from the bedroom window take us across the cattle and fields and out to the blue water, so peaceful and tranquil.

Where do we eat tonight as we are too far out of Adrigole to walk and it is raining very heavily?  When I booked this B & B I had also organised a home cooked meal but due to some family problems this will not happen. She has organised with Kathleen from Castletownbere to drive across and collect us and we will have a meal with her and her husband, Johnnie, whom we met in Gougane Barra a few nights ago, we will do as we are told.

The rain has stopped and the stars are out, such a change from a couple of hours back. It is lovely to sit and do nothing and have someone else do our thinking for us. They are such a lovely couple and of course an O’Sullivan family. After a meal we meet up with her cousin and drive out to the town cemetery to place some pink and blue hydrangeas on the grave of the parents of a lady, Cath, from Ipswich. Cath is a cousin of Kathleen and has been my friend for many years. Such a small world. I am amazed at the overgrown state of the cemetery; some headstones cannot be seen for the height of the weeds, very sad. We then head back to our accommodation and Margaret and her husband, Connie are ready for a chat. All I want to do is go to bed as we have a long walk ahead of us tomorrow.

In the lounge/sitting room positioned above the fire is a very strange wall clock. At 2 o’clock in the afternoon it chimed ten times and at 4 o’clock it only chimed once. Not sure what the “go” is?  It appears tomorrow’s walk has been organised for us and we will only require a light backpack and some lunch, not sure what the plan is so guess we wait and see.

The family farm accommodation, “Ocean View B & B” is owned by Margaret and Connie. It is handy to the Beara Breifne Walk but a long distance from Adrigole which is only an area and not a village or town. There are other B&B’s in the area and most cater for walkers so will accommodate you with pickups and drop offs if requested. A meal could be organised in advance when a booking is made. The charge for a twin room with a shared bathroom is €30 each. Room had a single and a double bed. No ensuite but a shared bathroom. It was a large bedroom and views across to Bantry Bay.

Breakfast is provided as are packed lunches but with a fee of about €5.

Peggy’s Corner appears to be the main pick up spot for walkers and is a small grocery store on the side of the road.  There are no other businesses or convenience stores in the Adrigole area.

Today we have walked 16.8klms, a short but wet walk.