Irish Ramblings

Is that where we're going?

And here's that mountain! Nephin is historically one of the 12 chief mountains of Ireland. Goodness knows why 'cos it's in the middle of nowhere in the Mayo countryside. This photo was taken last year when you could see the route from the start. Race HQ is in a narrow country lane - forty of us jumped over a barbed wire fence to the start - a not quite so wet area of the field in the foreground. This was my fourth time of running this race and this year, as with the first time when several of us got hopelessly lost, Nephin was shrouded in mist. There are no paths or trails and you have to follow the right hand ridge up traverse the summit ridge and descend on the left hand side. Thankfully I managed to get round without any diversions and won a bottle of ale brewed in the village up the road. It's a wonderful race - pure fell running with nearly 800 metres of climb in the first couple of K's. We will visit again!

A valuable cargo!

We stayed in Ballina, Co. Mayo, which is a bustling little town and we were lucky to be able to be present for the beginning of the Salmon Festival. Not that we saw any freshly caught salmon but we did find the town thronged with craft stalls - it was heritage day and all the tinkers and wood carvers from miles around descended on the main streets. Of course there was a funfair and other attractions included the traction engines, Irish country dancing, including tap dancing and lots of competitions including a draw for a substantial supply of peat turf for the living room fire. I didn't have a tow bar so I didn't see any point in laying out 5 Euros for the local hurling club. A quick trip up the coast took us to the Ceide Fields where 5000 year old dry stone walls, but not much else, have been found up to 9 feet under the bog - and we had a nice cup of tea in the visitor centre. Just to round things off didn't we both just enter the Ballina Salmon 5K in the evening? Entries were taken in Rouse's Bar - what a fine pub with the draught version of Jack the Lad, which was the local ale that I'd had a bottle of following the Nephin race!

I'll have a drop or two!