2023 Walking Ireland - Day 1

Day 1 Meenbog to Laghy - 15.5 miles

Day dawned & it was dry!! The condemned woman ate a hearty breakfast (well, an omelette!!) George was my chauffeur of the morning and he drove me up the N15, through Barnsmore Gap, turned onto a single track road towards Meenbog and then on, across the border to my starting point near Croagh Plantation to the north of Killiter Forest. 

Just before 9am I began my walk; just as I started I heard the call of a cuckoo. . . . well, I think it was a cuckoo . . . or was it someone telling me I'm mad!!

The path was a broad road of crushed stone, well compacted so reasonable walking if I kept to the more worn, flattened tracks. It wound its way through the well managed forestry area, sometimes through great swathes of fairly recently felled land, and sometimes I was dwarfed by majestic fir trees towering over me. They’d obviously had some fierce storms over the winter as many trees on the edges had been uprooted and blown over. Only one had fallen across the path as far as I could see.

I saw one lone bird of prey sitting on a tall, bare tree-stump, too far away to photograph. It soon flew away as I got closer. 

Apart from that and the cuckoo I could hear many smaller birds (but rarely saw them). I didn’t spot any red squirrels or deer that apparently live in the forests but I did see the spoor left by deer.

I also saw plenty of spring flora, primroses, violets, and the wonderful heady almond scent of golden gorse in full bloom. 

I stopped for my morning snack just before Big Bridge. The plants growing nearby looked like tiger-striped asparagus!! 

I knew that my walk wasn’t going to be flat, that I was going to have some up-hills as well as down-hill: I just wasn’t quite prepared for that many up-hills!! My thanks to my colleagues from the WRAC Association for helping me train well for such eventualities!!

Just before halfway I crossed the border into the Republic at Kelley’s Bridge. I had apparently been walking part of the International Appalachian Way for some of the walk in South Tyrone – it was very well signposted and had many information panels. I continued along “The Way” once over the border but the signage disappeared!! At some point I veered away but I’ve no idea where!

The one thing that the Republic had in abundance was Wind Generation. They were visible (and audible) as I crossed over. They are immense and have an audible but not annoying hum and swish. I sat eating my lunch not far from one and although I was aware it was there I soon became accustomed to the sound and it just became a background sound.

I was about two thirds into the walk when I saw my first car! It passed me – twice!! The first time on its way the same direction as me and again a few minutes later coming back. I carried on walking but the constant pounding on the hard tarmacked surface was making my feet a little sore but I gritted my teeth and carried on. I approached a smallholding where an enthusiastic collie warned me away and shepherded me past his property. I’d noticed a few Roadwork signs but was too busy trying to ignore the collie. I walked a bit further and a handwritten sign said “Road Closed, Tues 18^th & Weds 19^th”

“Well, I ain’t walking back!!”

I carried on and came across a very large tractor pulling a roller/scraper smoothing out the crushed stone dust and pebbles prior to resurfacing. He waved me on and for a mile or so I was in heaven walking on a soft sandy surface. I didn’t have time take a photo as he had driven up the road to the smallholding, turned and was heading back my way!

Every time I thought I had climbed the last incline it proved me wrong. 

Until, at last, I headed down towards Laghy. The views of the Blue Stack Mountains to my right were amazing. 

It was all downhill for the last few kilometres (well, mostly) 

Denise met me and drove me back to our home-from-home for a well-earned cuppa and cake which I ate, sitting in the sunshine, admiring the view of Donegal Bay.

Day 1 done – 15.5 miles under my belt and rearing to go tomorrow.