On May the 5th 2012 , once move I braved the journey up North, to tick off another way. The North Sperrin Way, with hospitality and navigational provided by the amazing McDonagh family. I think they even organized the weather  as it was much better than forecasted. The full way across the North Sperrins is a full 26 miles ( 42K) but there was a section closed so we completed 24 miles (39K).

I have to admit that the first 10 miles were pretty boring, it was trail through forest , we started at Cam forest , along Springwell forest , Formoyle hill, past murder hole road ( The road earned its name from  Cushy Glen, a highwayman of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Cushy hid the bodies of his victims in a bog hole, but met his own end at the hands of an intended victim who shot him dead during a failed robbery) through Grange Park wood, and Binevenagh forest. This was where the walk became spectacular.. an ascent up Binevenagh 385m ascent with stunning views over across Lough Foyle and to Donegal and the Inishowen Peninsula.

There is a very steep cliff off Binevenagh , which you do not necessarily notice ( unless you feel like taking a plunge) but our route took off off the mountain and circled back under the cliffs .. and they were stunning ( not that a forest view of Steve was without its aesthetic value)

After that it was a road walk down the bishops road and into Castlerock for a well deserved pint ( Glass of wine for me ) and then back to Chez McDonaghs for a fantastic Chilli Con Carne.

Its a great walk but do not wear hiking boots ( like I did ). wear trail boots as most of the way is on hard trail or back roads and sections are not marked so you would need a map.

I must persuade Mr McDonagh to do a walk down south .. as he keeps organizing walks up North .. really enjoy them and also the visit to the harbor bar ( LOVE that place for some reason ) but we do have ways and hills down south so much get him out on those .. Not sure that us southerners are ready for him in a kilt mind you.

What a 12 months .. I’ve been exceptionally lucky with weather and friends who I’ve managed to Drag around some of the ways of Ireland .. in the past 12 months I’ve completed The Kerry Way, the Sheeps head Way , The Bluestack Way , the Moyle Way and now the Beara Way , Thanks straight up to Tony who I’ve dragged over from the UK to walk with me , challenge me ( he sets a cracking pace) and has ensured that I’ve not managed to get lost ( despite my best efforts … )

The Beara Way .. as with all of the Ways that we have completed in Ireland , is exceptionally well marked , with some excellent hospitality from the B&B’s along the way. The Beara Way I found to have the most varied and stunning scenery compared to the Kerry Way and the Sheeps head way. Every day was different and every day was more spectacular but in a different way.  However ….. it was also one of the least well maintained in terms of being a path .. some sections were very very boggy with minimal effort at creating a path and its not really advisable to do it without VERY waterproof boots ( as poor Tony discovered .. When hiking in Ireland , leaking boots are as useful as a chocolate fireguard).

Day 1 – Glengarriff to Adrigole ( 17K )
We kinda cheated today and I kinda regretted it We took a lift to the start of the off road section from our very kind B&B landlord. We really appreciated it but the road walking would have been pretty and also would have warmed us ( ME !! ) up before the steep ascent up Sugarloaf  Steep ascent but the view were worth it absolutely stunning scenery .. the trail was exceptionally well marked , however the descent was pretty boggy .. I think it was about this time that Tony learnt that leaking boots in Ireland really suck ..

..
BUT we did manage to find a pub at the end of it for the obligatory couple of pints ..

Day 2 Adrigole to CastleTown Bere (23K)
Again we knocked off the first 2/3 k of walking with a kindly offered lift to the start of the off road walking we were happy to do so , the road is pretty narrow and during tourist season would have been pretty busy ..start of the walk was really really mucky … but there were some stunning views over the Fish ( Mussel ) Farms and the bay as as ascended out over the Harbor.. Stunning views around lakes and a great path up to an old mass rock, again the trail varied from good path to REALLY boggy ,,, but all very well marked. I have to admit I managed to slip on a really mucky steep UPHill acescent today and found myself in the inglorious position of slowly sliding down a hill while trying to hug onto it.
Stunning views coming into CastleTown Bere and we met a lone hiker on the route as well , 80 years old and on a hiking holidays.. I hope that I’m still hiking when I’m 80… the obligatory Post Hike Pint was taken in MacCarthys Bar .. the cover pic of the Book by the late great Pete McCarthy. Where not only did I have a pint , I watched the All Ireland Football final and watched Dublin beat Kerry ..

Day 3 – CastletownBere to Alilhies 13.5K
Another short day today ,we cut off the bog section so it was a steep wood climb , then gradual road walk into Alishies,  so finished Mid Day but we were actually lucky because as soon as we arrived in our B&B the heavens opened and it poured for the afternoon. Discovered O’Neills , fantastic Bar that serves great food , so the afternoon and evening was spend faffing , Food , Books , Newspapers , Wifi in the Bar , etc etc ….

Day 3 – Alihies vis Dursey (26K)
Now today should have been A round trip with a lot of back tracking but .. as you need a cable car ( the only one in Ireland ) to get to the Island , we took a lift to near the the cable car ( it operates in the morning and the afternoon .. not continuously ).
We technically arrived in loads of time to catch the cable car .. but of course as we had time we decided to throw in an additional loop .. ( and missed the cable car  ;-( ) have to admit to being disappointed at missing not doing the cable car and Dursey but we threw in an additional couple of loops . Stunning scenery, with a beautiful coastal walk back into the Alihies ( and back to O’Neills again for a few and some great steak )

Day 4 – Alihies to Ardgroom  (24K)
Leaving the Alihies we passed some of the old  copper mines, apparently the area used to be a very prosperous copper mining area and indeed we did pass a few mines dotting the landscape

Bit of a mix today in terms of the trail was either and excellent path or else exceptionally boggy but here was a good section of it along the coastal path  I was taken by surprise, when coming into Ardgroom to be stopped by a man on a bike requesting if I was Eileen Fitzgerald ( turns out to have been our landlord ) Ardgroom  was a lovely small town, and the B&B was excelllent  I was very impressed.

Day 5 Ardgroom to Tuosist (25k)
Lovely day today and the walk out of  Tuosist was beautiful , lots of tourists around today, there are a lot of Stone Circles in the area , I tried to get a photo of one as we passed it but unfortunately there was a tourist who was deeply engrossed / involved with slowly going from stone to stone and embracing them ( I lost patience with waiting for her to get out of my photo shot and left ).  Suppose it takes all sorts ..
the descent today was really boggy , I think I fell about five times .. for once I was way ahead of Tony .. ( but fell a lot more ).

Day 6 Tuosist to Kenmare (24K )
The first portion of the walk today was very challenging but more due to having to hike in very muddy conditions , the descent was stunning with some spectacular views as a backdrop to the two lakes ( inchiquin and Cloonee) I cannot say that I enjoyed the last section of the walk which was a road walk on a rather busy route, but we were rewarded with finally managing to get a reservation at Packies in Kenmare , excellent food well worth the wait.

Day 7 , Kenmare to Glengarriff via Dromoghty lake ( 27K)
This was my favorite day .. absolutely stunning views mostly road / track walking, with some steep ascents. And an absolutely glorious ascent over Knocknacorraveela, there was an option to take an easier route but we decided to take the more challanging one and I was sooo glad that we did. It was stunning.

And then back to Glengariff for a few well deserved pints and another great meal at MacCarthys Bar .

Of all the walks that we have completed , the scenery along the Bera Way was possibly the most stunning , the more varied with constant surprises around every corner. We organized our own luggage transfer and accommodation this time and it was exceptionally reasonable even if some of the accommodation was pretty basic all of the places we stayed were clean and , West Cork lived up to its reputation of great food. The trail was well marked but as was commented, putting markers across a bog does not a trail make’, some sections really really could have done with sleepers or something ,  anything and while our hosts were being very considerate offering us lifts to avoid boggy spells , sometimes they seemed to forget the fact that we were on a WALKING holiday ) we learnt to NOT accept any offer of lifts as our hosts seemed determined to have us skip sections of the walk.

Before I even start this recap , I have to comment on Steve McDonagh ..  a couple of years ago he invited a few of us up North to walk the Giants Causeway , and an excellent outting we had .. ( Yes Bill there eventually was a pub around the corner ) . This kinda developed into an Annual tradition of a Domino Dander .. where a few of us who work in the same industry will do a walk. This year , Steve suggested upping our game… making it a challenge and raising money for charity. So we did , we decided to do the Moyle Way 26 miles across country. For me , it was a challenge but something that I knew that I was more than capable of achieving , Steve had been involved in a bike accident (Someone went into him ) and has a leg injury which did cause him pain and suffering during certain sections of the walk. So if anyone earned the money for charity it was Steve .. anyone who would put pressure on themselves , and obviously be in pain to achieve the Charity objective…. well if you have not contributed Steve deserves it for the pain and effort that he put himself through yesterday.  So if you have no given already .. now is your chance Moyle Charity

The Moyle Way

Before we start lets state that Andy and Steve decided to do the walk in Kilts , now its a terrible shame that this photo is out of focus as its the only one that I have of the three of us and if it had been in Focus it would have been a great photo .. ( But I’m including it anyway )

Soo off we went,  thank you too much to Val McDonagh for the lift at the start and pick up at the end. One of the repeated conversations that we had during the day , was the fact that Ireland is beautiful .. and only the 5% of the population in Ireland who Hike (heard that stat somewhere ) get to see the really beautiful sections . I constantly consider myself privileged to be part of that 5%.

Anyway off we went , Setting off at Glenariff ( I’ll let Steve comment on the Barbies at the start ) we had a lovely walk along the river bank and even saw a buzzard , we actually saw three of them during the walk , I’m not sure if its because I do not walk in Wicklow with the font of knowledge that is Steve McDonagh or because they are not there but I’ve never seen them when out walking down south , yet we saw three on the Moyle way wall .   Anyway off we went , heading through through  Glenariff Forest Park , the entrance of which is through a ‘stress free zone’ well it was before I got there anyway

Absolutely stunning walk , with loads of waterfalls and river view, s bit of a steep ascent,  but well marked and a very very obvious trail, then up Trostan ( well around really ) where the Scottish really came out in Andy ( add a kilt to a Scotsman) with loads of catalog posing and pointing out thistles .

The around to Slieveanorra Forest ( with a slight off trail mishap ) where we stopped for a well deserved lunch. I learnt early in the day on that its an interesting exercise on where to look when Men in Kilts sit down. I did a lot of sudden map studying .
Then onto the way around Croaghan , nice trail but a bit mucky .. through Breen Forest .. where we saw the most amazing sight ( I’m really annoyed with not getting a pic ) of 100′s of ducks by a pond. Then up a steep ascent ( where Steve’s injury hurt him and he earned every penny for charity ) after Breen Bridge.

The Descent down and around Knocklayd was stunning, absolutely beautiful scenery

I have to admit the last 5 miles were tough , when you know the end is near , you start willing it. We made a strategic decision to skip the forest way into Ballycastle and go along the road. For a list ticker like me ( If I do the Moyle way I do the entire Moyle way) it was a tough call, but it was the right decision for the time. It was dusk so a forest walk would have been dreary, it had been raining so the route would have been muddy plus we coming in via the forest would have meant missing the sea views on the way in. And it was the same distance anyway. So we were treated to views of Rathlin Island and even Scotland ( you cannot really see it on the photo ) on the way into Ballycastle.

And into Ballycastle where a well deserved and enjoyed pint ( glass of wine for me ) was consumed just before Val picked us up , off to Chez McDonagh for a fantastic stew. Points to note during the walk..

Both Andy and Steve have declared that they will hike in future in Kilts .. they found it very liberating

As always amazing hospitality from the McDonaghs

Great company with Andy and Steve for the day, I’d spent a day walking with them anytime

Steve claimed to be the Johnny Cash of walking as he was dressed entirely in Black .. except for one item of clothing which was not on view. Unfortunately (for me) I can verify that he was not 100% in Black

Andy has a song and retort for every occasion

This will become an annual charity hike, we have the date and potential hike organized for next year including everyone that we know, whether they like it or not ) and I will do it in a Kilt next year as well

Great day , thank you to Steve and fantastic that while having a day out we also raise money for a well deserved Charity . thank you to everyone who contributed.