Devilsmother from the northern Maumturks

On Saturday, I met up with a mate and we decided to take on the northern end of the Maumturks. Standing watch over Leenane, the Maumturks are nice mountains with great views over Killary Harbour (Ireland’s only true fjord), Mweelrea, Ben Gorm, Devilsmother and other summits all around. They’re not very high by any means, but it just wasn’t going to happen on this occasion. The wind was too strong and I could hardly stand up against it. The fierce wind was rushing up the fjord, coming around the corner of the hills and hitting me on my right hand side. Maybe if I had brought some extra ballast in my pockets or lead in my boots. Having been knocked over one time too many, it was time to admit defeat and descend.

So descend we did. We drove on over to Glencullin Lough, beyond Doo Lough on the truly stunning road over towards Louisburgh (and back in Mayo), where we could admire the magnificent cliffs of the steep-walled corrie between Ben Bury and Lugmore. We spent the late afternoon and into the dark refreshing our night navigation skills, heading home after 6.30 pm. There’s definitely something extra lovely about hiking around after dark. As long as you have batteries for your head torch, a map and compass, that is.

Glencullin Lough

On Sunday morning, I travelled back down south to take on Devilsmother. A serious slog gets you up onto what is possibly Ireland’s best true plateau. In strong wind again, I nevertheless completed a loop hike that also took in the highest point of the plateau, Maumtrasna, at 702 m.

A good weekend of hillwalking in south Mayo and north Galway.

World Wetlands Day poster

World Wetlands Day is about appreciating the vital role wetlands play in our ecosystems and protecting them. Here in Mayo, we are blessed with many wetland areas, from our blanket bogs, dotted with small lakes and bogpools, to our ‘great western lakes’, like Conn, Cullin, Carra and Mask, to our coastal sites, like Mulranny saltmarshes and the brackish lake of Furnace. Indeed, we have 3 Ramsar wetlands sites of international importance, in the Sheskin Knockmoyle Bog Complex, the Owenduff Bog Complex and the Blacksod & Broadhaven Bays area.

All Ramsar sites can be viewed in the database here.

Reversal of bog drainage through dams

For long periods, Ireland drained its bogs in order to lower the water table and therefore dry out the peat for harvesting. In some places, this peat production has now ceased and efforts are being made to allow the bogs to refill with water and return to something approaching their natural state. The picture, left, of a blocked drain in north Mayo illustrates how this is being achieved.

On February 2nd, I will be out walking on the bogs to celebrate World Wetlands Day and I will share pictures here afterwards. Come and join me, if you like.

I had a specific reason for revisiting The Bangor Trail from the Bangor end on Dec 21st, the shortest day of the year. While on ‘The Walk of Hope’ with the fabulous people of Foxford Ramblers Walking Club the previous Saturday, two companions from Bangor had told me of works being carried out on the Trail that they weren’t at all happy with. I just had to investigate, fearful of another example of environmental vandalism by public bodies.

The Walk of Hope, with Foxford Ramblers Walking Club

But first, back to Foxford. Jim Murray and his colleagues had organised a charity walk for Sat, Dec 17th, in aid of Hope House in Foxford. It was an excellent 16 km walk over the lowish Mayo foothills of the Ox Mountains, from Bonniconlon back to Foxford. Towards the end of the walk was a superb wetlands area, with rushes, streams and three small lakes I need to re-investigate some time this year.

The walk was led by Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and we had lovely weather, save for one rough enough hailstone storm. A good 80 walkers took part and it was most enjoyable. Find out about Hope House here and Foxford Ramblers Walking Club here. A great day !

The Bangor Trail

The following Wednesday, I hiked from Bangor to the Tarsaghaunmore River on The Bangor Trail and back (8 km one-way). On the day that was in it, I knew I wouldn’t get any further by dusk and didn’t really fancy hiking after dark. All was going swimmingly until near the bridge, where I discovered the work to which the Bangor people had referred.

A bit of history : a number of interested parties, including NPWS and the local Leader company, had attended a meeting in late 2010 to discuss what should be done about the waterlogged nature of much of The Trail. I was decidedly on the “leave it alone” side of the discussions. My understanding of the outcome of this meeting was that only streams crossing the Trail would be boardwalked and / or drained and the remainder left as is. Instead, what I saw in December was both boardwalking and drainage work where there is no need whatsoever for either. Or to put it another way, if they deem work necessary on that section, then they’ll deem it necessary almost anywhere. The fear now is that this type of work will be carried out way in excess of what is required, threatening to ruin the uniqueness of this place.

Lugnaquilla, Co. Wicklow

Between Christmas and New Year, I joined my brother-in-law for a hike up Wicklow’s Lugnaquilla, Ireland’s highest mountain outside Kerry. We came from the Glen of Imaal side, heading up by Dwyer’s statue. The walk (6.5 km one-way) was really easy, taking just under 2 hours to the 925 m high summit. It snowed on us for part of the hike and we unfortunately had no view when we reached the top.

It’s a hike I must try to do again this summer, but from the more difficult eastern side, because the Glen of Imaal approach is just a walk up a not-very-demanding slope. Indeed, many Mayo or Connemara mountains, of only 500 m height demand much more physical effort than this did.

She took and kissed the first flower once

and sweetly said to me :

‘This flower comes from the Wicklow hills,

dew wet and pure’, said she,

‘It’s name is Michael Dwyer,

the strongest flower of all.

But I’ll keep it fresh beside my breast,

though all the world should fall.’

[Na Trí Bláthanna / The Three Flowers (trad.)]

All said, an excellent December to finish off 2011. Now for 2012. Get in touch if you’d like to join one of my guided hillwalking weekends in Mayo.

The Hunting Lodge

Anyway, many of these lodges now lie in ruins. One such lodge lies deep in the modern plantation conifer forests of north Mayo. Not a beautiful place, in that the thick impenetrable conifers do not house an awful lot of life, nevertheless, I find myself returning time and time again. Around the lodge itself, we can witness the unstoppable force of the Atlantic blanket bog at work today as it has been for several thousand years.

When the conifer plantations were begun back in the 1950s, the lodge had only recently been abandoned. Indeed, people had been staying there during the Second World War. The lodge, like so many landlord estates of the previous 100 years, had been planted with broadleaves and non-native specimen trees – in this case, there was a clear penchant for Monkey Puzzles. Coillte (as it is now called) did not buy the actual lodge and its immediately surrounding lands. Rather, it set about encircling the plot with its conifers, leading to its present day “hidden” status.

Visiting in 1939, TH White wrote that “this lodge has 2 or 3 miles of river, 10,000 acres of grouse, one living room, 3 double bedrooms, 2 singles, a bathroom, lavatory and kitchens. We might get between 6 and 60 salmon, between 20 and 50 brace of grouse.”  

Trees succumb to the climate

To visit this place now is to get a snapshot of the relentless march of the bog. Walking to the front of the ruin from the forest track, your feet are sinking into the wetness. Only one Monkey Puzzle remains in the land of the living. All others are dead stumps. Most of the Scots Pines too are dead, although their rate of survival is unsurprisingly a little higher than that of the exotics. Bizarrely, the few Cypresses planted are large, robust and seem fine.

Beyond the lodge is the lovely Sycamore garden. Although outside of summer it is incredibly wet and boggy underfoot, these trees are alive and kicking. The mosses, ferns and Tree Lungwort growing on them are magnificent specimens. The ground beneath them is blanketed in primroses in spring. Immediately beyond, however, the conifer wall stands firm.

Tree Lungwort

As a biomonitor, Tree Lungowrt (Lobaria pulmonaria) survives only in areas of clean air, a characteristic it shares with Usnea lichen species. Learn more here.

In the mountain stream next along, I have seen Otter and Grey Wagtail. I’d love to think the Dipper resides there, but I have never seen one. I have flushed three Red Grouse over the years, a true delight. Beyond the trees, out over the bog itself, I have seen Kestrel, Raven, Merlin, Hare and Fox.

Following the stream away from the track, you come across the remains of the settlement that once housed humans. Like the lodge owners, they’re all long gone and it is difficult to imagine that just 60 years ago, there was human life, but no conifers, here.

OK, I prefer the dry, crisp, fresh winter to the sodden, rainy, mucky winter. But since we have far more of the latter than the former, I make do with it.

The Western Way, Mayo, in winter

Today, I went on a 7-hour cycle and hike along The Western Way, through Ireland’s largest tract of land with no through road. It rained good and proper for the entire duration, with not a single minute’s reprieve. But not just any old rain, oh no. Blown by strong winds, this was the “wonderful” almost horizontal Irish variety. On the journey out, this was fine, as it blew into my back. But on the journey back, another story …

In this area, The Western Way is a forest track through Coillte land, with one section of around 2,100 m of boardwalk in the wettest part – a seriously slippy boardwalk in this weather. In all, it’s about 26 km of entirely off-road hiking and cycling, although I couldn’t manage that in these short winter days.

With the rain coming down, I cycled more in water than on terra firma, as the rain run-off likes to utilise the track bed as the path of least resistance in its relentless search for a river course. Between my outward journey and the return, all rivers and streams had well over doubled the volume of water they were carrying. On the drive home afterwards, there was flooding aplenty in the fields and bogs along the road. A lot of water fell in north Mayo today.

The wildlife count was poor today, as is to be expected in heavy rain. No deer and no raptors. Just four hares and one pheasant of note. Mind you, deep into the plantation forest, very large deer tracks are all around. I saw fox, otter and pine marten droppings, as well as those of the deer.

Boardwalk on The Western Way

If you want a place to gather your thoughts and be utterly immersed in and subjected to the West of Ireland outdoors, this is the place. Coillte likes to call it Ireland’s ‘big sky country’. With the conifers all around, I’m not so sure about that description, but you know what they’re trying to say.

Gear review :

Despite 7 hours of continuous rain, my Meindl Vakuum GTX feet were bone dry, as always. My Helly Hansen Helly Tech head and torso ditto. I was particularly impressed that not a drop of water went down my back or even onto my neck. My North Face trousers could not withstand the rain, but, in fairness, that was mainly because I was cycling most of the time, so pumping thighs and a wet saddle didn’t help. My LifeVenture TiV vacuum flask disappointed. Billed as keeping water hot above 60 C for up to 12 hours, it didn’t keep mine hot for even 6.

However, that 100 km loop is really only one part of what I believe could be provided in Mayo, to bring this county up to genuine international scale as a walking and cycling destination. The recent unsurprising decision by government to scrap the plan to extend the Western Rail Corridor northwards beyond Athenry reinforces my belief.

On the (from a tourism development viewpoint) much maligned eastern side of Mayo, we have the disused Claremorris to Collooney (Co. Sligo) railway line, part of the famous Western Rail Corridor. This line, at 76 km long, will doubtless never be reinstated for use as a railroad. To the south of Claremorris are the remains of the old branch line down to Ballinrobe, 22 km long. Ditto for its future as a railway. To my knowledge, only 1 km of that line has become a road surface, with the remainder through predominantly farmland. Together, these two track beds could get a cyclist or walker from just south of Sligo town to Ballinrobe, on the shores of Lough Mask in south county Mayo – off road! That’s a distance of around 100 km.

Around Mayo Loop - Northern Section

 RED = OFF ROAD

RED DASH = WHERE THE ROUTE COULD EASILY BE TAKEN OFF-ROAD

PURPLE = ON MINOR ROADS

BLUE = MAIN ROADS

Ballinrobe is just a short 11 km hop from the beautiful forests at Cong and Clonbur, where a further 10 km of off-road tracks already exist (more, if you include the gorgeous local loop trails by the lakes).

From there to Westport (79 km) would admittedly use 45 km of roadways, but minor ones. Using the 10 km long Seanbhóthair between Clonbur and Cornamona, then the 24 km of off-road sections of the Western Way would give a total of 34 km off-road. This part of the trail would take the walker or cyclist along the edge of the magnificent Lough Corrib and by the lovely Sheaffry Hills to Westport. Indeed, this south Mayo stretch of The Western Way could hopefully be taken much more off-road. This work has already begun.

Now we’ve reached Westport from Collooney, a distance of some 200 km, with around 144 km off-road and 56 km on small and minor roads.

As we know, the off-road Greenway already exists from Westport quay north through Newport and Mulranny to Achill. Leaving the Greenway just north of Newport, you could turn inland, on very minor roadways for 7 km and then take The Western Way all the way to the north Mayo coast, at Ballycastle and the Céide Fields. There are just 8 km on-road, which could relatively easily be converted to off-road by the local authorities.

Around Mayo Loop - Southern Section

RED = OFF ROAD

PURPLE = ON MINOR ROADS

BLUE = MAIN ROADS

To Ballycastle, this would give a walking and cycling trail that would be a total 281 km long, with just 71 km on-road – and virtually all very minor roads at that. That’s 210 km of off-road cycling and walking !

The final piece in the jigsaw would be to join Ballycastle, on the breath-taking north Co. Mayo coastline, taking in the superb abbeys at Moyne and Rosserk, back down to the old railway at Swinford, using minor roads via Ballina and the low Ox Mountains, plus The Foxford Way.

Total trail length : approx. 353 km

Total off-road : approx. 226 km

Total minor roads : approx. 111 km

Total other, larger roads : approx. 16 km (8 km of which could be quickly taken off-road)

Fantastic !

Mayo is in a pretty small country. However, ours is a very large county and we have the real opportunity to produce a (mostly) off-road walking and cycling experience that would actually be of international quality length. Beginning with my proposal and with vision from the local authorities (who are already doing great work here), we would then have the motivation to get ever more of this potentially fantastic trail off-road, until, one day, it all would be.

What, there’s more ? Yes there is.

This trail would have four rail access points directly on it, at Collooney, Claremorris, Westport and Ballina. Also, just imagine what this could do for small tourism providers, local food producers, artists and craftspeople, traditional pubs, etc., along the route – particularly in the more remote areas. Now that’s sustainable tourism.

Check out this website, which proposes the conversion of the Collooney to Claremorris rail line : http://www.sligomayogreenway.com/

In my rucksack is my food, consisting two ham and cheese sandwiches, hot flask (though I rarely drink from it), bottle of water, apple, banana and chocolate bar. The chocolate is always either a Mars or Snickers – today it’s the former. Deep down under some first aid stuff and my headlamp in one of the rucksack’s pockets lies my “Emergency Snickers”. I’m disciplined and never touch it, save to update it once a year. Check.

By 6.50, I’ve arrived at the starting point, where I meet my two co-walkers. We’re actually on time ! As it’s not raining this morning, I choose the woolly hat, though I always carry the other with me in the rucksack. A baseball cap is much more useful in rain.

Our Fox

The first 3 km of the walk is along a Coillte forest track. In the morning sunshine, we spot a fox moving along the track towards us. He doesn’t seem to notice us and continues to advance in our direction. We’re downwind. Eventually he spots us, takes a short gawk and jumps into the undergrowth to the side. Beautiful.

At the end of the track, we need to negotiate about 200 m through plantation forest. It’s never pleasant, trying to avoid the straight, short and sharp lower branches that stick out of the Spruce trees. We make it through and emerge on the other side to that classic West of Ireland view – a gently sloping, bog covered hill, with its drenched grasses and sedges. It’s the strangely named Glenlara (564 m) - a name that really should only apply to the valley below, but which has been adopted to the hill / mountain itself.

Two streams start their lives on this one slope of Glenlara. At their sources is a wall of rushes, thick and energy sapping, that we need to cross. It can be surprisingly difficult to get through this, all the more so when it’s wet underneath and between them – as it always is. We reach the shoulder of the hill and begin our ascent to our target – Birreencorragh.

Possible abandoned Booley House

Birreencorragh is one of the few Mayo mountains boasting what we can justifiably call a peak. Apart from it, I can think only of Corrannabinnia, Croagh Patrick of course and, arguably, Mweelrea. Other Mayo mountains, like the Nephins Mór and Beg, Slieve Carr, Barrclashcame and Achill’s Slievemore only have rounded or plateau tops.

You could argue that Achill’s Croaghan has a ‘peak’, but to do so would be ignoring the fact that it only appears to have one because the far side of the mountain fell in to, or gave way to, the ocean immediately below.

Approaching from the south, we begin to see the cone of Birreencorragh ahead. Where we cross a boggy plateau between the two mountains, we stop for a snack behind one of the many turf tussocks protruding up to 1.5 metres above the ground level – great for a bit of shelter from the wind.

Scree-covered SE face of Birreencorragh

Below us to the West sits Mount Eagle, really just a spur off the main mountain. We have a strange habit in Ireland of giving names to high points on spurs, thereby elevating them to a status they barely deserve. To the North-East we observe the spectacular scree face of Birreencorragh, which falls steeply down 450 m, until it begins to level off somewhat. Ahead is the final ascent to the summit, at 698 m.

On the top of the mountain, with its broken trig pillar, we are joined by a Peregrine flying just above us. In the wind at the top, the bird appears to remain fairly still, almost hovering. You might think it was a Kestrel, but no, a Peregrine he is. He soon disappears below the steep edge of the mountain, gone hunting down in Glendavoolagh perhaps.

As usual, we don’t hang around at the top. The wind is cold and the desire to descend is strong. We push on north-eastwards towards the ridge with Knockaffertagh (517 m), before turning south-eastwards and descending onto the col.

Birreencorragh from valley below Knockaffertagh

Having traversed Knockaffertagh, we descend to the valley below and onto part of the so-called Keenagh Loop. The section of this pleasant loop walk we take brings us along the bank of the stream we saw from the top of Birreencorragh. From above, it seemed to slice through the bog in the sunshine, like a curved silver sword across the brown-purple blanket bog landscape below.

We see Otter spraint (droppings) along the riverbank. Two hares run across the bog to our left. The black-faced sheep seem surprised to see us. As we near the cars, we pass an abandoned farmstead, with Rowan and Hawthorn trees around and the mountain as backdrop. The ground all around is wet. The heather lies thick between us and the trees beyond. We know we’re in Mayo.

Abandoned farmstead

This hillwalk :

The Glendorragha Horseshoe - approx. 17 km - approx. 7 hours.

Brackloon Wood in winter

The circular walk is about 4 km and will take you a little over an hour, or more if you have small children with you. Take a stroll through the wood at any time of the year, for a healthy and invigorating brush with our ancient landscape.

Brackloon was seriously reduced in size during the 1700s and into the 1800s, as much of the wood was used for charcoal. Nevertheless, today its 74 hectares make for a pleasant circular walk, entirely off-road and great fun for your children. See Oak, Ash, Willow, Hazel, Birch and Holly, among others. Indeed, leave the track and find your way down to the Owenwee River at the northern end of the walk, to add another dimension to this lovely spot.

Click on the link, below, for a map from www.mayowalks.ie.

Brackloon Wood, Westport, Co. Mayo

The itinerary is as follows :

April 10 : Fly Dublin to Warsaw with Aer Lingus and transfer to Biebrza National Park.

April 11 – 13 : Walking and wildlife spotting in Biebrza NP, home to Elk, Red Deer, Beaver, Wolf, Lynx and birds, such as Lesser Spotted Eagle, Crane, Stork, Woodpecker, Owl, Geese, etc. Biebrza (‘beaver’ in Polish) NP is based around the river basin of the same name and is a spectacular area of river marsh and wetland woodlands. Beautiful forest tracks are perfect for exploring the woodland and marsh areas.

April 13 – 14 : Walking and wildlife spotting in Bialowieza NP, home to Bison, Deer, Wolf, Lynx, various species of Woodpecker and many other fabulous birds. Bialowieza NP is based around the primeval forest of the same name – one of the very last tracts of such beautiful and serene forest in central and eastern Europe. An iconic location for lovers of nature and Europe’s biodiversity, memories of your visit to Bialoweiza will never leave you.

April 15 : Return to Ireland.

We stay in shared rooms in lovely traditional Polish ‘pensions’. Meals, transport within Poland and full guiding with our wonderful local expert are all included. The flights are not included and should be booked directly with www.aerlingus.com as soon as possible, once you have received confirmation from me that the trip is proceeding, in order to benefit from the best prices possible. Today, October 17, 2011, the return flight with no luggage in the hold, costs approx. Euro 120.

The cost of this great trip with us is Euro 500 per person sharing. If we get a group together and you then book your flights and bring just cabin luggage, the total cost should be around Euro 620. I cannot recommend this trip highly enough. Our local guide is so good, he’s written the guide book to the nature and biodiversity of Biebrza National Park.

Walking is easy, on forest tracks, with no hills of any note. This is a lovely relaxing trip into the vast nature of eastern Europe. See pictures of this trip in previous years, by visiting here.

Watch a YouTube slideshow of a past group here.

If you would like to join our small walking group for this excellent trip to Poland next April, please get in touch, via e-mail or phone, and reserve your place.

But it didn’t happen. Even as we left the car, the rain was pouring down and the sky was very low indeed. We couldn’t see much of Nephin Beg, which should have been looming above us immediately to the W.

By the time we got to the end of the disused forest track at F 936133, where it meets a stream, we were pretty deflated. Our gear was holding up with no problem, but the spirit was somewhat damaged. The unending rain can do that to you, especially when there’s no view.

We ploughed on, starting the gentle slope towards the lake above. By the stream, we came across an area of deer activity – the bracken had been crushed and trampled, leaving a space of some 6m x 4m flattened in the middle of the otherwise 60cm high undergrowth. With deer droppings all around, this was a wallowing site.

We eventually gave up and retreated, still dry after 3 1/2 hours, but disappointed that we had not achieved more. On our return to the car, we came across some conifers that had been ‘barked’ by the deer. Barking occurs where the deer remove strips of bark for food. We also saw an impressively large frog and lots and lots of rain.

Entitled “Creative Marketing & Innovative Tourism Development”, the conference will be chaired by well-known jounalist, Catherine Mack. I’m one of five rural tourism providers who will talk about our own experience of developing and marketing a rural tourism business. It should be fun.

See the conference details here. If you’re in the general Cavan Monaghan area, why not come along and say hi !

This is country I know well, having once lived in the deep south of France for five years. Indeed, I first ventured into the Pyrenees back in 1991, exploring the rural villages that dot the valleys between the high peaks and hiking up to high corrie lakes. It’s wonderful country, with that great French mix of quaint, old traditional stone built houses, sheep and goat herds and breathtaking mountain scenery. I go back every year.

France boasts many long linear hiking trails, among them the wonderful GR10, which follows the mountain chain from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. In the southern French départements of Haute Garonne, Ariège and Aude, this trail is simply beautiful.

We will experience mountain lakes, waterfalls, gigantic forests and cute little villages, while enjoying off-road trails, all set against a spectacular backdrop of high mountain peaks, such as Le Valier (see slideshow). We will stay in ‘refuges’, mountain lodges and excellent rural hostels. It will be a fabulous week of hillwalking in one of Europe’s most beautiful corners.

Get in touch if you would like to be kept up-to-date with further information on this September 2012 French séjour.

National Heritage Week 2011

It’s Heritage Week 2011 this week. See if you can get along to any of these events being held here in Mayo.

1. Tour of Archaeological Sites of North Mayo.

This bus tour leaves Ballina tourism office on Sat 27th at 10 am and returns at 2.30 pm.

2. Partry Heritage Day.

Ecologist Chris Huxley leads a walk, at Partry Estate, from noon to 4 pm on Sunday 28th.

3. Talk on Mayo’s Farming Heritage.

An illustrated talk at Ballycroy National Park visitor centre, on Sunday 28th, from 3 pm to 4 pm.

4. Guided Walk of Achill Beg Island.

Leaving from Cloghmore pier on Achill Island at 10 am on Saturday 27th, returning at 4 pm.

5. Guided Walk of Tóchar Daithí Bhán.

Child-freindly walk at Ballycroy National Park visitor centre, from noon to 1 pm, on Friday 26th, Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th.

6. Mulranny Loop Guided Walk.

Meet at Mulranny Park Hotel on Sunday 28th, at 11 am. The group will return around 2pm.

Above is just a sample of the impressive 29 unique events taking place in Mayo this week. Some of them are repeated several times for convenience.

For the full listing and more detail on what’s on offer this week, visit the official website here.

Hiking Nephin in March

Steve came hillwalking last March and wrote the following article about the day, which he has kindly permitted me to reproduce here. We climbed Nephin – at 806 m, Connacht’s second highest mountain.

” A Mountain and a Lost Ship

Barry Murphy met us outside the post office in the village of Lahardane, County Mayo. He was our guide for a hike up Nephin Mór – the second highest mountain in Connacht. With introductions made, our small group set off.

As we approached the trail, Barry introduced us to the local history of the parish of Addergoole. A ruined house had once been the home of a victim of the sinking of the Titanic. A total of fourteen parishioners had sailed on the ill starred voyage; only three survived. The loss is reputed to be the greatest in Europe from a single small locality.

Catherine McGowan is credited with putting the ‘Addergoole Fourteen’ together. She had spent several years in America and had originally returned home to bring her niece out to the States. Others decided to join her and their dream of a new life ended in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. Catherine perished, but her niece, 17 year old Annie McGowan, was rescued. She lived to the grand age of 95 and is buried in Illinois.

Each year, the tragedy of 1912 is commemorated by the ringing of a lone church bell at 2.20am on 15^th April; the moment when the great liner slipped beneath the waves. There is a thriving Titanic Society, and relatives of the passengers still live in the area. A centenary programme is planned for 2012.

We now began our ascent of the mountain. A fine Irish drizzle closed in;  it seemed our efforts would not be rewarded with a spectacular view. Boots crunched in deep snow as we neared the summit. Then, right on cue, the mist lifted and all was revealed in sunlight. Directly below us was the anglers’ paradise of Lough Conn. On the horizon, the conical outline of the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick. To the west, the grandeur of Achill Island and the very Atlantic Ocean that had taken such a toll.

At the summit of Nephin Mór

Poses were struck, and cameras clicked as we enjoyed our good fortune.

With hike over, we returned to our hotel where Barry joined us for a pint and the swapping of tales. We much enjoyed his account of hitching through a divided Germany. An East German policeman inspected his belongings. Barry’s meagre rations had consisted of a Mars bar and a hard boiled egg. ‘Crack ze egg’, insisted this paragon of suspicion.

 A fine evening was rounded off by a Guinness fuelled screening of the Ireland v England rugby international. I awoke next morning with a heavy head, but a light heart. On checking out, I reminded the receptionist of my heroics in scaling Nephin Mór. I suggested that perhaps they would consider renaming the peak after me. She smiled as she lied that she would ask someone to look into it… “

Two spectacular cliff-top walks take place on Saturday, offering great views out over the North Atlantic. Each walk is filled with stories and legends of this part of Ireland.

On Sunday, we jump in a boat out to the abandoned offshore island of Iniskea. Hear about how the islanders lived, of whaling, piracy and more.

On Monday, we stroll the southern Mullet peninsula, with its lovely hills and sandy beaches, giving beautiful 360 degree views.

I had a big group up The Bangor Trail last weekend and, while there was of course surface water, there was not the usual energy sapping trudge through the peat covered hills.

Mayo is a great destination for hill walking, as we enjoy such large areas of uplands, not spoiled by roads cutting through them. We have nice mountain peaks, perfect for hill walking without the need for ropes or crampons. Down below, lovely West Mayo villages and small towns, like Newport, Mulranny, Westport and Belmullet will entertain you during the evenings. Not to forget Cong, the prettiest village in Ireland, standing beneath the mountains of South Mayo and North Galway.

Here is a selection of photos of hill walking in Mayo. Enjoy.

The loop, which I called the “Nephin Beg Mountains Loop” would encircle the mountains of Northwest Mayo and bring the walker or cyclist along rivers and small bog lakes, through blanket bog and by the seashore. Even better, at four points, there would be the opportunity for cyclists and long distance walkers to head off on spurs leaving the central loop. One would head towards Ballycastle, The Céide Fields and the north Mayo coastline. A second would branch off towards Belmullet and The Mullet peninsula, while the third would bring the visitor west to Achill Island. Finally, the fourth branch from the loop would go south, to the tourist hot-spots of Westport and Croagh Patrick.

Even better, The Bangor Trail (for walkers only) would bisect the 100 km loop straight down the middle, giving serious walkers another choice.

Not all walkers are in to hillwalking. A lot of this low-level loop is already in place. The new Great Western Greenway cycleway and walking trail, built on the old dismantled Westport to Achill railway line, makes up some 18 km of the 100 envisaged. The Western Way national waymarked walking trail meanders for some 25 km north of Newport into the wilderness and is hugely underutilised and neglected. There are already plans afoot to extend the Greenway northwards from Mulranny, in the general direction of Belmullet and Bangor Erris.

What I am calling for that is new consists of two parts. First, a modest 3 km stretch needs building to take the Western Way off-road in its entirety in this area. That’s hardly a big ask, as the land to be crossed is either Coillte or Bord na Móna owned. The second section would be around 6 or 7 km long, along the northern border of my Loop. Again, not a major task, with the land once again being mostly in Coillte hands.

While the new Greenway is nice, it is nowhere near international quality in length or variety of scenery. This “Nephin Beg Mountains Loop” most certainly would be.

Here is my aspirational map of the finished product. I think it can and should be done. What do you think ?

The solid red lines represent already existing tracks and trails. The dot-dash lines are what I am putting forward here.

Nephin Beg Mountains Loop

I will man a stand on hill walking in Mayo. On an hourly basis, I will give a talk about gear you need for hill walking in Mayo, looking at layers, compass, maps and so on. I’ll let you know of upcoming events and answer any questions you might have.

Come by my stand and say ‘hello’, pick up a flyer and learn about the wonderful outdoors we enjoy over here on the western seaboard.

Music on the day is being provided by The Saw Doctors, Tommy Fleming and others. Things to do and enjoy include zorbing, archery and more. So come on in to the city centre for the afternoon.

Check out the website for Mayo Alive Festival here.

Take a look at the festival brochure here.

You would be very welcome on my two free guided walking events in Erris, as follows :

Ciorcal Ceathrú Thaidhg (Carrowteige) on Thursday, June 16th at 4.00 pm (no charge). This is a wonderful cliff-top walk and will last around 4 hours.

Ciorcal Cheann Iorrais (Erris Head) on Friday, June 17th at 2 pm (no charge). Another cliff-top walk, this is a shorter than Carrowtigure, at around 2 1/2 hours.

There will also be a boat trip out to Iniskea Island on Saturday, June 18th. Let me know if you would be interested in coming on that, as places are strictly limited. There will be a charge for the Inishkea island guided tour of Euro 40 per person.