Outdoor Odysseys

2024: A year of Celtic trails and French summits

There once was a time when every year would get a retrospective review at the end, or not long afterwards. That has slipped for various reasons. However, this piece reinstates that for this year. Whatever happens in coming years cannot be known; we only know the present, and our recollections of the past are prone to the ravages of time, though some have better memories than others.

Highland Rambles to Start a Year

For me, this year began in Aviemore after the preceding disruption of storm Gerrit. New Year’s Day was spent hiking around Rothiemurchus, with many wishing Happy New Year to each other. Lochan Mor, Loch an Eilein, Loch Gamhna and Loch Morlich all featured as landmarks on an amble on a crisp sunny winter’s day. The volume of traffic along the road between Aviemore and Glen More was more akin to a motorway than a thoroughfare in a protected part of Scotland. With no public transport in operation, private transport possibly was the only realistic option for getting around.

The next day saw a return to Inverness for a hike from there to the shores of Loch Ness at Lochend. The paths by the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal were pleasant, though sunshine was scarce. The same could not be said for walking along the side of the A82, yet seeds were sown for future rambles that use Inverness as a base. Walking back from Drumnadrochit to Inverness along part of the Great Glen Way is among these, as is a circuit through the hills near Achnashellach train station in Scotland’s more remote northwest. South Loch Ness Trail is another option that appeals. If other things had not intruded, these ideas may have been used sometime this year. For now, they remain in my catalogue of ideas for the future.

February’s Fresh Start In Cork

The rest of January was occupied with many handover sessions in advance of a work contract coming to an end. This was a process that took its toll on me, setting some of the scene for the start of February. Nevertheless, property hunting took me to Cork for around two weeks. That was complemented by strolls along the disjointed sections of the Cork Harbour Greenway along with some pottering around Crosshaven, Fota and Cobh. A day trip to Killarney saw me reprise part of a route taken during the first full day of my stay there in August 2022; the initial idea was to head to Glengarriff, but the bus ticket machine would not sell me a day return ticket and I took that as a sign that it might be best left for another time. The deviation around by Torc Waterfall made for a late return to Killarney bus station; it was as well that later services operate on a Sunday, or my incaution might have left me marooned. There was a circuit of Muckross Lake too, which might have made the day a little too long in hindsight.

March in Aberystwyth: Coastal Walks and Windy Summits

In March, there was a return visit to Aberystwyth to follow up on a stay there the preceding September. A good weather window was what prompted me, and I got in some coastal walking on the first full day there. The main stretch was part of the Wales Coast Path that returned me to Aberystwyth from Borth after some pottering around Aberystwyth. Pumlumon Fawr got an ascent on a bracing day with a cold gusty wind reducing the time spent on the said summit. It might have been better not to have gone up there at all, but for my stubbornness. Lower level hiking was less affected by the wind and I wandered about by Bwlch Nant-yr-Arian before continuing to Ponterwyd. The tale of my day made a bus driver laugh when I said it was the wind that was the greatest challenge.

April Escapades: From Stirling to the Tops and Lochs of Central Scotland

Eastertide house decluttering and a run of uninspiring weather meant that it was the end of April when I next got out and about. This time, I based myself in Stirling. The preceding November saw me making an impromptu incursion into the Ochil Hills by following a track while wearing trail shoes. That act eliminated those eminences from my attention, so it was the need to experience a hike around Ben Ledi with more sunshine that became the main motivation. Before that, I enjoyed a delightful stroll around Stirling in the pleasant evening sunshine, even if it wearied me a bit for the main ascent.

The route to Ben Ledi went along that of the Rob Roy Way from Callander before deviating onto a forestry track that carried me around Boschastle Hill. That saved some steep ascent at the beginning, only for more height gain to try my legs on the way up to the summit. With sunlit views like I never saw them before, there were ample excuses for rest breaks to ease the burden. Once over the summit, I descended below Bealach nan Crop into Stank Glen from where I reached the shore of Loch Lubnaig, where I loitered a while before dropping into a Forest Holidays shop for some refreshments. The way back to Callander from there was swifter than I had expected, allowing me to use an earlier bus for the return to Stirling.

The next day saw me back in Callander for what became a hike to Aberfoyle along the southern shore of Loch Venachar before a diversion to Brig o’ Turk prompted by curiosity and Loch Achray. Concerns about making the last bus of the day and the growing heat persuaded me not to visit Loch Katrine, so I hotfooted the rest of the way on forestry tracks, only to find that my fears were unfounded. The initial plan had been to do a circuit of Loch Venachar until distances and the heat caused a change of mind. Very weary legs were rested in Aberfoyle before that bus appeared, and the stop also allowed a chance to imbibe some refreshments.

May: Revisiting the Trails around Aviemore, Rothiemurchus and Kingussie

The start of May was graced with a repeat visit to Aviemore. The main motivation might have been an out and back hike to Loch Eanaich after high water halted the errand the previous December. That was just as well since there still was a stream crossing without a bridge that got me wet feet and boots. This was the sort of thing that perhaps was best left for the last day of a stay instead of the first. Nevertheless, I got where I fancied going. Ronald Turnbull has published a route leading this way to Carn Ban Mor and other nearby hills. It does not look like a day hike to me unless you make use of a mountain bike. Backpacking might be the better approach after some strength training to cope with your load. The next day saw me reprise a hike from Kingussie to Aviemore with variations to the route. This included closer proximity to Glen Feshie and a more direct if muddier route from Moor of Feshie to Loch Gamhna. Otherwise, it was good to redo this with longer hours of daylight.

June: West Highland Retrospectives and French Forays

The West Highland Way got some repeat attention at the start of June during a stay in Fort William. First up was the section between Fort William and Kinlochleven after a deviation around by Cow Hill near the start. Though used by many more people on the day, it was great to revisit a trail that I had not walked for more than twenty years, even if it took a toll on me because of a rush to catch a bus at a reasonable hour. That was not how things worked out for me between Glen Coe and Bridge of Orchy. Though wintry showers peppered the day, there were periods of bright sunshine that may up for these and a shorter route with better public transport connections made for a more relaxing hike. All was settled gain, even if the numbers heading north made me wonder about overtourism. My recollection of passing the same way around twenty years before was that things were much quieter back then.

This also was a year with two trips to France. A passport bungle meant that I could use a booked ferry trip, so I rearranged it for later. The stay in Paris still went ahead in May. Rennes and Versailles were the object of side trips during a getaway that featured mixed weather and extensive urban walking. The summer solstice was when I used the ferry booking between Portsmouth and Saint-Malo, where there was the only episode of mixed weather. Otherwise, there was no shortage of sunshine in Paris or Versailles, even if restrictions were becoming more intrusive ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Grenoble became my main base, allowing plenty of hiking to happen. The routes took me to Mont Rachais, the Desert de Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Charvet, Sassenage, Mont-Saint-Martin and along the River Isère. While tongue-tied by my grasp of French at times, much was to be enjoyed, too. All was accomplished by surface travel, which was even better in these days of climate crisis. That may set up some excursions in times to come.

A Southern Irish Summer: Traversing Hilltops, Coastlines and Peninsulas

Somewhat like 2010, 2024 feels like a year of two halves after I acquired a new Irish base in Cork city. Thus, July and August saw a lot of Irish traipsing in between attending to other matters that have been in the offing for a while. Killarney saw two back to back day trips, the second saw me reach the summit of Mangerton after being stymied by going around by Knockreer and Ross Castle on the first day. A full day was spent traversing the Ballyhoura Mountains from Ballyhea to Seefin and back. The three Atlantic peninsulas of West Cork, Mizen, Beara and Sheep’s Head, all got visits. The first involved hiking from Schull to Ballydehob and the last allowed me to go from Kilcrohane to Ahakista via the top of Seefin (the name pops up in a few places on this evidence). Glengarriff’s Nature Trails were a lure to the Beara Peninsula early in August, only to be followed with possibly the soggiest and wettest hike in my life along the Beara Way from Adrigole to Glengarriff. Other summertime forays took me to Cashel and Cahir, as well as the Knockmealdown Mountain foothills on a saunter from Cappoquin to Lismore.

A Subsequent Lull

The summer wanderings were followed by a lull in August. Fatigue and other distractions like testing out Generative AI curtailed things in the autumn before the weather fell into a rut uncongenial to hill wandering. There still was a loop around Great Island in Cork Harbour as well as more local forays to known spots until thing perked up more recently with visits to Blarney, Ballincollig and Kinsale.

Ideas for an Open Book

2025 remains an open book at this stage, though there are some ideas that are readily to hand. One is a sojourn in Inverness, while a transatlantic escapade cannot be ruled out either. Given recent political developments, Canada looks more likely than its southern neighbour. The need to use Virgin points may encourage me to go to Canada yet. Toronto could be a base for what surrounds it, and Galway could act in a similar fashion in Ireland. Business matters need added attention, so I do not have a free hand in all of this. Only time will tell what happens next.

An Irish summer

This summer, I needed to be in Ireland to progress a piece of work that I have wanted to do for a while now. That needed me to have a base here, the purchase of which was completed not so long ago. The work did not need all of my time, so I also got to fit in some day hikes here and there. They allowed me to develop a connection with the place that I never had before, even if this is where I was born, had my upbringing and gained most of my education.

Killarney’s hold on my affections was enough to stymie an ascent of Mangerton with a diversion around by the Knockreer estate and Ross Castle. A second attempt needed self-restraint given those other distractions. That succeeded, and it helped that cloud cover broke to allow some pleasing photos to be made, so much so that I could have missed my train back to Cork. In the event, there was plenty of time for everything. There were other rugged eminences, and they needed to be left for another occasion; an abundance of ruggedness will keep any hill wanderer busy hereabouts.

There was a time in my life when family outings took us to the Ballyhoura Mountains that line part of the county boundary between Limerick and Cork. More recently, though, I have been passing them rather than exploring them. A long summer day provided an exception to this: an out and back trek between Ballyhea and Seefin Mountain, near Ardpatrick. Though plenty of delights were encountered, it also took its toll on me and a period of recovery ensued. Recollections of surrounding views over the counties of Cork, Limerick and Tipperary stay with me, including those of the Galtee Mountains.

Another destination for family outings was Mount Melleray Abbey near Cappoquin in County Waterford. This also inspired a visit when the weather offered. That took in Glenshelane on the way from Cappoquin, and some rough cross-country travel was the cause of getting me to Lismore by following Saint Declan’s Way for much of the route, despite it not being marked on my map. An alternative from EastWest Mapping was acquired later, and I have added a GPX track to Outdooractive for any future traipsing that may come to pass. After all, Lismore remains worth another visit because of its castle; I fancy a photo when the time of day ensures sunlight from the right direction. The place also has associations with the late travel writer, Dervla Murphy.

There was time for a brace of walks near the West Cork coastline too. The first took me from Schull to Ballydehob in bright sunshine. Then, Glengarriff’s nature reserve surprised me with its diverse trails, leaving me eager to return and explore more of the area. Thus, a challenging but rewarding hike along part of the Beara Way from Adrigole to Glengarriff followed, offering impressive scenery despite waterlogged terrain and often cloudy skies. The end of the set took me to the Sheep’s Head Peninsula for a short walk between Kilcrohane and Ahakista that bus service timings allowed. Though a little too rushed for my liking given the stunning surroundings, There remained ample time for admiring stunning views of both the Beara and Mizen Head peninsulas across their respective bays, Bantry Bay and Dunmanus Bay.

These were not all, since there have been encounters with Doneraile, Cashel, Cahir and Galway too. There may not have been hiking trips, per se, but some lay the ground for future escapades, too. All in all, it has been a summer filled with traipsing along long-distance trails and looped walks, along with other bespoke routing. The variety has extended from hill tops and forested trails to coastal paths and historic sites, mostly accompanied by some sunshine.

All reconnected me with my home country in a new way, while also doing the same for reminisces from a past before life spent in Scotland and England. Back then, Irish public transport did not offer what it does now. The recent expansion under the Connecting Rural Ireland banner has opened up opportunities where once there were few. That really helps for day trips, though the advantages of staying in an area for exploring it in more detail remains. Here, I think about Castletownbere for a walk between there and Adrigole as well as strolling around nearby Bere Island. Something similar applies to exploring many of West Cork’s offshore islands.

That gets accentuated with increasing mileage. For instance, a day trip to Connemara from Cork does not work very well. Limerick might work better, but Galway is a much better base. Even then, that probably is not so ideal for Mayo, while Sligo and Donegal are another matter entirely. Even with a base in a country, it only allows for so much.

All of that is thinking ahead, though. The reality is that this summer has both reminded of past ones in Ireland and better connected me with various stomping grounds, old and new. For too long, I chided myself for not savouring the delights of the place of my birth. That has changed in recent years, and there is much more to sample yet.