Making do with the weather that came
27th August 2018 After reproaching myself for not doing so for too many years, I set aside some time to explore part of the land of my birth and upbringing. Too often, any such excursions have been fitted in around other activities and needed to cater to the needs of others. It was time for some self-driven explorations of my own, and the idea of doing just that on a trip to West Limerick to attend to Irish business affairs. There was a past occasion when the weather had been so fine that I was tempted to stay on a coach heading for Galway rather than disembarking at Shannon Airport as planned. It was to set the scene for what I did on a six-day stay this summer. As luck would have, the extraordinarily hot sunny weather was gone and a more usual mix was my fare but I made the best of what I was allotted.
Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the city of Galway was my chosen base and its transport connections allowed me to explore a few places beyond its limits. The choices were numerous, so some filtering was in order given the time that I had. Of course, I got to stroll around the city too, with much of that happening on the day of my arrival. An evening of improving weather saw me find the coast near Claddagh and pop out to Mutton Island before venturing as far the perimeter of Salthill. The hills of north Clare lay across Galway Bay and the more extensive sunshine allowed for some photography.
The next day could not be more different and it was tricky to work out what to do, given the predicted rain. Nevertheless, I headed to the Cliffs of Moher where I hiked as far south as Signal Tower before returning north again to pass O'Brien's Tower and continue along the Burren Way as far as Doolin where I got something to eat before going as far as the pier to see where ferries leave for the Aran Islands and boat trips along the Cliff of Moher are offered. Though damp for much of the time from rain, drizzle and ocean spray, it had been a satisfying day out with the return coach journey taking in such sights as Dunguaire Castel near Kinvarra and Black Head near Ballyvaughan. There even was a short stop to take in the view down from near Corkscrew Hill, though I suspect it was the action of a canny bus driver to stop people standing on a moving coach to take photos of what lay before them.
Thankfully, the following day stayed dry until evening when heavy rain came. During the dry spell, I headed to Recess in hope of walking to the top of Lisoughter hill. However, the sight of a low cloud base made me reconsider my plans so I instead chose a shorter stroll that still gave the desired views over Lough Inagh and towards what could be seen of the clouded Twelve Bens while passing both Derryclare Lough and Glendollagh Lough. After that, I continued to Clifden where a coastal stroll was enjoyed though skies looked laden with moisture. Dark grey cloud cover had been my lot though there was some sunshine around Oughterard as I returned to Galway where some matters needed my attention.
The predicted heavy rain only lasted a few hours and left the next day completely dry so it was time for some longer hiking. This started from Maam Cross where I started along the R336 to reach the Western Way. Someone in a car stopped to ask if I was local but left me to carry on when he learned of my plan. A French family were milling around as I left the road to cross bogland on a bouncy plastic mat on the way to a Coillte forestry plantation. Then, I was led along a boardwalk that lasted for kilometres over a sodden landscape under grey skies with hilltops cloaked in cloud; it felt like a repeat of the previous day at this point. Lackavrea lay to my left all the way to the backs of the Folore River that I would shadow as far as the shore of Lough Corrib. One of the French visitors caught up with me to ask how far it was to the lake in broken English. Maybe I should have tried my French, but the required assistance was provided nonetheless. The boardwalk was left after me at the lake shore for a rough gravel track that lead to one with a smoother surface that itself conveyed me to the narrow road that I followed for the rest of the way to Oughterard. Progress along that was punctuated by various food stops, the first of which had me being wished "Bon Appétit" by someone who arrived in a car for a spot of strolling, and a side trip as far as Lough Seecon. Cloud broke, and the day grew more sunny to leave a fine weather dawdle around Oughterard before grey cloud cover grew again as I awaited a coach back to Galway.
There was one more full day to use after my trot along the Western Way and that allowed me to spend time wandering around Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, with a coach and ferry combination getting me there and back. Once on the island, I found its quieter southern parts as I walked towards Dún Aonghasa. Light rain showers peppered the morning time before growing less frequent as the day progressed, and bright sunshine began to appear so that helped any photographic efforts. The clifftop fort was visited and I could have spent longer there but for my heightened desire to reach my desired ferry connection to the mainland. On the way back along the island's north shore, I found myself sharing a lane with cyclists and touring minibuses together with horse and trap excursions. As it happened, the horse traffic added odour to the journey courtesy of dung left on the tarmac. The journey had its busy moments, but there were quieter stretches too and I had some time to spare before catching the ferry to Rossaveal where I spent some more time before catching the coach back to Galway.
My departure happened the next morning, but there are reasons to return to this part of Ireland. Any lack of sunshine would not be the main cause because there remains much more to see. Sunlit walking along the Burren Way between Liscannor and Doolin sounds attractive and there is Black Head itself too. Inishbofin is another island that I would like to visit and then there are the smaller members of the Aran Islands. Other parts of Connemara, such as Letterfrack and Leenaun, take my fancy while a walk from Recess to Maam Cross could be another possibility. As things stand, only a start has been made in exploring Clare and Galway while Mayo and Donegal are worth doing too. There could be an Irish hill country and island wandering project yet.
Something new for everyday wear
26th August 2018 For quite a while, I have been using trail shoes for everyday wear. Like everything, they can look very tatty when they are used for an increasing number of years. Soles can wear and fabric can become thinner as I have been observing with a pair of North Face trail shoes in recent months. Since I was coming to the end of an earning pause enforced by my career break, I thought that acquiring new footwear would be in order, especially since it allow me to clear out a few older pairs that needed to go.
Because I still wanted to keep spending under control, I stayed away from anything made by The North Face and went for something from Columbia instead. The result was the purchase of a pair of North Plains Drifters from Go Outdoors. Rather than getting them delivered to my home, I went with delivery to one their stores instead and it allowed me to fit in shopping for a new trolley case after a handle failed on one that I already had. Pick up was not so smooth given that the shop assistant's thoughts were elsewhere when I asked so it took a request made of another staff member before I collected my new acquisitions.
Since then, they have become my main footwear choice for lighter everyday walking and have been to Ireland and back so I have had good trial of them by now. Owing to an adverse comment about their waterproofing, I have stuck with travelling on hard surfaces with only the occasional foray onto softer ground. They worked well for pottering about Galway city on a stroll that took me along its coastline at the end of a day beset with rain showers. In doing so, I got the impression that the sole is thinner than what I am used to having but it does not make them unusable either. In any case, they have been wearable straight from their box and I plan to use them for a good while yet.
A new pair of folding walking poles
25th August 2018 One of the reasons for acquired a large wheeled duffel bag for trips overseas was the length of Leki walking poles. During my recent career break, I added the idea of buying a pair of folding walking poles to my wish list. Needing to keep spending under control meant that such acquisitions were placed on the long finger but that changed two weeks ago.
Ahead of a walking trip to Ireland, I ordered a pair of Compact Ultra II Single walking poles from Alpkit. Though I made my order on the preceding Saturday in hope that they would be dispatched to arrive in time before leaving home on Thursday, that was not the case because of a Tuesday dispatch and subsequent attempted delivery on my day of departure. The result was that they needed collecting from the nearest Royal Mail depot (less than ten minutes walk from my house so it was no nuisance) on my return. Going on a trip away with untried items would have been foolish anyway so my tried and trusted Lekis did faithful service as they have done for the last fifteen years or so.
The newer items certainly are more compact when folded and have leashed handles that are soft to touch; the latter were changed in the latest version and were criticised in a UKC gear test that included their previous incarnations. The walking tips are topped with removable rubber ferrules and there are baskets included too. The assembly mechanism works well once you realise that you need to extend the bottom section to pull everything together and releasing a clip allows for added extension for taller people. Pressing a push button release is all that is needed to make the poles foldable again and there is a Velcro strap to keep everything together while folded.
My next steps are to test out the durability of these lightweight items. Initial impressions are promising so if they perform as hoped, they could change how I pack for overseas trips. Coupled with a different rucksack, the need for the duffel bag could be reduced or even eliminated. It might be that I could get away with carrying the poles in hand luggage but that would need a further leap of courage. Of course, it's best to take things step by step.
Getting to know Norway: Part 2
11th August 2018 Unsettled after a political upheaval in June, I needed to head away from Britain and Ireland for a while. Given that I still had legal work in progress, I chose to ration my annual leave and only added a day to the Summer Bank Holiday weekend that offered a chance for an escape. That may have compressed my stay in Norway more than would have been ideal, but I still got an introduction that would stand me in good stead.
2016-08-26: An evening around Oslo
My arrival in Oslo was accompanied by grey skies, so there was no rush in leaving my hotel to go for a stroll around the city. In any case, there were Irish emails that needed answering while cloud cover steadily broke to reveal blue skies. That and the need to find a branch of Tanum where I could add to my map collection was enough to get me exploring again.
My quest took me past St. Olav's Cathedral to Karl Johans gate, where my shopping needs were fulfilled. Then, I headed for nearby Slottsparken, where I pottered about the royal palace in the evening sunshine. On the way back towards the city's main train station, I was to pass some university and parliament buildings, as well as the National Theatre. It all provided architectural eye candy, and I eventually sought the shore around the Opera House, though ongoing building work added too many cranes to the skyline for my liking. Nevertheless, I made the best of what lay about me and set off in the direction of Akershus without ever reaching it. That was to await another visit when I got to understand the city's geography more keenly. There was another way to the shore that would have worked better for my needs, but June 2017 was when I was to learn about that.
2016-08-27: A rail journey to Bergen
One idea that popped into my head was making a morning time photo of the royal palace, but there was not enough time for that before I needed to catch my train to Bergen. The railway line was world-famous, so I fancied travelling along it and seeing what was there. Handily, I would pass through many other places while learning the lie of the land in a country that was new to me.
Though diverted by railway engineering works and subsequently detailed by the need to await rail replacement coaches, the first part of the journey was blessed by sunshine. As we continued west, that was to change markedly, with greying skies and damp weather reducing the allure of the surrounding countryside at where it should have been the most dramatic whenever snow traps allowed us to glimpse it.
What I relished was a chance for quiet appreciation of what lay outside the train window, but others were not so interested. An Italian family had a child watching a film on a tablet computer without earphones. That was not to pervade all the journey, but it did for long enough to send me to the buffet car for sustenance and a bit of peace. There was little point in ruining anyone's holiday (mine also) by suggesting the need for headphones, and the passage of time has dimmed whatever irritation I might have felt at the time.
Eventually, we left rain after us for a while and some fjords were there to see under grey skies, ensuring only week sunshine if that at all. The train was running well late at this point after a momentary problem with the locomotive. That was not a big deal for me, but it had been different for anyone changing onto the Flåm railway. Hopefully, it did not mess up their day too much.
Bergen's train station was undergoing renovations while I was in the area, so we all passed under scaffolding with heavy rain pounding the roof. After a wait, I took my chance to make for my hotel, but a misunderstanding of the city layout had me heading on a more roundabout route in air that was not fully dry.
After booking into my accommodation and settling into my room, it was time to wander around Bergen. Sunshine eventually broke through to brighten up the evening, but not before I visited the tourism information centre and got something to eat. After that, I tried out the Fløybanen, and it gained me alluring views over Bergen's harbour and nearby islands. Not finding my wallet where I expected it caused me to wonder if I had left it on the funicular train that I had used, but I located it and any sense of panic passed.
In fading evening light, I went down again and pottered about the city a bit more and got more of a grip on its layout. It also showed me where I had taken a wrong turn earlier in the day. With light lost for the day, it was time to return to my hotel for the night and rest before the following day.
2016-08-28: A saunter around some of Bergen's hills
The trouble with exploring is that it sometimes gets in the way of planning activities. For my Sunday in Bergen, there were choices to be made, and the shortness of my stay had me torn between the options that came to mind. The lure of a boat and rail tour was a strong one, but I also had hiking gear, so I also fancied a walk. The decision was made for me by my oversleeping. This was to be a day spent wandering around Bergen's nearby hills, and any regret about missing out on that wider tour was set aside and left for a possible return sometime.
Satisfyingly, cloud cover was broken, and I had a sunny morning in a part of Norway with a similar weather reputation to Scotland's Fort William or Ireland's Dingle. This is a place where rain abounds, and I was to have some rain every day of my stay in Norway's second city and one-time capital. Another stroll around the city was to see if a better photo could be made of Lille Lungegårdsvannet. It surprises me now to think of how long I lingered around the man-made lake, but I was rewarded for my patience.
Then, it was time to return to Vågen, from where my hike would commence in earnest. It was by now near the middle of the day as I passed the Bergenias, a royal fort that is open to the public. A visit there would need to wait until the next morning, since I was decided on an outdoors outing. In fact, I was so dressed and equipped that I heard an American lady comment on the fact to her companion, perhaps unaware that I too was a native English speaker that could overhear and understand what they were saying.
Coastal road walking with only occasional views of the coast were my lot as I continued past Sandviken. Eventually, the main thoroughfare that I had been shadowing was left for some narrower and quieter lanes. Plying these allowed me to get to Munkesbotvatnet are some steep strolling with some switchback bends to ease the effect of the gradient. As I did so, the earlier sunshine was fading as clouds encroached to bring me a dull afternoon that limited any photographic action. Eventually, these were set to bring rain, but my hike was done before that happened.
The tarmac ended at Munkesbotvatnet, and a wide gravel track was its replacement for the journey to Storvatnet. This was lake to lake walking on a popular trail with so many coming against that I was left in wonderment. Eventually, though, the need for more personal space led me away from the track to follow a muddy trail that reminded me of Scottish stravaiging with its undeveloped feel.
Fewer people were going this way, which achieved what I needed as I navigated around more lakes on a course that took me both uphill and downhill. There were good views to be enjoyed, even if more sunshine would have made the sights even more special. Eventually, I was lured onto moderate summits around Rundemanen before I reached another gravel track that would carry me past Lille Tindevatnet Store and Blåmanen, a lake followed by a hill, on my way down to Fløyen where I caught the Fløybanen down to Bergen. Were it not for a need to attend to other needs, I might have been tempted to walk all the way down, and I had decided to limit aspirations that would have led me around by Svartediket and Ulriken. It is never good to rush a first encounter, and the decision possibly saved me a wetting too.
2016-08-29: A last saunter around Bergen
Though there was a direct flight from Bergen to Manchester on Monday, it did not leave until the evening time and staying until then did not appeal to me since I needed to check out of my hotel around noon. Bergen's train station was being refurbished, so I did not see any luggage lockers there. If such a facility were available, then there might have been some time for a short fjord cruise if one was available.
Instead, I pottered about Bergen in the morning between any rain showers and explored the Bergenhus, as well as revisiting other spots that I had savoured on previous days. Then, I headed for the local airport for a flight to Oslo, from where I flew to Manchester. Those flights took me over mountain scenery, so I peered out at what lay below as much as I could. Then, I could not have known that another Norway visit would come to pass less than twelve months later.
Travel Arrangements
Train between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport. Outbound flight from Manchester to Oslo, followed by a train journey from Oslo to Bergen. Return flights from Bergen to Manchester via Oslo.
An exceptional summer
31st July 2018 The long dry spell that has dominated since April has some thinking back as far as 1976. There are some good reasons for doing so. In the Irish countryside, grass is not as plentiful and farm wells have gone dry. Over there, the extent of this has got farmers worried about keeping livestock fed and brought about water usage restrictions for everyone else. Temperatures soared to 32° C during June and roads melted, causing road closures and even bringing out gritting trucks for reasons completely at odds with their usual usage.
So far, 2018 can be said to have two seasons: winter and summer. Spring scarcely came at all and the northern hemisphere has been treated to a long hot sunny spell like few other summers. Fires have started, either naturally, through error or as a result of vandalism. The last of these defies reason yet it is said to have had a human cost in such disparate places as Greece and California. The moors around Manchester and Bolton had their blazes but these thankfully did not threaten life and limb as much.
My venturing into the world of self-employment had limited my enjoyment of the long sunny spells more than a general inclination to keep in out of the heat. Still, I got to spend a day around Edinburgh that took me by the Firth of Forth and the banks of the River Almond before venturing into the Cammo Estate and the heart of Scotland's capital city. Any shady spots were relished because of the afternoon heat. The same applied on a day trip to Barmouth that took me strolling towards Cerrig Arthur before returning via the Panorama Walk while enjoy the views all around that part of the Mawddach estuary. The day was long and felt all the longer on a hot crowded train between Barmouth and Shrewsbury. What remains though are newly made good memories and they always outlast any recollections of ardour.
There has been a week spent in Ireland too with its usual mix of business and leisure. Evening walks took me by Springfield Castle and the village of Kilmeedy and it well bedecked in flowers everywhere you could look. Towards the end of the stay, much needed rain arrived but there was dry weather to savour before that happened. In fact, it may be that the idea of a trip for exclusively leisurely purposes can come to mind and there is a slot when it might happen.
Other than these, evening walks around Macclesfield have made pleasant use of the longer hours of daylight. No longer do I chide myself for not making good use of every sunny day that comes but using enough of them is sufficient nowadays. As long as the burdens of a working life are managed more carefully to leave enough emotional space, the energy and motivation could be enough to keep up my wandering.
The heat may have restrained things this summer but it also had me looking back through previous episodes that had me writing entries on here and that happened in both 2006 and 2007. In 2008, I even got to the subject of warm weather walking. Neither of these compares with 2018 and it even beat the benchmark summers of 1983, 1984 and 1989 that I recall from my childhood and adolescence. This has been a summer that will live long in younger minds as they mature and age. Surely, it will be the better bits that get recalled the most clearly.
