when i arrived in Galway it was raining.
at the train transfer in Athlone it was misting, but by the time we got to Galway it was just straight up raining.
i was having mixed feeling about trekking out into the mountains.
i had about 50 minutes before my bus left for Cliften so walked around in Galway and found some great food to bring with me. went i got back to the bus station the only thing that had changed was that i had become drenched.
i figured that the worst that could happen was that i would stay in a hostel in Cliften and find another adventure.
despite the weather the bus ride was amazing, heading out of Galway into the countryside. there were amazing views and i basically had the bus to myself, so i hopped from one side of the bus to the other depending on where there were mountains or cool lakes.
once we got to Cliften, and the elderly lady at the front of the bus freaked out at the bus driver because he didn't make a personal stop at her house, i decided to get a pint. while at the bar i figured out where i would head to and where i thought might be a good place to spend the night.
when i walked outside, it was SUNNY! and warm for that matter.
i was off!
into the mountains! these are the Connemara Mts. and while i didn't climb up them or camp in them, i did camp in the valley right below them. as you'll see in a second.
after leaving Cliften i was in the country in about 45 seconds and soon found the road towards the lake on my map.
only one car past me very slowly when i was about a half mile out off the main road from town.
about 20 minutes later i saw the car again parked in the driveway of a little house that looked out over this.
two woman were standing by the car talking and i asked if they could tell me anything about getting to this lake. they told me that they where just out there looking at the house and that they really didn't know the area at all yet.
we all then turned and looked at what you see above for about 20 seconds, i then turned and said "i think you should go for it" and walked off down the road.
about five or ten minutes later i walked up to a gate across the road that had a big PRIVATE sign posted. about 100 yards past the gate there was a house. i could see a car and some windows were open, so i opened the gate and walked closer. as i got closer (and i'm not joking) i saw the car was this old-school VW Jetta, and i got this super German vibe. and when i call out "hello?", i was greeted back with "ah hallo!" sure enough there was an old german couple living there in the middle of nowhere Ireland. i explained that i had been the signs and didn't want to go any further than i should, and was told that if i asked that i could go as far as i liked, as long as i shut the gates behind me.
after getting permission i was extra charged to get out there, and my first step after first gate i sank in muck up to my ankle.
luckily i had brought along my new wellies that i picked up in Cork the pervious weekend
bringing them along ended up being a very smart move, seeing that almost everything i stepped on was sitting on a marsh and about 3 inches of water.
there were also sheep, like in the fields with me. lots and lots, and lots of sheep.
some of them followed me. it's a strange feeling getting followed through a pasture by 15 sheep.
the one in the picture below stood in the middle of the path and stared me down till i went out of sight.
over the course of the next 3 or 4 hours i hopped about 25 fences. something i finished the day being really good at, and something that i started the day being less than kinda good at.
now and then there would be one of these. which are to say the least , very helpful.
at one point i saw a body of water and thinking that it was the lake i wanted to camp at started thinking "oh great, i'm making far better time that i thought i would have been, jeeze if i continue at this pace i could probably built a watertight shelter with all the sunlight i'll have left, haHA! this is great!! sunshine! i'm outside!"
then i realized that i was looking at the wrong lake on the map, and that i still had to walk around the ENTIRE MOUNTAIN!
which i happily did, and i must say, it paid off.
the next morning i hiked part of the way out and hitched a ride back into Cliften for the last leg.
i spent the night in Galway watching Scotland vs. Wales rugby and drinking Guinness.
from the bus on the way back to Galway
that weekend was crazy, it left me totally wiped, and it's something i'll never forget, but there's still another blog to come from the N. Ireland trip, which may have been my favorite thing yet.
easily the best pictures.
stay tuned
be happy!
Andy
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