Sunday afternoon. Another beautiful day though the air is still cold. I decided to try the
Curragh route again and this time made it there. I parked my bike is a suitably secluded spot and, discarding shoes and top, ran about 4 miles across closely cropped grass and hills and dales. The
Curragh is a barefoot runner's wonderland. This part of my afternoon's adventure was sheer bliss.
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You can just see the "lookout pole" in the distance.
Click on the picture to enlarge it. |
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| The Curragh is common land and grazed by sheep |
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| And home to rough-biking, quads and horse riding |
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Atop the first "lookout pole" -
I found two and of course had to climb them |
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| This tree topped hill had to be my next port of call |
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| Getting closer... |
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| A gentle climb to the top |
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| Where I found the second "lookout pole" |
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| That's me atop the second pole |
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| Maybe a bunker? - there's an army camp near here |
Finding my bike was thankfully intact and where I had left it I took the longer route around the Curragh and through the army camp, and then returned via Athgarvan to get to
Corbally Harbour. The last time I was there my four children were with me (I think) so it was a ways back. But I remember the strange construction in the next picture - it looks like the entrance to a tunnel, but if so it is closed off.
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| Was it a tunnel entrance? |
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| The harbour and buildings |
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| Looking northwards along the canal: must do this walk sometime |
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| My bike, a little forlorn for being left beside the road whilst I went exploring |
Having "done" Corbally I continued my rather circuitous route back home via Punchestown, Eadestown and Blessington. Back in the days when we took the children wherever we went the monument at Eadestown, overlooked by the statue of Mary, always tickled us and brought a laugh. About here my legs started to complain and so it was with some relief that I finally made it back home.
Total bike distance 40.5 miles, max speed 30 mph, average speed 11.8 mph.
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| The RC church opposite the fountain |
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