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| Kinnagoe Bay |
After I got home they asked me - did I enjoy it? Enjoy? Is that the right word? Sure I enjoy being on my own, but the walks were hard work and the night a bit cold. Enjoy? - well it was a challenge and that is perhaps my main reason for these jaunts. Certainly the north of Donegal is cooler than home near Blessington. And the midges were Biblical.
I took the 7 am bus from the end of our road to Dublin, crossed the Liffey to Connolly station for the 09:30 Belfast express (no USB charging points), then the Belfast service for Derry to Bellarena (charging points and good wifi). From there a long walk to Magilligan point (8.5km and it rained contrary to yesterday's forecast, enough to drench my raincoat). Then by ferry crossing the border and across to Greencastle where Jack’s convenience store supplied me with fruit cake and Club orange.
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| Showing outward (grey) and return routes |
From Greencastle, another long road walk (8.5km) climbing over the Warren, through Glenagivney and Mossy Glen to finally arrive at Kinnagoe Bay, a bit later than estimated. Having chosen a suitable bit of grass for my tent, albeit a bit on a slant - the midges (actually no-see-ums) were seriously out of control - I erected my tent as quickly as possible whilst fending off swarms, then dived in through the narrowest opening with all my stuff, but regrettably lots of midges decided to come too. I grabbed a handful of fruit cake (for dinner) and magnesium tablets (to ward off cramp, thankfully none came) then dove into my sleeping bag and pulled it shut over my head to ward off further bites, even though the evening was yet young. Despite this I soon dropped off to sleep, waking in the dark, rather cold, and spent the rest of the night tossing and turning. I woke up properly a bit before 6am and, having earlier revised my planned 7am start because of my late arrival, and being still cold any thought of surveying the bay, let alone attempting a swim were abandoned in favour of getting on the road and warming up a.s.a.p, and thus I arrived in Moville almost an hour ahead of schedule.
I was not the only wild camper at Kinnagoe, and there were several RV’s over-nighting in the small car park. Clearly this place is known for not being disturbed by the powers that be.
The walk to Moville was predictably long (11.2km). The bus had been advertised on the web as starting at "Farrens Newsagent" however I now know there is no such place. There were no signs or road markings suggesting a bus stop. The locals directed me and it turns out Farrens is now a coffee shop, so I got tea (nice girl and only 2 euro) and availed of their loo (very clean) and seating (my legs needed it). The bus was immaculately clean, on time and I got me a window seat, and so into Derry. Where it was raining, but very brief shower so no need to dig out my raincoat.
Over the curly Peace Bridge (pedestrian) and so to the train station (1.5km). Here the announced place name is “Derry-Londonderry” all in one mouthful, thus kowtowing rather awkwardly to both sides of the divide. The station has a ticket office but it isn't manned. Apparently you get a ticket from the inspector on the train. But no, you get one at the gate onto the platform. There are no signs to direct newcomers so I and several others were briefly at a loss. I finally boarded the train which was clean, with lots of empty seats, USB charging points, and good wifi. And so to Belfast Lanyon Place where there was a long queue for the Dublin service but despite this we all fitted with space to spare so don't know why they queued us. Strange how different train stations have different methods for boarding, methods which the weary traveller is kind of expected to know.
And so to Dublin with time to spare before the 17:30 bus, so another loo stop and another tea at Connolly station: O'Briens has best price at 2.80 euro which includes a “free” chocolate!
