A gorgeous day - could it be summer? - and the hills were calling me again. This time I biked to Ballyknockan (marked "Start" on the map) and hiked from there. The route encompassed four peaks: Silsean, Moanbane, Mullaghcleevaun and Black Hill, and included my Favourite Place lough Cleevaun, which I entered by its back door. I swam a few strokes in the lough - it was a bit cold and I am not a strong swimmer so am cautious when on my own.
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| My track |
Track statistics indicate just short of 13.5 miles hiking. My "hiking" includes jogging when the conditions are favourable. Elevation gain 1137m with maximum altitude 845m. The biking part was a bit less than 4 miles each way.
The road bit back to my bike was hard work - my legs no longer wished to run and I needed a drink. But the mountain and lake part of the hike was wonderful, idyllic, almost unbelievable. The weather was warm but not too hot, and the hills were alive! Meanwhile some others from the community were at a CrossFit do all day (it was in aid of cancer research). Fair play to them and I hope they enjoyed their day as much as I did. I cannot imagine that they did, mind you, but then that is my perspective. I prefer having the hills to myself so let the Others do what they will.
These photos have got themselves in reverse order - it was my first time importing directly from Google Photos, I must try harder next time! You can enlarge the pics by clicking on them, then use cursor keys to navigate through the album.
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| Back to civilisation but my feet didn't want to run any more |
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Thank you, kind landowner, and yes, I did have
appropriate footwear (none) and clothing (not much)... |
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| Green road and war memorial |
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| The amazing Green Road |
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| One of many spot the deer photos |
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| Zoomed in |
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| Black hill in the distance, and my way home |
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| West end of lough Cleevaun |
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| The lough from the west end |
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| Shore at east end, a good place to camp |
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| The peat (turf) fields nearby, barefoot runners paradise |
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| Close up of the small pond |
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| A small shallow pond near the lough |
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| Another view of the sandy shore |
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| Same again (do I love this place?) |
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| Proof that I was there |
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| Waterfalls on the slope of Mullaghcleevaun |
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| From the shore looking west |
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| First sight of lough Cleevaun from its back entrance |
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| Mullaghcleevaun from Moanbane summit |
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| Silsean from Moanbane summit |
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| The small and bottomless pond and Moanbane summit marker |
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| Silsean and the pond in the saddle |
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| Same again - Riche swam here when we took him camping |
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