Lunch on Mullaghcleevaun

Lunch was two soft-boiled (in the sun) eggs and a flask of Wicklow Well Water.

The lockdown now permits exercise up to a 5km radius which took me to the quarry at Ballyknockan, gateway to the Wicklow Mountains, where I figured I'd be off the radar. Apparently others did too. I met two hikers on Silsean, a group of four descending from Mullaghcleevaun, and a lone woman hiker at the summit. We kept our distance of course...

Such cramp - I had to rest awhile on the way back.  And aching muscles the morning after.

The old military road

My track

Lots of people away this weekend so no meeting. I might have, perhaps ought to have cycled to the coast, but was still feeling the after effects of my Carrauntoohil jaunt so... 47 miles, elevation gain 1102m (two long climbs), maximum speed 36 mph, average moving 11.8 mph.

My route: Blessington -> Manor Kilbride -> Sally Gap -> Old Military Road -> Laragh -> Wicklow Gap -> home.

I took some lunch with me - two eggs, and they were not hard boiled, in fact not cooked at all.

Old Kilcullen and The Curragh revisited

My track (both bike and running)

Sunday afternoon - because the original plan was to go to the Valleymount Farmer's Market but then we didn't - I did my usual 5 miles or so run early morning and thus had the afternoon free. It being bike-clement (not much wind, not too cold) I dusted down my trusty steed and set off, checking out a new improved route to the Curragh. Which took me near to the Round Tower in Old Kilcullen so I made the necessary detour.  This is one of the "enchanted places" I noted in a previous post. I get to pass two more such places later on.

Total distance 33.8 miles of which about 30 miles were on bike.

Towards the Wicklow Mountains

Towards the hill Cnoc Ailinne on which is Dún Áilinne

It is not much further to the Curragh and I park my bike in the usual secluded spot and padlock it to a fence post.  After running (barefoot) a few hundred metres I get a thistle thorn in my foot and turn back to avail of Leatherman and glasses in my bike pack. But by the time I get back, sit and and inspect the damage the thorn has gone all by itself.  So I set off again and make for the first of two observation posts, which one has to climb (why else are they there?).

Strange Harfang-like earthworks from 1st observation post

The knoll (Braveheart hill) which is my next destination

Another earthwork - maybe the Irish Army practise on these

Dirt bike trail

There were several youngsters doing the course

 

View from the second observation post

Proof that I wos here!

Then the reward - enjoying a Cadburys Creme Egg sluiced down with water.  The return route had to be different of course and I took the opportunity to check out the road near Ballymore that has been closed for yonks. I figured that a man and a bike could get through whatever the problem was but I was wrong. Apparently they did not want me to proceed so I had to retrace my steps (or pedals). I'm pretty sure I could have made it on foot though - maybe I'll try some day.

Castletown

Castletown House

I was let out today so I cycled to Castletown House. Yesterday the weather was balmy; today it was overcast and the wind was cold and the only time I felt remotely warm was on the way back, whilst eating a CDM and drinking Club Orange, courtesy of Swans on the Green (a shop), and on a bench in the said green, when the sun deigned to shine somewhat feebly between incessant clouds.

Swans on the Green

Time for a smackeral - spot the CDM!

The route

I doubt if William Conolly was ever caught eating a Creme Egg on a bench outside his palatial residence.

Castletown House grounds were humming with walkers, dogs, joggers and, surprising, bicycles.  I found a back way in, close to Western aerodrome. Which latter was of course where it all started, "it" being my youngest's passion for flying.

Stats: 59.0 miles, average speed moving 12.6 mph, maximum speed 33 mph.

Detail by Western aerodrome and Castletown House

Clean out of creme eggs

Not long ago I had two creme eggs in my top drawer. One got eaten last weekend on Church mountain. And today I cycled to the Curragh, parked the bike and ran over 9 miles, re-fuelled on egg No. 2 and water, then cycled back (cycle round trip 24.5 miles, average speed 12.6mph).

Running statistics: 9.05 miles (14.5km), average speed 6.23mph (10km/hr). The route took me right around the Curragh Camp (Irish army headquarters) then back alongside the M7 motorway.

Apart from a few thistles the grazed grass is heavenly to run barefoot on. It was good-feel running for all but the last mile or so when my legs began to tire. Here are a few photos I took today of or from the same look-out post I found in my last Curragh run.

The look-out post

Strange ditches surrounding the look-out

More ditches - Under Me?

That's my head beside the post