To find new horizons

A long run (anticlockwise)

Challenges are part of life, even self inflicted ones. I think I may have mentioned my goal to reach the mountain Lobawn running from home (and I admit some walking) barefoot of course. I tried to hide the goal from myself in case I didn't make it, but went there anyway and having got there of course I had to come back, and I had to come back a different way (a rule, also self inflicted).

The map shows my GPS track with statistics:
. Total distance 19.44 miles
. Average speed moving 4.64 mph
. Maximum elevation 637m, minimum 181m

The route was along what we call Goatman's lane to the Wicklow Gap road, then take the road that is part of St. Kevin's way and up to the pass between Hollywood and Donard with Church Mnt on the right. At the summit I turned left towards Corriebracks but kept on the peaty track towards Lobawn.

The descent was initially cross county and rather hard going in places to descent into Corragh to meet the track that fords the stream there. These mountain tracks are well enough made to survive the years and I wonder who made them and why?  From Corragh it was paved road all the way home.

This is my longest run yet and my body didn't like the last few miles. It wasn't that keen on the first few either, but the bit on the top of the mountain was epic. And possibly worth all the strain.

Forty shades of green - my mum would have loved this

The path, where I disappeared up to my waist in sticky peat

Looking back, that path on left, our lake in distance

That's Church Mtn left centre, Corriebracks to right

The summit stone, or summit like that

That's why I like Irish mountain tops, OK? 

Look carefully and you'll see our lake by that tree

Delightful gully at start of my descent

Which later turned into a stream

Here I washed my lower, somewhat peaty half

Corragh, looking back, Lobawn central on horizon

My favourite flower (after daffodils, dandelions, gorse, buttercups...)

First long run 2018

Ali is away in Kenya of all places, leading a seminar for teachers of all activities. Having no other call on my time I ran away (and back) yesterday and exercised my bike today.

Just over 13 miles

The route evolved as I went along and followed much that I have traversed in former years. The jiggle on the left, at Ballymore Eustace, is my checking up on the Old Woollen Mill the renovation of which is coming along although I do not what the objective is.

Shepherding somewhere near Broadleas

River Liffey crossing at Ballymore Eustace

The old woollen mill under renovation

The next off-road segment is on the way to Russborough where one climbs over a broken bit of wall. I feel sort of entitled to do this because Russborough is open to the public. And any way I like running across grassy meadows.

Russborough from behind

The final off road segment is my habitual use of the Blessington Greenway. One has to support any attempts to increase the number of public footpaths in Ireland, few as there are.

Misty trees along Blessington Greenway

The last 4 miles or so was hard work. The only way to survive it was to try not to think about one's legs, just keep going and going and going. Thinking about the goal - turning into our drive, undressing and a hot shower, a cup of tea - any detraction from the thud, thud of bare feet on tarmac.

Why do I do it? Really enjoyable runs are the long ones, but not without working up to them. Four or five miles (my default) just are not long enough to get past the initial hard work. And remember I had quite a few weeks "off" with the broken rib and then two weeks in Kenya.  So 13 miles is a precursor. I have a sort of goal of getting to Lobawn but it would be a long round trip.

And then today I didn't bother with tracking as the route was not in any way special. I cycled around the Lake Drive through Lacken to Manor Kilbride and then back home via Blessington. It was drizzling most of the time with very occasional sunny bits, and cold. But it was exercise, and one that I would prefer hands down to this activity called "working out" carried out in unnatural gyms.

Then fish and chips, home made, followed by choc brownie left over from last night, washed down with a can of cider.

Corriebracks barefoot

The last time I tried Corriebracks was 5 years ago and I didn't make it to the top. Perhaps this defeat was what caused me to try again. Not that it is much of a challenge at 531m, except that you do have to get there if, like me, starting from home. And you do have to get back home afterwards, and it does have to be along a different route, and does have to be barefoot...

My track - 15.1 miles - anticlockwise

Corriebracks on the left, Church Mnt on the rights

Looked like it wanted photographing

The path over the gap starts as a narrow road

But becomes a track

Looking back, our lake in the distance

Looking forward, Church Mnt to the right

At the top of the gap looking down towards Donard

Top of Corriebracks looking East

Top, looking North towards home

Top, West towards Church Mnt

Cool sky and skyline

Cool Me

On the way down, same thingummyjig as in 2012 ascent

Perhaps foolishly I chose to return home via the King's River and lake shore. This entailed fording the river in order to avoid a nasty non-barefoot-friendly fence, and the river came up to my upper chest whilst wading smart-phone in one raised hand.  But the lake is very beautiful.

Back along the lake shore

Looking back

Las doce uvas de la suerte

It's New Year's eve and tonight there is an extra second which I plan to enjoy in bed fast asleep, whilst others here are doing the Spanish thing of eating 12 grapes las doce uvas de la suerte one a second up to the New Year. Or maybe on this occasion they will need 13 grapes.

This afternoon the intrepid barefoot runner went exploring. Always looking for new routes I figured there were several untried tracks at the top of the pass to Donard so, instead of my usual climb of Church Mountain, I turned left. My track is at the end of the photos below. Stats: 16.96 miles, average speed moving 5.4 mph, max altitude 506m.

The ascent to the pass, looking back north towards Hollywood

Having turned left, looking south towards Donard

Having turned left the track skirted around Corriebracks (an allusive summit I tried to reach before but failed) and down to a saddle where I left the track and struck out downhill cross country - mainly long grass and heather so not so bad under foot - until I reached a forestry track which took me to Corragh (pronounced Crock) where I followed the narrow lane back to the Wicklow Gap road.

In places this track was knee deep in peaty mud

Having just joined the Corragh forestry track

Here (on the right) is where the track meets the single-track road

And this is the single track road in Corragh

Note the grassy bit in the middle of the road especially for barefoot runners. If I had my way all roads would be like this.

Eventually I pass through Valleymount and so over the lake

The whole circuit, just short of 17 miles

Detail showing the new territory hitherto unexplored

Unusually I met several walkers. The first was a die hard hiker who was descending from Donard pass as I ascended. The second was a dog walker from Baltinglass who had, sadly, just lost his golden labrador and asked me to look out for it. Look out I did, but to no avail. The last was a dog walker along the Corragh lane, whose dog was very affectionate.

Church Mountain barefoot run

The route

Sometimes you have to just do it. I'd been contemplating this route for some while and waiting for decent weather. I knew it would be a long haul but tried not to think about that aspect too much. My outward journey took me to the pass that leads to Donard and goes between Church Mountain and Corriebracks (Kocknaboley on the above map), then straight up to the summit, around the cairn at the top and down to Hollywood Glen. The ascent and descent were fantastic, though a bit breezy at the top. But the long slog back home again was hard work.  The last time I did Church Mountain I was on my bike.

Aerial view of summit

Statistics: 15.98 miles, maximum altitude 551m, average speed moving 5.19 mph, total time 3:20:33, barefoot all the way of course, but I have to confess I didn't run up or down the steep bits! The descent was a bit of a mistake - I had intended to drop down further north which might have cut a mile off the total distance. It was a long time ago since I was last on this side of the mountain - back when my children were still children. And I wasn't running barefoot back then.

Church mountain from the top of the pass

The final ascent and why barefoot is the way to go

View of our lake from near the top

The cairn (or church ruins) at the top

Nice path for barefoot down from summit

The steep descent

Forestry track nearer the bottom

Near Hollywood - St Kevin in the distance

The village of Hollywood

Hollywood woods

Hollywood woods