Golden Falls

Last time I ran from Poulaphouca to Ballymore Eustace via the Golden Falls lake I had no camera, so to make amends...

The complete route 20.2 km

Showing the hard incline out of Ballymore

Detail of off-road segment past the Golden Falls dam

From Poulaphouca to Ballymore Eustace is off-road and much more overgrown than the last time I did this route, with stinging nettles and thistles to avoid but hopefully no deer ticks. The two photos below are of the "roadway" I referred to in my last post, along which I ran - as you can see it is artificially raised above the field level, for what purpose I know not but it must have taken someone a lot of effort.

Embankment at 'A' looking towards 'B'

Ruin at 'B'

Embankment at 'C' looking towards 'D'

Golden Falls dam at 'D'

Same

The Golden Falls hydro scheme was commissioned in 1943 and has a 4MW capacity which is not a lot but I suppose is better than nothing.  To get to where I took the photos I had to cross a barb wire fence and accidentally trod on some barb wire that someone had helpfully left concealed in the grass. One got the feeling someone didn't want folk going this way. The puncture didn't draw blood and I have since cleaned and plastered it.  The thing is, sad to say, the world is no longer barefoot friendly. Having said that, issues of this kind are very rare if one is sensible.

Historic photo of same, I was at left-hand end of the dam

Well-worn path from dam to old woolen mill

The Liffey below the dam at 'E'

The Liffey below the dam at 'E'

Pukka footbridge over water treatment outflow at 'F'

In addition to the Poulaphouca and Golden Falls hydro schemes, The Ballymore water treatment plant also takes water from the Blessington Lake and adds all manner of chemicals to make it suitable for Dubliners to drink. Personally I am glad our water comes from a deep well and is not treated at all (well, not wittingly). So the bridge above crosses a small stream which comes from the treatment plant and contains, I suppose, all the stuff the Dubliners didn't want in their water. In spite of that the stream appeared reasonably clear.

Newbridge ride

I wanted to check out new bicycles so I hitched a lift to Newbridge with Jon and Sarah and returned by bike (no I did not buy one yet). I took the opportunity to visit some haunts on the way back, but only had my hTC so the pictures are not very good quality. My hTC Desire did record the following track, however. The locations include some of those mentioned in my post Enchanted.

Track created by Oruxmaps, viewed in Google Earth

Location A: Rosetown Rath

Having mentioned this enchanted place in a previous post I thought I would check it out, so I climbed into the rath itself. It is probably private property but I figured the owner might not mind. There is a track leading into it which just ends abruptly (top photo) otherwise it is just covered in dense vegetation - not much to see.

Location B: Carnalways Cross

This is my son's 5-way (or 6-way) junction, see his comment.  The gate into the estate was open so I ventured a short way in to take the next picture. I could just see the big house but it is hard to locate in the picture.  And the next picture is the church.

Harristown House is just left of the trees

Location C: Railway bridge over Liffey

I've been meaning to check this one out for some while. On Google Earth it was clear that a bridge still exists but I was not ready for such a substantial stone bridge in such good repair! The line apparently ran from Naas to Tullow and the track was taken up 1962 - not so very long ago! So sad that the track has not been converted to a trail or, even better, a bicycle track.

Naas - Tullow railway crossing over Liffey

The apertures are at an angle - not 90 degrees

Room for a single track only

Smaller bridge just north of the river

Extract of 25" map courtesy OSI
(dated around the turn of the century)

Location D: Stoneybrook

Stoneybrook church

Inside the church

The setting - on a mound?

Stoneybrook cottage

Location E: By the Liffey

The road here runs along what is probably a terminal moraine - there was a sand pit on the left: when it was filled in they filled in this ruined cottage too. The river runs some fifty feet below on the right.

The river Liffey is below and out of sight

The covered cottage and my trusty steed

And so, home again and rather cold  - so a hot bath and a hot mug of tea.

Statistics: 

Bike computer

14.52 miles, 27mph max, 12.1 mph avg
1:12:15

Oruxmaps track
273m max height
16.3 miles (some was walking / running)
01:59 duration
9.8mph avg (moving)