Curragh shopping

Ali wanted to go to Newbridge so we went together and she shopped whilst ran. This seemed to me a good arrangement, and this time I explored the furthermost reaches of the Curragh, towards Rathangan. The route relies on the farm bridge over the N7 motorway.

Total distance 10.4 miles, average speed moving 6.2 mph. No mountains, lakes or rivers but there was a large muddy puddle, but puddles are no problem when barefoot.

I saw some folk busy looking hard for something in the grass. And it wasn't the sheep droppings which are so plentiful on the Curragh. I spoke to one man and he explained he was collecting mushrooms and he hastened to add that it wasn't the sort I was (apparently) thinking about. He showed me his tub - they were tiny - mostly stalk and with a cap less than a cm in diameter. He said they were wonderful with scrambled eggs. I thought more of the sheep dropping with which they had spent their lives so far.

I didn't think to photograph them. Strictly one is not allowed to photograph anything on the Curragh for fear that it might get into enemy hands and be the downfall of the Republic (the Curragh is one of the Irish Army's training grounds). I admit that I did take a couple of pictures though I was careful not to include anything that could possibly be thought to be sensitive, unless a spider's web...

Train bound for Kildare town

The muddy puddle - a foot deep in places!

Signal at danger

Another train, and racecourse fencing

Beautiful cloud effects

Spider's lace

The inevitable plus a few sheep

Railway signals and the Curragh

My route, map courtesy Bing Maps

Ali wanted to go to Newbridge for a hair do, so I hitched a lift and took the opportunity for a Curragh run on this the hottest day so far this year.  Actually I would have liked it better a bit cooler.

So I crossed that mysterious bridge over the M7 to the Other Side, found a railway line, and came back via the racecourse.

Stats 9.7 miles, average speed moving 6.2 mph, barefoot of course. I find it strange to not have seen anyone else running barefoot here - the Curragh with is grass cropped short by sheep is quite ideal.

Note the colour-light signals. More about these in a post that will be coming Soon.

Starting point

I may have said that I like railways

Curragh plain, ideal barefoot running location

More of same

Another odd earthwork (the Curragh is full of them)

Colour-light signal all clear - they use LED's

Signal at red

That's part of me, my toe dinged on a rock, and my shadow

Curragh race course

The horse that our neighbour M made out of horse shoes

the horseshoes are welded together

Beautiful iron sculpture at the M7 intersection

Some sort of rally - they were all honking their horns

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)