Rockery Envy

The first thing I saw after I walked up to Curtlestown Wood were some Sika deer. They were as surprised by me as I was by them. I came across three groups of them in the next hour, all grazing on the edge of the managed pine forests. Yesterday I went south to Djouce, today north, back to the start of the Wicklow Way in Marlay Park. And again, there were not too many people but was I wearing a Mr Helpful sign? Two German hikers stopped me in Glencullen and asked me the way to Glencullen. Two tired women resting in the heather, sipping tea from a thermos needed to ask me for a shortcut back to where they'd parked their car - sorry, but it would help me if you told me where you parked it. Miles later,  a Mercedes pulled up, the window slid down and a very frustrated man demanded to know the way to the Fairy Pod. The Fairy Pod, you must know the Fairy Pod? 

Why do foxgloves grow (and in such profusion) in the clearings after trees have been felled? Suggestions in the comments box please! The granite pathways and standing stones always inspire me to continue improving our front garden.

My only stop was in Marlay Park to rest for a short while and pay 3 euro for a 99. I had been dreaming about a swim and arranged to be collected from the road. They brought me to Sandycove where the sea water was terrifyingly and painfully cold but so refreshing. I was sore and stiff after walking 29 km but the recovery period was probably shortened by the immersion.

HOW ABOUT SPONSORING £58 FOR 29 KM

Djouce

A lovely 23 km return walk from Curtlestown Wood to the summit of Djouce (rhymes with mouse) along a part of the Wicklow Way. The view from Crone Wood down over the Powerscourt Waterfall always surprises. I heard and saw lots of chiff chaffs, wheatears and ravens. The sky larks and meadow pipits display flights caught my attention just because I realised how far they travel in the wind. The purple colours of the heathers and foxgloves were striking against the ground greens.

Seeing the bumble bees on the purple foxgloves set me wondering. Are their compound (arrayed, external) eyes more suited to seeing short wavelength (ultra) violets in the opposite way that the kestrel's single large eye is adapted to seeing the longer (infra) red colour of heat in the grass. If the last thing to pass through the mind of the bee as it hits your windscreen is its tail, could we protect the bees by making our windscreens purple? Should we slow or indeed stop for bees as seismic boats stop for whales? Or as they try to limit industrial noise or disturbance a week before the start of deer hunting in the US - are nervous deer tougher to kill?

There was almost no one out in the Wicklow Mountain National Park - it was mine, all mine and the views were fabulous. The only downside were the vile horseflies that savaged me alongside the Glencree River.

Thank you Swiss Steve!