Sugar Loaf

A walk from Killiney to the top of the Sugar Loaf through Bray and Kilmacanogue. One I'd done two years ago for the Three Peaks Challenge. And I knew I had to do it again because the other two walks this weekend had the Sugar Loaf tempting me from the horizon. The first 15 km were in my wet gear, the first time I'd worn it this year. So sweaty but good to have the opportunity to wear it just in case it rains on the day (only thirteen days from now).

I changed out of the majority of my clothes, laying them on the bracken to dry once the sun came out. This was on the slopes of the mountain, in the area where the Irish round of the Trials Bike world championship was held years ago. I had looked at the map and even having walked it before, I still underestimated the distance and the effort. I called to be rescued from the car park just below the peak rather than miss a special Sunday lunch. I later ended up in the bath soaking my knees, jarred and twisted by climbing up over the boulders on the east side of the Loaf, forced there by the 50 km/hr sand blasting winds. It was a tough walk of 19 km that took my total in the last six days to exactly 100 km.

THANK YOU ZITA & RYAN!!!

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!

Golf in Reverse

A relatively quick walk reversing our usual direction. A cloudy, humid day with no shadowed contrasts. A school outing armed with cameras held by kids that you can't include in a photograph even accidentally - yet they can snap themselves? Flower baskets in full colour adorning the fence along the tow path. People messing about in boats - painting, opening locks, having lunch, on the phone and even one gardening on the narrowboat roof. Runners. Cyclists. Walkers like Bashful and me. Flogged.

Is it wrong to floccinaucinihilipilificate soccer?

WalkMeter summary:

GoogleMaps: http://j.mp/avx2y1
Distance: 9.02 km
Average: 10:19 /km (or 17 hours for 100 km)
Calories: 532 (if you weigh as little as I do!)


SPONSOR £18? 9 KM

By way of Little Britain

Lots to hear today. "Hello? I got your number on Google?" she said with confidence as crossed the road oblivious to the bicycles. "When you said you wuz goin on oliday I thought you wuz goin sumwhere nice." said one hi-viz jacket lying under a tree among several others. "Nah, just Itly mate!" replied the guy with his head pillowed on an empty water bottle. "Thanks mate" said the policeman hurrying down the tow-path on his bicycle.

It was a beautiful day on which to walk beside the Frays River through Frays Park and on to Fassnidge Park and then all the way down to Packet Boat Marina. Across on the Slough Spur of the Grand Union Canal and back up along the London Loop through Little Britain and beside the River Colne.

Just over 10 km and then up 5 stories in 32 seconds. OK, I admit that was a bit extreme but I'm beginning to enjoy the odd celebration my new found fitness.

WANTED: SPONSOR FOR 10 KM

Uxbridge Lunch Walk

A lunchtime stroll with Bashful and M, we noticed more butterflies than we'd seen before and how parched the golf course had become in just ten days. We saw several types of golfer; Brown Retired, Lunchtime Skimmers and several groups of Greater Well-fed Bankers, judging by the Bentleys and Ferraris in the car park. A kayaker lunching by his camp fire, an interesting counterpoint.

This 9 km walk took me through the psychologically significant 500 km barrier just after I learned FatBoy's diet had propelled us through the £4000 participation requirement. A BIG thank you to everyone who is sponsoring us. I was further comforted to learn that I would only need ten big macs to provide all the calories needed for the 60 mile Trailwalker (yes, that's just one big mac for every 10 km and without the extra salt and fat that fries add!). Of course, a cold big mac induces the gag reflex so I was eating a different lunch as I walked today - a few bananas, a trail bar and a couple of boxed drinks.

I saw a big shroom and discovered the mycologue as I was trying to identify it? Any ideas anyone?

Here are the walking stats with 150 km to go before the big day. I aimed at 650 km knowing I would struggle to find time for the extra 30 hours walking to match the Oxfam recommendation.

SPONSORS WELCOME: £18

No heffalumps?

A lap of the Dublin Zoo much changed since my last visit. A much fuller canopy and cover, the animals seem happier and more accessible. Despite being in a group too old to look for heffalumps, we had a very nice excursion that delighted a younger Grumpy than will walk the Trailwaker with me (in just twenty days).

Elephant, lion, rhino and giraffe always entertain. Fruits bats, tarantula and Burmese pythons evoked their usual paraesthetic skin crawl. The sated Sumatran and Amur tigers, the restive timber wolves and the scene stealing meerkats in the restaurant were the highlights for me.

A mere 4.5 km among the swan, mallard and tufted duck feeeding millieu.

WANTED: SPONSOR FOR 4.5 KM