Millstreet.ie

"Gaelforce West" is the largest one day adventure race of its kind in the world. The 2010 event took place on Saturday August 21st. It is a multi-sport adventure race involving cycling, running, hiking and kayaking. The course of approximately 65km stretches from the stunning Glassilaun beach to Westport. En route there are some significant obstacles to cross, including Killary Harbour and the famous holy mountain of Croagh Patrick. Pictured above (from left): Diarmuid Curley, Eamonn O'Keeffe, Mick Mullane, Mike Healy & Chris Murphy. (We thank Catherine Pomeroy-Murphy for splendid picture and very comprehensive caption)

Eamonn O’Keeffe actually won the short course version of Gael Force West which didn’t include Croagh Patrick, but all the others continue reading…

Photos from the Paps (which are behind Rathmore) during the cold spell at the start of this year (Some photos by Denis). For details on how to do this walk from the southern side of the mountains, go to this webpage for details.

Nathan, Bob the goat and Cara and the dog, with the Paps in the background

There were some turning heads in Millstreet yesterday on seeing a hiker walking through the town. Not that hikers are unusual at all around here, but the fact that he was accompanied by a dog and goat! All in a days walking for Nathan Kingerlee, or should I say a week and a half’s walking! They are walking the Blackwater Way (168km) in aid of Kerry Mountain Rescue, and passed through Millstreet yesterday on their way to Geararoe B&B on the Macroom road. In Millstreet:

… People seem to very much take it in their stride, when they see us coming; although we did get a couple of strange looks, one couple crossed the street to avoid us, and Bob gave a little old granny a bit of a fright when he went to say hello to her!…

He is writing a blog every day of the trip, and yesterday he featured his trip to Millstreet. It’s an interesting read, with some great pictures.

Read about of their planned trip across the Blackwater Way before they started.

Read about their day from Rathmore to Millstreet

Taken last week, before the heavier snowfalls of the weekend

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MAHON FALLS

10 Oct 2009

Co. Waterford

by

Mary O’Mahony

Eileen asked us to take her on one last momentous walk before venturing to pastures new.

We have known each other, now, for almost 10 years so Denis and I wanted to make this different!

This, is a dedication to a true and valued friend, who has the courage to venture off to South Carolina, thus, improving career prospects and whatever else life holds in store.

The very beautiful Mahon Falls in Co. Waterford is our chosen ‘GIFT’

Blessed with the day we were! Days in July 2009 were not as good!! Seriously!

Sat. 10 Oct. 2009 we set out on what can only be called one hell of good Summer Day.

The River Mahon flows from the Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford and gathers

Force to create the Mahon Falls, a tall cascade on the Mahon River that empties from a mountain lake overlooking the southern coast.

Located off the N25 at Leamybrien, the Falls are located 20 kilometers from Waterford city. A cascade runs down the centre of a high and wide valley, populated with many types of vegetation, jutting rocks, and herds of domestic sheep and Goat’s.

It is deceivingly tall, and the valley deceivingly wide.

Mahon Falls can only be approached by car and accessed on foot.

The walk up the left hand side of the valley onto Comeragh Mountain Cnoc Na Phoebre (668m) itself is a hard slog .

Not so daunting? Is it? Early days yet.

Spectacular. Oh yeah

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This is an excellent article that appeared recently on the Irish Times and  and gives a detailed description of the walk up Caherbarnagh:

Lough Gortavehey

A great advantage of way-marked trails is that they offer easy access to open mountainside, writes TONY DOHERTY. The section of the Duhallow Way along Caherbarnagh is a case in point.

APART FROM their intrinsic value, one of the great advantages of long-distance way-marked walks is that they allow access to open mountainside without the hassle or, in the case of the ageing hill walker, the indignity of struggling over barbed-wire fences. Such is the case with that section of the Duhallow (Blackwater) Way that runs along the lower slopes of Caherbarnagh (682m) and its outlying peaks. These mountains, which form part of the Derrynasaggart range, lie just west of Millstreet in mid-Cork.

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Cross on top of Mushera, looking south-west towards West Cork

Our condolences go to the family of  Paddy Mulcahy from Cork who died while out walking on Musheramore just above the Millstreet Country Park last Sunday September 13th during the recent fine spell. His son Thomás has written about this on his blog.

Paddy died suddenly on a lovely sunny September day in a beautiful spot called Musheramore, a small hill in northeast Cork, near Millstreet, while out hillwalking with his wife and friends.

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Stone Circle at Millstreet Country Park

There’s some very beautiful photography of the stone circle in the Millstreet Country Park by Ken Williams at this site , where he has this to say:

Every once in a while you come across a place that puts your head in a spin and in all the confusion you just want to laugh. This is a very odd place. Very, very odd. After seeing a handful of pics in a picture library of a stone circle with some unusual looking arrangements around it, there was nothing else to be done only track this strange place down and see it for myself …

You can read the rest of his article here: http://cianmcliam.smugmug.com/gallery/1537658

THE BLACK MARE ASCENT TO CARRAUNTOOHIL. 27th. Jun.’09

BY

Mary O’Mahony

This is a straight forward route to the summit but I think only on a fine day and with clear visibility! It begins with a walk up the concrete road, so named because it is literally concrete that you are climbing for the first 15 mins. There is an udnerlay of iron underneath this mass of concrete. Some call it the Hydro road. Same route, if you fancy doing the Coomloughra Horseshoe.

The Black Mare Ascent is a very steep climb through a wide gully,

Emerging within 100m of the summit.

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The 952m mountain and it s dramatic sister the 840 Brandon Peak are flanked by water to the North, East and South. There are multiple approaches to the mountain. Brandon peak to the left above seems higher than Brandon itself. St. Brendan is the patron Saint of Kerry and so this mountain is named after him. We went by Faha, east of the mountain. Turn left on a minor road, where you can park beside renovated cottages.

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Start 26.04.09 Finish 9th May 2009

DAY 1 – Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: Arrival in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu is a fascinating almost medieval city full of extraordinary temples, monuments, and colorful street life. There are endless small streets jam packed with stalls selling cloth, pots and pans, spices, souvenirs, saris and a myriad of other merchandise. Scooters carrying families of 5, bicycles, taxis and pedestrians all compete for space and there is always something to marvel at. It was a shock initially as we were being drive through the streets of Kathmandu from the airport I was not expecting the streets to be so small or the people either!

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