Wind at My Back

Day 2 Joan brought me to Durrus on Sunday morning.  Started walking at 9.10 am.  Long climb out of Durrus for about 2 miles.  Arrived in Bantry , a distance  of about 6 miles, an hour and a half later.  I asked  a couple out walking where I would find the minor road I proposed to walk over Mount Douce and discovered that I had to walk another 3 miles to find it – again not in my calculation.  They wanted me to come to their house for coffee but I did not have time.  I had only walked a few more hundred yards when the man met me with a cup of coffee he had bought for me in a mini market.  They also gave me 5 euro for Ndi Moyo.  I started up the shortcut I had planned over the mountain through the beautiful Maelagh valley.  Like the rest of West Cork it was very scenic, a feast for the eyes but hard on the legs and feet.  I seemed to be climbing all day.  There were no signposts for Togher where I was headed, in fact there were very few signposts for anywhere. So I had to constantly check that I was on the right road.  I asked the way at a farm and I had only left the farm a few minutes when the man I had asked overtook in his car and apologised for not inviting me in for a cup of tea and something to eat.  Again I thanked him but explained that I had to keep going.   Some miles further when I had passed a few other roads with no signposts, I stopped again to ask the road of another man and chatted for a while.  I told him my phone battery was dead and I might have a problem getting in touch with my host for the evening.  I walked on for a bit and he too caught up with me and offered to take my phone back to his house, charge it for me and come after me with it.  I thought this was a bit risky in case I took a wrong turn and he would not be able to find me.  He had wrapped a piece of quiche in greaseproof paper for me to eat on the way.  The kindness of the people from West Cork that I came across was heart warming experience.

I trudged on up a 3 mile climb to the top of a mountain footsore and weary.  On the way I came across a horse grazing on the road.  He thought I was driving him and walked unwillingly ahead of me every so often looking round to check that I was still there.  Twice he raised his tail and deposited a heap of steaming buns in front of me.  Were they peace offerings or just his way of showing disdain?  The road seemed interminable and it was now 5 0’clock and not a house to be seen for miles.  I switched on my phone and saw there were 8 messages, one form Seamus who was to host me for the night asking if I was on a minor road into Togher.  I was just able to reply Minor and the battery faded. At last a house.  I used their phone to contact Seamus and we were able to connect at last.  I was so glad to see him and get to their house near Farren .

Day 3.  Seamus left me off at the pick up point of the previous day.  My aim was to reach Crookstown and perhaps walk some of the way towards Coachford which had originally been my target for the day.  It was fairly flat going most of the road.  I called into Cliffords pub in Crookstown.  It was about 4 pm but there were quite a few locals in drinking already several of them well on.  Like others on the route they wanted to know about my walk and before I left four of them had given me 5 euros each.  I walked on for another few miles towards Coachford and then called Seamus to collect me.  My feet were pretty sore by now and to my surprise my left foot was much more painful than the right.  It had always been my right that gave me most bother.   I had a good soak in the bath and later put my feet in a basin of hot water with salt.  The hazards of the road!

Day 4  Left foot still quite sore but set out walking at about 8.30 hoping to get as near Mallow as possible.  Still very hilly country and seemed to be climbing all day with very sore feet.  I called in a pub for a beer and a cup of coffee.  She would not take any money for it.  Today was hot and sunny nearly all day.  In fact since I left Mizen the weather has been perfect for walking and the wind has been on my back.  I take it for granted now that it will follow me the whole way up.  Left foot very sore today.  Each time I stopped even for a few minutes to talk to someone it was painful to get going again.  Hope fully it will begin to harden soon or I will be in bother. 

Another woman stopped her car today to talk and wanted to bring me home for a cup of tea.  I ask myself is it that I am very attractive or are they just sorry for me?