Buncrana, Ireland: Heavy Cloud, high winds, 15

Rambling!

Today we were invited to walk with the Ramblers, a rare honour for these Canucks. This all came about with WestJet having cancelled our flight just before we left home and this provided and extra day and led to our lovely invite to join Joe and Geraldine's walking group. The group walk year round every two weeks and each person takes a turn selecting and organizing a walk. Today the walk was actually a climb up Mount Errigal "to an elevation of 751 metres which is rated hard with rough ground and steep sections". This from the official walking route guide. We all gathered in town, about 20 walkers today. We reduced the cars and then started the 45 minute drive to the national park.

Our car procession with Errigal on the right shrouded in thick cloud.

We began the walk walking on soft peat! So cool!! A first for this walker and what a nice spongy surface to coast across in the early going. Apparently we were very lucky as everyone told me that the recent dry weather has given us relief from sinking into it. Even with that we still sank into it from time to time.

This was a group walk meaning that we stopped regularly to make sure everyone was caught up and ok. A real range of walking skills in the group. 

Great views as we climbed towards the clouds. 

Did I say that this mountain is the 7th highest in Ireland and the highest in this part of the country?

Annemarie walked a bit better yesterday, but that was on the flat. Today she decided to come along, but early on realized that this would be more than her leg could handle. So she very wisely turned around and headed back down. I was really impressed with such a mature decision, though I'd probably have continued as I'm not quite so bright:). The decision point.

Looking ahead at the lower scree slopes, it proved to be a very good decision.

We soon found ourselves in the clouds.

We had some great conversations on the way up.

So now I have to take a break and finish this after dinner. We are off to the pub and there will be food, beers and music!!

Back from dinner and the pub. Lovely evening. The last few photos then I have to pack and get a few hours sleep as we will catch the early morning bus to Dublin where we will spend the day.

We walked a narrow ridge to the top with the wind just a howling! It was hard to tell if it was a 50' drop or a 300' cliff!

After the summit we backed down just a little way and had lunch, tea and a birthday cake and bubbly for one of the group. I carried one of the bottles up and it was a first for me! The cake was amazing as well. 

Then we started down through the clouds and the wind. Pretty brisk! Again I wondered what was below on either side of me. I'd only been told that we'd cross a very narrow ridge higher up. Love it:(

But then we broke through and found that the weather had deteriorated since we climbed up some hours earlier. 

But we just managed to beat the rain.

Once down it was off to have tea and biscuits, the end to a very nice day. Wonderful to walk in a new place and to meet so many nice folks who welcomed us with great friendliness. A good memory. 

The only wildlife on the mountain:)

We are close to heading for the door...and home!