Breathless

Posted bynickletjogPosted inDiary

LETJOG E2W – Day 28: Saturday 11 May – NEW ROSS to WATERFORD (18.4 miles)

An appropriate walking sculpture on the Waterford ‘Greenway’ this afternoon

I am writing this ‘the morning after’ a very full day and evening, from the home of my amazing hosts Cian and Nicola, here in Butlerstown just west of Waterford. Yesterday began with an early telephone interview into my trek, by presenter Maria McCann on Radio Waterford, before I took a lift back from Cian to the quay at New Ross where I had finished my walk on Friday afternoon. Then ensued a rather warm 12-mile road walk back to Waterford city, where I met up again with Cian and Nicola for a few rather more glorious miles, along the ‘Greenway’ path, on the course of a former railway line by the side of the River Suir. And then tonight, just when I thought that I would be able to rest, I was taken on a quick road tour, south to the beach at Kilfarrasy, then to the coastal resort of Tramore, before dinner in a lively country inn just outside Waterford. Then to top this all off we took a walking tour of Waterford city as dusk fell. Breathless indeed!

My south-westward walk today, from New Ross to Waterford followed the cycle lane of the main N25 road for a dozen miles or so into Waterford city centre, where I met my hosts for a final few miles together along the ‘Greenway’ and back to their house in Butlerstown

Here are some photos of my walk today.

Back in New Ross, and crossing the bridge over the River Barrow . . .
. . . another fine day, as I left the town
The N25 main road was not busy this morning; this is not a walk that many might choose, but the wide cycle lane provided a safe and fast option for me to ‘get some miles in’ on the first part of my trek today
Three counties today: starting in County Wexford, I crossed briefly into County Kilkenny, before entering County Waterford
I love the green post boxes, this one near Glenmore
Arriving on the riverside in Waterford . . .
. . . and the bridge across to the city centre
Carnival time on Patrick Street . . .
. . . and an hour for a quick look around, and a cuppa, in the main square
Our meeting point on the quay . . .
. . . where I teamed up again with Cian and Nicola for our delightful five-mile ‘Greenway’ walk by the River Suir . . .
. . . along the restored route of the former rail line that will take me many miles, as far as Dungarvan, over the next two days . . .
. . . the track is for a small tourist train that runs by the river for the first few miles out of Waterford
A river view, as we reached the end of the day’s walk

So no time today to draw breath – after showers, my hosts took me on a road trip to the south coast, to Kilfarrasy and Tramore, and then for dinner in Jack Meades’, a country pub just outside of Waterford, before a walking tour of the city as night fell.

Early evening on the beach at Kilfarrasy . . .
. . . with Nicola and Cian
Lime kilns near Waterford . . .
. . . where we had dinner
The replica Viking ship, and Reginald’s Tower, the oldest structure in Ireland that is still in use today

An exhilarating day ended with a drink, as night fell, in Jordan’s Bar, a traditional tavern on the quayside. What a day – my thanks indeed to Cian and Nicola for supporting my walk and for so generously showing me their city and its environs. Needless to say I slept very well after such a breathless day!

Not quite what I expected to see in the streets of Waterford – the aftermath of a Brazilian Festival parade!

“Breathless’, my Blog heading today is taken from the title of a 2000 hit by Irish sibling band The Corrs, noted for their fusion of traditional Irish music with pop rock. Written by the four siblings, Andrea, Caroline, Sharon and Jim Corr (together with producer Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange), ‘Breathless’ was the first single from the group’s third album ‘In Blue’, and gave The Corrs their first, and only, UK Number 1 hit.

Standing room only – watching my first hurling match, with a dramatic last-minute penalty win by Cork over rivals Limerick: this is an amateur but highly competitive and even brutal sport, described to me by Cian as ‘somewhere between hockey and murder’!

3 thoughts on “Breathless”

  2. Another monster day for the iron man! Recently restored railway line sounds like a most enjoyable couple of days until Tuesday

    Like

    Reply

  3. Just listened to your radio interview yesterday, Nick…….that went well, didn’t it!

    I wonder if you have come across anyone on your walk today who has said they heard it?

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment