Into The Mystic

Posted bynickletjogPosted inDiary

LETJOG E2W – Day 38: Tuesday 21 May – CASTLEMAINE to INCH (13.9 miles)

Made it, for a paddle in the sea, on Ireland’s Atlantic coast!

This was the day that I stepped out onto the Dingle Peninsula, and that I first reached the Atlantic Ocean, on the last leg of my LETJOG E2W adventure. I shall remember the day for those reasons, and the thrill of sighting the water off Ireland’s west coast will certainly remain with me, but I will also recall today for the views of the sea and the mountains, for the memory of the sky and the clouds ever-changing on the tops, and for my time spent exploring the sand dunes and the beach at Inch upon my early arrival. It is quite a magical place and, as there are only a few other souls out here to share in its beauty, the scene has an air of unspoilt solitude. I avoided the forecast rain showers, although these were certainly close by over the hills, whilst the comfort of a cool sea breeze made for a perfect walking day.

Before I share my photos of the day I would just like first to rattle the tin once again for Parkinson’s UK. Due to all of the kind and generous contributions to the charity via my fundraising page we are now collectively around three quarters of the way to reaching the £2,500 target that I set with Parkinson’s UK, to fund a medical researcher for a month. The link to my JustGiving page is, as ever, to be found near the top of my HOME and BLOG tabs above, but for convenience the page can be accessed also by clicking on the following link.

Nick’s JustGiving Page in support of PARKINSON’S UK

Very many thanks to everybody for your donations, and also for the numerous comments and positive messages of support that have meant so much to me along the way. Now for the details of my thirty-eighth walking day of this E2W escapade.

My trek today was a relatively short and simple road-walk, due westward from the point in Castlemaine village that I reached yesterday – my path took me out onto the Dingle Peninsula, and to the Atlantic Ocean!

Today’s walk itself was quite straightforward, and for the most part the level road meant that I could walk ‘head-up’ to take in the views, as well as the sounds and smells of land and sea. Being a main road though, the principal route into Dingle, meant that some caution was required with the sporadic traffic: a better route would have been further up the hillside, if such a path existed. Here are a few of my pictures of the day.

In Castlemaine: a working water pump, for filling the water bottles of walkers and cyclists
And shortly outside the village, I took my first steps on the Dingle Peninsula!
No rain today, but no mountain tops either this morning: this view of the low cloud was taken as I crossed a tidal tributary of the River Maine
Not dissimilar to daffodils at first glance, these irises are numerous in the marshy meadows of these parts . . .
. . . and in close-up
The clouds continue to roll in, though thankfully still no rain
Murphy’s Bar is a popular haunt around Boolteens they tell me; the hostelry dates from 1798, and is a traditional Irish inn
Boolteens Church and graveyard
Look closely and you will see that this compliant donkey has two ‘tick bird’ rooks upon its back
A thrilling moment – my first view of the Atlantic . . .
. . . and not a mirage, as this view shortly afterwards confirmed
More water with every mile . . .
. . . and meanwhile, to my right, the clouds starting to lift as noon approaches
Another field of irises . . .
. . . and a track up to the hills – a walk for another day
Buttercup meadows and sea views
Looking over the water – the horizontal green line across the centre of the picture is the back of the spar of sand dunes protruding from Inch, and the mountains are on the far side of Dingle Bay, on the Iveragh Peninsula
Roadside shrines are not uncommon in Ireland, usually in remembrance of road traffic victims, but this one on the approach to Inch appeared to be a more general communal monument
The hills above Inch . . .
. . . and arriving at the village, looking out along the sand bar
Climbing the dunes . . .
. . . for a first full view of the ocean, westwards out of Dingle Bay
Time for a paddle in the Atlantic . . .
. . . and, with my one remaining walking pole, a photo on Inch Beach
Off to find my B&B now, just around the corner

If all goes to plan I have now just two days left of this LETJOG E2W challenge, first to Dingle, and then on Thursday to Dunmore Head at the end of the peninsula. I have gone a good few days now without rain and, fingers crossed, the forecast showers will not develop into anything much heavier as I enjoy the final miles of the ride.

An evening stroll, back on the dunes

I have looked to Northern Ireland today for my Blog title heading. ‘Into The Mystic’ is a song written and performed by Belfast-born artist Van Morrrison, taken from his highly-acclaimed 1970 album ‘Moondance’. Some of the lyrics seem particularly apt to my day: ‘smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly, into the mystic’. And to Rachel: ‘yeah when that fog horn blows, you know I will be coming home’ – in just a few days’ time now!

There is no shop in Inch, no restaurant, and to get to the nearest pub would have required a further two-mile walk – but, as if by some mystic power, a pizza van was parked near the beach, and they also were able to put a side salad together for me as a ‘special order’: this was my view as I enjoyed my dinner outside

2 thoughts on “Into The Mystic”

  2. I have loved reading your blog and following this journey. How long does it take you to put your daily blog together each day? Save passage to the end of the journey, Carol ( a friend of Carol & Tim)

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