The Voyage

LETJOG E2W – Day 40: Thursday 23 May – DINGLE to DUNMORE HEAD (15.0 miles)

Where to start? Perhaps with the ending – I made it today to the westernmost point of Dunmore Head, where the waves of the Atlantic Ocean break upon the sharp rocks of the pointed headland, and where there is no one between any viewer foolish enough to venture so far and the Americas. There is no specific moment of elation, no great euphoria even, aside from a feeling of being at one – not just with the land and the sea, but with one’s own perceptions of what is possible. I had the weather in my favour today, most particularly such clear visibility, and virtual solitude in which to take in the completion of my trek and the experiences of the last few weeks. A unique journey, now completed.

Even allowing for all of the previous days, my walk today must rank as the most spectacular of my LETJOG E2W adventure. The pictures speak for themselves on this, and need little further description. My final miles, along sands, above cliffs, and amongst the rocky headlands, differed entirely from the farmland that I have been traversing as recently even as this morning out of Dingle. There must be days, indeed like yesterday perhaps, when all of these sights are lost in the cloud and the rain, but today all was just perfect.

It is late now. A fortunate meeting with Conal and Hayley at Dunquin procured me a lift back to Dingle, from where I caught a bus to Tralee. And so I have retreated this evening to the same hotel where I rested my limbs three nights ago, before my final ‘push’ along the Dingle Peninsula to the end point of my LETJOG E2W journey. I have had a good meal and, perhaps, my final pint of Murphy’s before heading home tomorrow. I am not quite done with this Blog – I will let you all know when I am back safely tomorrow, and I will also put together some ‘facts and figures’ and some more considered reflections on my trip, all of which I will post here over the next few days.

Tuning finally to my Blog heading today: anyone looking for a present-day purveyor of traditional Irish folk music that best captures the mood of the land, need look no further than County Kildare-born singer-songwriter Christy Moore. I have been holding back on using one of his song titles as my Blog heading for this moment of completion and fulfilment on my trek, and his 1989 rendition of Johnny Duhan’s ‘The Voyage’ is perfect in matching my feelings of today. Reflective rather than triumphalist, and all about the journey rather than the destination. I can certainly associate with the lines in the lyrics that read: ‘with no maps to guide us we steered our own course, rode out the storms when the winds were gale force’! The lyrics also serve as a love letter to home, so here they are in full. See you tomorrow Rachel.

I am a sailor, you’re my first mate
We signed on together, we coupled our fate
Hauled up our anchor, determined not to fail
For the hearts treasure, together we set sail

With no maps to guide us we steered our own course
Rode out the storms when the winds were gale force
Sat out the doldrums in patience and hope
Working together we learned how to cope

Life is an ocean and love is a boat
In troubled water that keeps us afloat
When we started the voyage, there was just me and you
Now gathered round us, we have our own crew

Together we’re in this relationship
We built it with care to last the whole trip
Our true destination’s not marked on any charts
We’re navigating to the shores of the heart

Life is an ocean and love is a boat
In troubled water that keeps us afloat
When we started the voyage, there was just me and you
Now gathered round us, we have our own crew

Life is an ocean and love is a boat
In troubled water that keeps us afloat
When we started the voyage, there was just me and you
Now gathered round us, we have our own crew