Westport Trip April 2016
The Kilbroney Ramblers don’t just ramble around Kilbroney! The gods had the sun shine down on us, as 38 walkers made the journey to the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport on Sunday 3rd April. Leaving home in foul weather, on reaching County Mayo the clouds rolled back and it was great weather for the next two days of walking.
On Monday 12 T walkers led by David McCourt started on the Bangor trail, an ancient medieval pilgrimage and cattle droving route, in the Nephin Beg mountain range, then on to the forest trail of the Lower Letterkeen Loop. The walk taking two and a half hours, followed by a memorable lunch in Kelly’s Kitchen in Newport.
Fourteen C walkers led by Seamus Murphy and Frank McCrory started along the Bangor trail which proved to be very wet underfoot. They went higher taking in the Letterkeen Mountain in one corner of the greatest wildernesses in Ireland, then descending the loop trail of the Western Way and along the beautiful Srahmore River. This was a tough walk lasting four and a half hours. Along the way there were fabulous views and in this vast mountain range walkers were conscious they were far from civilisation.
Nine B walkers led by William Mitchell tackled the Glendahurk Horse Shoe walk in the Nephin Mountains. A tough 7 hour walk taking in five peaks and the most daunting ridge trail many of them ever crossed. The weather which threatened to be poor turned good and allowed a calm crossing of the ridge at over 700 metres, one of the toughest walks ever undertaken.
Tuesday was Achill Island and it was great to see so many T walkers opt for this major C walk when again Seamus Murphy ablely supported by Martin Smith took 26 walkers from the seaside village of Ooghcorragaun near Dooega along the spectacular cliffs of Menawn where after three and a half hours of tough ridge walking the group arrived at the peak of Mionnon at 466 metres and were rewarded with views of County Mayo very few people will ever see.
The 9 strong team of B walkers led by William Mitchell and Pat McBride tackled the steep mountainous terrain of Croaghaun rising to 688 metres starting from Keem Strand. Heading North West towards Achill Head, one of the highlights was rescuing a doomed stranded lamb from a sink hole and returning it to its grateful mother. Again the views were spectacular but B walking means there was very little time to admire the scenery as they pressed on, on one of the toughest walks ever undertaken by the group lasting seven hours.
Even the T walkers were adventurous with a wonderful walk around Westport led by Leslie Harrington taking in part of the Greenway, the harbour and Westport House demesne, something of a record for our T walkers, having covered seven and a half miles.
Some comments overheard after the walks: Dee McBride:-“A scary walk especially along the ridge” William Mitchell: - “a very rewarding walk” Myrtle Hanna:-“That was great walking” Anonymous but his first name is Peter: - “My toughest walk ever, I felt like throwing my rucksack down the ridge after the last peak”
Joan Hulme: - “Just a doddle” Sharon Clarke:-“Oh my god that was tough, but what a wonderful sense of achievement” Later Judith Revels looked across the bay from Keel to the tall long cliffs of Menawn, “Which one did we walk?” she asked “All of them” came a chorus of replies.
The Castlecourt Hotel proved popular with everyone, being central to town and with fine dining, wonderful service, great pints of the black stuff and the best well earned beds in Ireland.
The Kilbroney Ramblers don’t just ramble around Kilbroney! The gods had the sun shine down on us, as 38 walkers made the journey to the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport on Sunday 3rd April. Leaving home in foul weather, on reaching County Mayo the clouds rolled back and it was great weather for the next two days of walking.
On Monday 12 T walkers led by David McCourt started on the Bangor trail, an ancient medieval pilgrimage and cattle droving route, in the Nephin Beg mountain range, then on to the forest trail of the Lower Letterkeen Loop. The walk taking two and a half hours, followed by a memorable lunch in Kelly’s Kitchen in Newport.
Fourteen C walkers led by Seamus Murphy and Frank McCrory started along the Bangor trail which proved to be very wet underfoot. They went higher taking in the Letterkeen Mountain in one corner of the greatest wildernesses in Ireland, then descending the loop trail of the Western Way and along the beautiful Srahmore River. This was a tough walk lasting four and a half hours. Along the way there were fabulous views and in this vast mountain range walkers were conscious they were far from civilisation.
Nine B walkers led by William Mitchell tackled the Glendahurk Horse Shoe walk in the Nephin Mountains. A tough 7 hour walk taking in five peaks and the most daunting ridge trail many of them ever crossed. The weather which threatened to be poor turned good and allowed a calm crossing of the ridge at over 700 metres, one of the toughest walks ever undertaken.
Tuesday was Achill Island and it was great to see so many T walkers opt for this major C walk when again Seamus Murphy ablely supported by Martin Smith took 26 walkers from the seaside village of Ooghcorragaun near Dooega along the spectacular cliffs of Menawn where after three and a half hours of tough ridge walking the group arrived at the peak of Mionnon at 466 metres and were rewarded with views of County Mayo very few people will ever see.
The 9 strong team of B walkers led by William Mitchell and Pat McBride tackled the steep mountainous terrain of Croaghaun rising to 688 metres starting from Keem Strand. Heading North West towards Achill Head, one of the highlights was rescuing a doomed stranded lamb from a sink hole and returning it to its grateful mother. Again the views were spectacular but B walking means there was very little time to admire the scenery as they pressed on, on one of the toughest walks ever undertaken by the group lasting seven hours.
Even the T walkers were adventurous with a wonderful walk around Westport led by Leslie Harrington taking in part of the Greenway, the harbour and Westport House demesne, something of a record for our T walkers, having covered seven and a half miles.
Some comments overheard after the walks: Dee McBride:-“A scary walk especially along the ridge” William Mitchell: - “a very rewarding walk” Myrtle Hanna:-“That was great walking” Anonymous but his first name is Peter: - “My toughest walk ever, I felt like throwing my rucksack down the ridge after the last peak”
Joan Hulme: - “Just a doddle” Sharon Clarke:-“Oh my god that was tough, but what a wonderful sense of achievement” Later Judith Revels looked across the bay from Keel to the tall long cliffs of Menawn, “Which one did we walk?” she asked “All of them” came a chorus of replies.
The Castlecourt Hotel proved popular with everyone, being central to town and with fine dining, wonderful service, great pints of the black stuff and the best well earned beds in Ireland.