Glencolumbkille to Ardara (Ireland) | Life as a Slug? - Day 7

I enter the breakfast room at 8am and Geraldine is there to greet me. She's prepared a wonderful fruit salad for the guests while she preps the traditional Irish breakfast. The fruit taste amazing. Perhaps because I realize I haven't eaten much fruit over the last week. A few minutes later Geraldine appears with a huge plate of food. Three links of pork sausage, two slices of fried ham, a fried Roma tomato (halved), a  slice of each of black and white pudding sausage, and a sad little overcooked fried egg. I appreciate the gesture as well the ability to fuel up before the days walk. I tell Geraldine, that was so much food. She says "Yes, we don't eat that everyday now. If we did we couldn't fit through the door." We both laugh, then say goodbye.

I gather my things for what I expect to be a long walk today. Right around 20 miles (32 km) with a 30 lbs (13 kg) pack will be a challenge. I start the day in my trail runners, Altra Lone Peak 5, and hit the pavement. The first 9 mi (13 km) are uphill about a 1,000 ft (300 m) in elevation gain. This part of Ireland is different. Gone are the stone wall fences. Instead modern day fence materials, wooden fence posts, 4" x 6" horse fencing with barbed wire tops keep those sheep in their pastures. I'm enjoying the solitude and even the vehicle traffic is light today.

Around mile 8 (12 km), Uncle Phil joins me again. It's nice to have the reassurance I'm headed the right direction. I also don't mind the company. I dubbed him Phil on Day 1, short for Philmont Scout Ranch. Seeing these little signs reminds me of my time with Boy Scouts, while I was in Lander, Wyoming. Philmont Scout Ranch is a High Adventure Base near Cimarron, New Mexico specifically geared around backpack adventures. Boy Scouts have several of these Adventure Bases across the country like the Northern Tier, which is geared towards canoe trips on the boundary waters of Minnesota.  

It's now just past 11 am. I've covered just under 7 miles (11 km) in 2 hours. I made good time. I decide to stop, filter some water, and while I am at it soak my feet in the cool water of creek. A guilty pleasure for hot sore feet. I may have made good time, however, I've got a hotspot developing under the ball of my left foot. I am getting ready to head off pavement for the next several Klicks so I decide to switch to my boots, Oboz Bridger. I'm hoping that switching shoes will stave off any potential blisters.

The IAT is well built and poorly signed at times. As a new trail, this is to be expected. One thing they do well here is make it easy for "walkers" to cross fences. Notice the little step to the right of the photo. Once on the step, it is easy to navigate the top wire of the fence. Many will also cover the top wire to prevent snagging. This one is bare, so I take my time. Last thing I want is to snag my pants.

After another Klick, the trail heads up through a saddle. The moist wet soil feels good underfoot and Phil guides me up the hill and through the valley. Notice Phil standing in the middle of the picture. It starts to rain so I throw on my rain paints and jacket which makes the slog uphill very hot.

It's not too long before I come across a major bog. I test a wet spot with my trekking pole, it goes down 8" without feeling a bottom before I pull it back out. I remember Frank telling me, "Think like a local and you'll avoid stepping in those bogs." I spend the next 40 min hopping from mound to mound while picking my way through the bog. I reach an impasse. Unsure about this next step, I slip and fall backwards to avoid falling into the bottomless goo. Once on the ground, I burst out laughing. I fell in the good direction onto a mound but now I resemble a turtle on its back. It takes me a couple of minutes to right myself with the pack on my back. I then find an alternate path. 

At the top of the final climb, I pause for lunch. It's now 1230 pm. It's nearly all downhill from here now, except when I near Ardara (Arr-Drah). I glance down and am pleased to see a large (i.e., 3 in [7.5 cm]) black slug (a.k.a black arion) next to me. This counts as wildlife, right? In the 30 min I take to eat my lunch and rest, the slug moves less than an inch from where I first saw it. I admire how deliberate and thoughtful the slug is. I watch it pick its way through the grass stems, extending and retracting its antenna, which it uses as feelers. What a different world this would be if we all lived life as slugs?  Imagine a deliberate, intentional, and slowed pace of life. I say farewell to my lunch friend and begin my own deliberate, slow decent, picking my way through the wet bog.

Now back on pavement, I opt to keep my boots on. I can feel the hotspot on the ball of my left foot. It's not going away, but it doesn't feel like it's getting worse either. I begin the climb down the beautiful mountain draw and follow the road (west side about 1/3rd of way up from the creek in the bottom of the  photo) down to valley below.

At around 230 pm, I arrive at the turnoff for the Caves of Maghera and Maghera Strand. After pausing for a few minutes, I pick up my pack and decide to take the detour. After all, when will I be back this way and how can I pass up another beautiful Irish beach? The caves are a series of shallow caves along the beach (i.e., Maghera Strand), many of which are only accessible at low-tide. 

Fortunately, low tide is right about 2 pm today. I poke around in the first couple before remembering I still have 12 km to go to Aradara. I make my way back out to the pavement. My feet are sore and I am out of gas. I stop for about 30 min to rest and refuel. I down one of the few Honey Stinger goo packets I brought for moments like these. Once I feel rested, I'm back on my feet for the trek to Auntie B's BnB.

A little over one Klick from Maghera Strand, right off the road is Assaranca Falls. I have it all to myself, at least for a few minutes. I'm starting to feel warm so I shed my rain coat and resume the walk.

About 300 m (900 ft) later, I'm pulling out my rain jacket and pants again. It begins to rain, a light steady rain. The rain continues for the next 10 km (7 mi). By now, my left foot is really hurting. I try not to stop as it takes me about 100 m to starting walking normal again. It feels like my sock is sticking to bottom of my foot every time I stop. So I don't stop. My body is like a machine, once in stride the Klicks just fall away. Whoever said "Mind over Matter" doesn't understand how much stronger your body is then your mind. Let your body take control, it knows what to do, and doesn't need your mind to get in the way. That's what being in zone is all about. Keep your mind out of the way and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. 

I stride into town just after 5 pm. I decide to pass on dinner and groceries until I've checked in. On the road for 8+ hrs and 20 mi (32 km), I want to change out of these wet clothes. I am happy to see Auntie B's BnB even if it's 1 Klick past town. I ring the bell and Auntie B (Barbara) greats me. A widowed English woman, she runs a tight BnB and is a no-nonsense kinda gal. "Here's your room and key. Bottled water for you. Kettle for tea or coffee. Full Irish Breakfast between 8am and 10 am, Which is best for you?" she says. I say 8 am. She retreats to her space. 

I set my pack down. Damn, I underestimated how sore I would be. I do a quick foot check. Right foot, no issues, just sore. Left foot, how bad are the blisters? Wait, no blisters. Hooray! Hotspot, check. No blisters though. Man is my left foot sore! Looks like switching to boots was a good call. I shed my wet clothing and lay on the bed for 30 min without moving. I'm spent! I gingerly hobble back to town in my trail runners to grab dinner and groceries. I order Fish n Chips (Cod) with mushy peas at Nancy's Bar.  It's an entire fillet of cod battered on the plate and the mushy peas (i.e., mashed greens peas) are fantastic. I had them in Letterkenny and didn't care for them, but Nancy's did them right. I eat it all.  Then slowly gingerly walk, if you can call it that, back up the hill to Auntie B's and turn in.