The Wicklow Way - Oldbridge to Glendalough (Stage 3)

Distance - 10km (We walked the 10km and then walked the route in reverse to make an overall hike of 20km)
Terrain - Road walking, then forest track and some mountain paths
Summary - Short and not too demanding section (a bit more difficult on the way back). Brings you right to the Monastic City in  Glendalough which is worth a wander around.

We did this hike a couple of weeks ago. Again we were blessed with lovely weather. As this part of the Wicklow way is just 10km, we decided to bring just one car and park it at the beginning of the walk outside Roundwood. We walked the 10km and then turned around and walked back to make it a longer walk. The 10km walk to Glendalough isn't too difficult and is a good walk for beginners.

The first 4 km's of the walk is road walking. However it is quiet country roads and although there are some hills, once you don't try run up them, they are easy enough going. After walking for about 45 minutes, we left the road to begin the cross country part of the walk.

 After walking up a lane, turning left and following Paddock Hill gently upwards, we came across a small hut called Brusher Gap Hut. This purpose of the hut seemed to be an over night shelter. It was really clean and had a tap, a place to make a fire and a sweeping brush. There was a small box that had a visitors book inside it. We signed it and sat for a few minutes taking in the gorgeous view that it overlooked. This was the first time that either of us had seen one of these huts when out hiking. They are a really good idea and hopefully the intention is to erect some more along the Wicklow Way and other long walking routes in Ireland.

Not far after the hut, the path starts to descend. Initially I was delighted that we were going downhill because most of our hikes so far have been more uphill than downhill. However that soon wore off when the realisation hit that all this downhill would be uphill on the way back. We walked down a very steep hill that took about 10-12 mins to walk down. I began to get really worried about if I would make it back up on the way back. Johnny kept telling me not to be so negative because if I was negative it would be harder to climb back up on the way back. After the steep hill we crossed a road and entered a wood. Again the wood was predominantly downhill leading us right to the visitor centre in Glendalough.

Johnny and I have done many hikes in Glendalough but in all that time we have never walked around the Monastic City. Although we could have done a guided tour we were conscious that we had to walk the 10km back to the car so we ate our lunch at a picnic area in the visitor centre and spent about 15 minutes just wandering around the Monastic City.Even though it was March, there were loads of tourists there.











We then turned around and walked back the way we came. Definitely tougher as a lot of the way is uphill. After walking up through the forest and through some flat land we came to the hill that I had been dreading since walking down it earlier. We paused at the bottom and then began. Through a lot of huffing and puffing we made it up it in 12 minutes without stopping. I couldn't believe it. I was sure I would have to stop at least two or three times. I had learned my lesson. Don't be negative before you even try because you might actually be able to do it. We followed the route back that we had travelled earlier and reached the car where we had parked it earlier that morning. I can't tell you exactly how long it took us because we forgot to time it. Giving a guess, it was about four and a half hours.

This walk can be done in two ways. 10km one way or 20km there and back. I'd suggest the 10km if you want a long walk but nothing too strenuous. The 20km is definitely the one to do if you are looking to stretch yourself and take in a couple of steep hills. As per the previous walks, you do need hiking boots for some parts of this walk but also bring a pair of runners in your backpack for the road walking (Especially if you are doing the 20km; your feet will appreciate them at the 4km at the end). Wait until Glendalough to eat lunch and definitely take a few minutes to walk around the Monastic City.

Grow It Yourself Saturday - Upper Body Training

So due to other commitments, training over the past couple of weeks has concentrated on the gym. There's no excuse as it's only across the road from work. Since last week I have incorporated free weights into my routine. It's funny because I don't know what all the different exercises are so I try to watch out of the corner of my eye to see what others are doing and I copy them. In my mind I keep thinking that I must look like Mr Bean slyly glancing at what the person beside me is doing and then copying them.

On Saturday we took the opportunity to do a different type of training. The residents committee where I live had organised for Grow It Yourself Ireland to come and help us dig out and plan a

vegetable garden for our apartment complex. I arrived down in my digging clothes only to be met by a crowd of people, a television camera and Shane Horgan (Irish international and Leinster Rugby player). Mortified. Old tracksuit bottoms, no make up and a bright red rain jacket. No one had told me that GIY Ireland were using our project to launch Grow It Yourself week and that Shane Horgan was going to be there for an interview and press photos.

As I do not know anything about gardening or vegetable patch creation, myself and Johnny took on the duty of filling the wheelbarrow with manure and soil to bring to the plot. This ended up being a really good work out for our arms. After what felt like a hundred trips back and forth with the wheelbarrow, Johnny came up with the clever idea of using a wheelie bin. Being completely honest it was actually a good idea and sped up the process. It was great to be doing some manual labour that benefited the community that we lived in.

It was great to see so many people getting involved. Someone mentioned that a group of landscapers actually travelled from Waterford to help us. In the end we planted peppers, courgettes, cucumbers, rocket, lettuce and some other stuff that I can't remember. It will be great to eat vegetables that we have grown ourselves. We have loads of spare land behind our apartments so if this works out we might actually extend it. All in all it was a great mornings work and also got a bit of training in as well.

The Wicklow Way - Glencree River to Oldbridge (Stage 2)

Distance: 18km & 3 km to Roundwood (where the car was parked).

Terrain:  Mainly forest tracks and mountain paths, boggy underfoot and exposed in places.

Summary: Views of loughs, waterfalls and mountains made strenuous by the gradients, terrain and exposed areas.

Myself and Johnny started the day by dropping one car off at Roundwood (end point) and driving the other back to Knockree Hostel (Starting point of Stage 2). Given how much we enjoyed the first walk a couple of weeks before, we were quiet excited and enthusiastic about this walk. It started off ideally walking downhill, quickly followed by a lovely level walk by Glencree river.

After walking along the river for a while, we began to climb gently uphill through a forest. Along this forest pathway we passed by a man, wheeling a 2 wheeled shopping trolley. Slightly strange and even stranger that he didn't even acknowledge us. We shortly came to a road that led us to Crone Woods. Again, we climbed gradually uphill through the woods. There were much more people around here as the woods had a car park and many were jogging and running through the woods. It was slightly embarrassing when a couple that were definitely in their late 60's to early 70's ran by us.  After walking uphill for some time we turned a corner to the following view:

Powerscourt Waterfall. It was so beautiful that we stopped there for a few minutes to take in the scenery. We then continued on the pathway, following the cliff walk until it opened out into a stone type of walkway. At this point, you are looking out for a wooden footbridge crossing the river Dargle below you, to make your way to. Once you catch sight of the footbridge, the first thing that will immediately jump out at you is the steep climb once you cross the bridge. From a distance it looks like a completely vertical climb but don't let this freak you out. Although it is steep, it isn't as steep or as high as it looks from a distance

Johnny decided, on behalf of both of us, that we would climb to the top without stopping; really push ourselves. "Hills are our friends" (Johnny's saying, definitely not mine). So that's what we began to to. However the first mistake that we made was not defining what the top was. My view was that the top was where the steep bit finished. I learned when we reached that point, Johnny's view was that the top was where the hill completely leveled off, quite a bit on. By this point I was weak as I had burned off my breakfast and needed just something small to give me the energy to keep me going. I mentally decided that I needed a banana that was contained in Johnny's backpack. Do you think he would give it to me. NO, I HAD TO WAIT TILL WE REACHED THE TOP (He said). A few more minutes on I asked again. I really needed a banana (I know I am sounding dramatic here but I was feeling week with hunger). NO, I HAD WAIT TILL WE REACHED THE TOP (He said again). I'll leave my response to your imagination but needless to say I didn't ask a third time. In future I will be bringing my own banana's.

Following this section, it leveled out for a few minutes and then we met our new enemy; The never ending dishonest hill. An honest hill is one where you can see that it is steep and you know up front what you are letting yourself into. A dishonest hill is one that does not look that difficult or even doesn't seem like a hill in the first place. This was definitely one of these. It went on forever and each time you got over what you thought was the top there was a new top. This never ending hill was really demotivating and dampened our spirits. We were climbing it forever but weren't seeming to get anywhere. Eventually we got to the top and joined a new cliff path.

After the cliff walk we reached the section that the book described as railway sleepers to protected the bog . The book also mentioned that this part of the walk can be windy. OK so here is the bit where we tell you not to believe everything you read. For another definition of windy, try look up hurricane. Picture this. You are walking in single file on the sleepers that don't really give you much room to maneuver your footing. Also at each side of the sleepers are pools of water and soggy bog land. Battering you from the side is the strongest gale force winds that you can imagine to the point that your body is practically bent sideways to try and keep your balance. Seriously how one or both of us didn't land in the water I don't know. You might think I am exaggerating but I am seriously not. If anything it was quiet funny and perked up our spirits. What on earth were we doing here?

After the sleepers we descended to overlook Lough Tay which is absolutely beautiful. There is a memorial to the JB Malone, the original architect of the Wicklow Way here. Following this we continued to descend and reached a road. After the road, we went back into another forest before entering some private farmland (although private, you are allowed to pass through it if walking the Way)

Once through the farmland, we ended stage 2 of the Way and proceeded to make our way to Roundwood via the local road. We arrived in Roundwood absolutely exhausted at 3.15pm, 5.5 hrs after we had begun at Knockree Hostel. Although the distance of this stage of the Way was the same as the previous one, it took us longer due to the terrain that we were walking on, the gradients and we took more scenery stops. Also the constant watching of your footing and the wind and weather exposure of this stage really did have an impact on our tiredness during the walk. Hiking boots, a rain jacket and a hat are absolute musts for this walk. You could not do this walk in runners. Again the Way is well served by way markers and can be done without a map or book.

Operation Transformation 5km Run - Saturday, 19th February 2011

So there we were at the starting line. Our first official race, along side 3,500 others. Johnny asked me if I was nervous. I lied and told him, I wasn't. To be honest I actually had butterflies. What if I could only run for a minute or two? What if I tripped? What if I got a stitch? It was ok for Johnny, he had been building up his running in the evenings. I had been running on the treadmill but I had never ran outside. And anyway, the furthest I had run on the treadmill was 4km. The gun went and we started. We decided to keep a slow pace in an effort to make it to the end without stopping. The atmosphere was great. It was actually a lot easier than expected to run in such a large group. We didn't let the faster people passing us by put us off. We had our own goal. To make it to the finish line of our first race.

20 minutes on and approaching our second hill I gave in. My legs were like jelly and I felt like I was going to throw up so I decided to walk up the hill. Johhny continued on jogging. At the top of the hill I started to run again and made it a bit further before having to take a second walking break. At this point I told Johnny to keep on without me. He had set himself a challenge of finishing without stopping and I didn't want him not to reach this. I walked for a little and then heard a voice saying that if we kept jogging we would make the finish line in under 40 mins. This was the incentive that I needed. I had set myself a target of 45 mins and now I had 40 mins in my sights. Although my legs felt like they would go from beneath me, I began to run again. I could not believe my eyes when the finish line came into sight and 35.5 mins was on the clock. I gave one final push and crossed the line at 36mins 16secs, only one and a half minutes behind Johnny (34mins 42secs). I actually felt very emotional crossing the line. Even though I had to stop twice, I ran 5km in 36 mins. I couldn't believe it. Johhny was really happy to do it without stopping. This was an amazing achievement. We hadn't specifically trained for this event. It just shows you what you are capable of without even knowing.

The Wicklow Way - Marley Park to Knockree (Stage 1)

As part of our training we decided to walk the Wicklow Way in stages. We did the first stage two weeks ago; Marley Park To Glencree River.

22km, Mixture of road walking, forest tracks and hillside paths

First smart idea of the day was to drive one car to the finish point so that we wouldn't have to walk an extra 5km at the end to get a bus back. You only realise when you have walked 22km that you don't want to have to walk even further just to get a bus home.

We started at  9.40am and got to the car (parked at Knockree Hostel) at approximately 2.45pm. This time incorporated a 20min lunch and a few breaks to take in the scenery. Although we were out of breath at bits, it was completely manageable. The trail took us through woods, uphill and downhill paths and trails, heathery moorlands, a rocky path and a very small portion of road walking. It was really well signposted with walking markers and even though we had bought a guide book, we could have completed it just following the markers.

For anyone thinking of doing the walk, a pair of hiking boots is a must, to protect your ankles. The only other definite requirement is a rain jacket and a packed lunch. It got quite windy when we were high up and the jacket came in really handy. You could also decide to stay at the Knockree hostel overnight as it is just a couple of hundred metres from the stage 1 finish point. Although we only parked there (there is a field just up from it that allows you to park there for day hikes), it looked more like a hotel than a hostel.

My final note, don't underestimate how well you have done when you complete this hike. My legs were sore for a couple of days after, reminding me that, although I didn't find the hike was at an extremely difficult level, it definitely was a really good work out.

http://www.wicklowway.com/

http://www.knockreeyouthhostel.com/Knockree-hostel-pictures

Fi.

Training

So the trek is booked and now the realisation has set in. We need to be fit to do this. I have read that your oxygen levels are 50% lower at basecamp than at sea level. The trek is a 75 mile round trip with some very steep inclines. To help me with my fitness, I decided to join a gym. It's just across the road from work so I have no excuses for not going. Johnny decided that he would go running  in the evenings to help him increase his fitness. Although running and the gym are a good start, we need to get out hiking to really start training.

 

A Distant Dream

Although we are usually the type of people that do what we say we are going to do, never in a million years did I think that we would actually ever really book it.

Let me take you back to the beginning. Over the past year and a half I had fleetingly mentioned at a few dinner parties, nights out, etc. that I wanted to go to Mount Everest. Even though I had said it, I didn't actually realise that a normal person could go there. I thought that you had to be a trained mountaineer to get near it. It was just a dream that I would never fulfil. Then I read a book called  the Epic of Mount Everest. It was written over 60 years ago and detailed the first three British attempts to summit. The book consumed me and I just had to get there. I began to do some research and couldn't believe it when I found out that regular people like me could do a two week trek to the basecamp. It began to become a real option. I would be 30 in September and could not contain my excitement of going to Mount Everest to celebrate. Johnny was apprehensive and was the one asking all the sensible questions but in my mind, nothing he could say could stop my mind racing forward. Although we had no spare money, I had it already booked in my mind. After a tough few months within our circle of friends in Inchicore, we made the decision. Life was too short and no matter how much it costed we would have the most amazing memories for the rest of our lives. We knew that we would have to save like mad but it would be worth it. So we booked it. We were going to Everest on the 30/09/2011.

Fi