Enjoying the Scandinavian "high"

The High pressure weather system from Scandinavia has been firmly in place over the northern and western parts of Britain and Ireland for about 10 days now. It arrives every year, some times as early as March and sometimes well in to May. This "high" brings fine, dry weather with glorious blue skies and sunshine and if in the later months of April and May pretty good temperatures as well! Later on in the summer when the "highs" push up from Europe they seldom extend as far as the northern and westerly reaches and hence our temperatures never quite reach the dizzy heights attained in the sunny south east of Britain.

Gortnalughoge beach on the Rosguill peninsula

Granite cross and Mass Rock-Rosguill

It has been fabulous walking weather so once again I have been out training and enjoying the Wild Atlantic Way over Easter weekend trying to build up my endurance by adding some hills-small ones! and getting comfortable with the 5-7 mile walks. Meanwhile across the Irish sea my adult children based in England have also been out walking the paths and byways of Cheshire, although they do have the advantage of age and the fitness of youth on their sides.

Overlooking Tra na Rossan beach from the Atlantic Drive



Wild Atlantic Way signs

It would be lovely at some stage to walk to much more than from Sarria but many reasons make it impossible at this time. It was wonderful, last time, meeting up with pilgrims who were able to take more time and had the physical ability to walk greater distances. I have however been fortunate to visit the beautiful city of Leon and have driven some of the north coast region of Galicia and Asturias..... so perhaps some day?

For the next few days I will be back to some city walking and enjoying the Pan Celtic festival which is based in Derry for the next 6 days





Unusual bell tower on my way home beside the Church at Fanavolty in the Fanad peninsula

 

walking on the Wild Atlantic Way

The Wild Atlantic Way is a signposted long distance scenic route along the Atlantic coast of Ireland. The coastal scenery is absolutely stunning and the Northwest of Ireland has been bathed in sunshine for the past few days so I have been out walking around the Donegal coast in an attempt to make me a little fitter before I walk the Sarria to Santiago section of the Camino in May.

Rosapenna beach stretches for almost 3 miles around Sheephaven bay and is very picturesque but not too demanding to walk as it is flat, that said, the wind last sunday week did succeed in making my walk quite hard going.

Friday was a different story, blue skies, warm breezes and tranquillity as I first walked the shores of Mulroy bay then uphill through the small hamlet of Dundoan and continued across to the westward facing Atlantic beach of Tra na Rossan before my final uphill climb through the townland of Gortnaluhoge.

Horn Head viewed from Rosapenna beach

Muckish mountain rising behind the Ards peninsula

 

 

Along the shore of Mulroy Bay

 

Returning to the Camino!

I knew as soon as we returned from our camino in 2012 that I would go again sometime. My daughter and my friend who walked with me talked vaguely about us returning "in a few years" perhaps when my granddaughter would be old enough to join us on our next journey. The camino experience has never been far from my mind since the last time so I was absolutely thrilled when my two older sons announced that they would like to go with me in May 2014 and the printer ink was barely dry on the flight booking when my daughter, who had accompanied me the last time and my youngest son who joined us in Santiago in 2012 announced that they and their partners would like to go! and finally my friend announced that she too had itchy feet and would love to join us again!

Austins shop  in Derry-oldest department store in the world? great for coffee and snacks when out walking and great views of the city

 

So the 8 of us with be starting from Sarria in May and training has commenced.  In recent weeks I have been enjoying walks around my home city and at the coast in Donegal doing 5-7 miles at a time along the scenic river banks, through the centre of the city and along the beaches. Yesterday my son, my granddaughter and myself did 12 miles, mostly flat terrain, so we are feeling quite pleased with our efforts.
I do however keep reminding myself that in terms of the Camino Frances, the stretch from Sarria to Santiago is less physically demanding than some of the earlier stages but for me, as a 60 something with some health issues, I found it much more physically challenging than I had expected and indeed the second day from Portomarin to Palas de Rei pushed me to my very limits in 2012.
That said it was an amazing experience and I am very happy to be going again and to have all my grown up children going with me, I am very privileged.