The Outskirts of Dingle
At breakfast this morning it seemed that everyone I've seen on the trail so far was seated in the same room. One couple from Boston and a father and son from Germany were there, along with two women from the Netherlands that I hadn't seen before. I thought I might see some of them on the trail as we made progress today, but that did not happen.
I think I left first, and the only glimpse I got of anybody was way behind me on the road. I did see two people moving in the same direction. They were unrecognizable and never caught up to me. But I did see my first leprechaun.
There were gray skies and lots of wind as I started out. The forecast was for rain to begin at 2:00 p.m. I was out the door before 9 a.m., my app estimating it would probably take about 7 hours to cover 14.5 miles today. That meant an average of only two miles per hour, and generally I average a bit over three. I expected some rough terrain.
Probably 60 percent of the walk today was on paved surfaces. Some segments were through fields and down muddy trails. As I descended down to the coast early in the day, an old castle came into view.
Like many others in the country, it was mostly destroyed by Oliver Cromwell. It was really an impressive sight to see what was left of the castle at the water's edge. It could have been a scene out of so many dark and foreboding stories. I imagine it is even more gloomy and impressive in winter weather as the seas crash across the stones at the castle's base.
There were lots of pastures, lots of stone walls, and even more sheep and cattle than in previous days.
The trails, once away from roads, showed evidence that the animals were using the same pathway.
Luckily, while there were some really muddy spots, things were pretty navigable. This was especially important because I made the decision not to wear my waterproof hiking shoes today. They work fine, but they're not nearly as comfortable as my Altra Lone Peaks. I always prefer them for long walking days. Choosing footwear for the day was actually one of the topics of discussion at the breakfast tables that morning. Most of the group opted to go with comfortable shoes. As it turned out, that might have been a mistake.
As I made my way down the trail, I was amazed that my time to finish would probably be a little over five hours unless I came across some real challenges on the route. Every time I moved around a corner, I anticipated something being there that would slow me down.
Some walkers look at what is up ahead in the database offered by the travel companies. They know where every hill is and can anticipate dealing with it—I prefer to be surprised. It doesn't really matter whether it's flat and dry or hilly and wet, I'm still going.
On that note, as I left the trails and hit a paved surface, the skies opened up almost immediately. It was about 1:40 p.m., so the rain hit a little ahead of schedule. I got into my rain gear as quickly as I could and pressed down the trail for the final three miles. There was really nothing to be seen during that last hour. The scenery was obscured by the downpour and I was entering the outskirts of Dingle, which looks much like every other small town.
As I made my way into the city and actually had sidewalks to traverse, I thought about the people behind me on those muddy trails. When the rain comes down heavy, the mud combines with animal waste to turn into a nasty and slippery slurry. It was definitely an opportunity for me to have gratitude for being off that section when the downpour began.
It was with great pleasure that I discovered my luggage waiting for me in the lobby, and my room ready, when I arrived at my hotel around 2:30 that afternoon. Even better, there was a bathtub, and today was a day I took advantage of it.
Tomorrow is rated as being a little more strenuous. My laundry is done, I've had my dinner, and now it's time to get as much rest as possible. With any luck the rain will have stopped before morning and I can stick with my favorite shoes.
