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Ballyhoura Walk

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                                                                                                                                                                       On Sunday 10 February the club outing was to the Ballyhoura Mountains. The Ballyhouras run for approx six miles east to west on the border of Cork and Limerick. The sky was pregnant with rain to the west, but to the east they looked clear. Arriving at the trailhead on the road to Ardpatrick, we parked up and put on our walking gear. There are good facilities here with a shop and toilets etc.  Mountain bikes can be hired out here from Trailriders.ie.  The largest network of mountain bike trails in Ireland are here. However the longest downhill run is nearer to home on Mount Hillary.
The morning was cold but dry so far. We set off at a lively gait, on a track heading south east,over looking the rich pastures of Ballyorgan. Across the valley the Victorian Castle Oliver could be seen.
With it’s 21 rooms and 12 bathrooms, it boasts the largest wine 🍷 cellar in Ireland, with approx 55,000 bottles...... It is open to the public from May to September....the House only,not the cellar.
It was here that Kim Kardashian (Whoever she is ) and Kanye West spent part of their honeymoon.
           
                                                                                                                                                               Crossing the public road we veered North West and up a steep track. Here we met some flurries of snow. Upwards we went and then came to the sleepers section, we were greeted with driving hail head on.  We rested in the lee of some rocks, before we began our final assault to the summit of Seefin at 528 meters.  Refresh we continued and reached the trig point of the highest point of the Ballyhouras. We had reasonably good views of the verdant plains of Cork and Limerick. A faint glimps of Mount Hillary could be seen in the distance. Seefin is thought to be an angalicised version of Sui Finn, Finns seat. He wouldn’t linger long here today because of the cutting breeze.
Photos taken we continued on to Castle Philip. From here it was all mostly downhill. There was a noticeable increase in temperature as we descended. Down then onto forest paths until we reached the car park.
                                                                                                                                                                      After changing, some had to leave for home, and more stopped for the tea / coffee and chat at the Gallery in Mallow. It was good to see such a large turnout, and great to see some new faces.....

                        “ I go to nature
                           to be soothed
                           and healed,
                           and to have
                            my senses
                          put in order “.................John Burroughs.

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Location: Jamestown, Co. Limerick, Ireland

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