Tralee

Posted on August 21, 2020 by lindaharley

After the Cliffs , we were back at the Ballygarry House Hotel, one of our favourite spots. Our stay included one evening meal, but the restaurant wasn’t open till Wednesday. So we booked a table for then, and tonight (Monday) ate in the brasserie.  I had the veggie curry, which was rather heavy on bell peppers.

There is a lovely spa at the hotel, but during the ongoing restructions they have a limit on the number of clients they can have, and what treatments are on offer.  I’d missed out on booking something in time on our previous trip, so I was looking forward to my back massage later today.  So with the morning free we headed into Tralee for a bit of a potter around.

I found a colourful Billabong skirt in a charity shop, and we had a mooch around the fine grey stone courthouse.  We also booked a dinner reervation in the Ashe Hotel just as a change of scene.

There was a sale on in Mountain Warehouse, and I found a great relaxed easy care dress WITH POCKETS that I loved.  So I bought it in 3 colourways.

From there we walked around Tralee town park, on what turned out to be the parkrun route!  There is a sundial dedicated to Neil Armstrong, who’d once trod these paths, and of course many Rose of Tralee related things to look at and admire.  Back in 2002 when I was in Luxembourg, it was decided to inaugurate a Lux Rose competition, and I had some peripheral connection (tap dancing at the Rose Ball, Jemima Irish dancing in a display, my good pal Anne-Marie being one of the contestants). 

So it was with a wistful smile and fond memories of bygone times that I read down the names of the roses from around the world.  No competition this year, a huge loss to the town, and yet another indicator of just what a ubiquitous impact Covid was exerting.

Time for my spa!  I had my temperature checked and filled out a detailed form.  Then I had some time to soak up the rare sunshine in the open air hot tub.  The spa provided a pair of disposable knickers for me to change into, though it took a while to work out which way round they went.  My masseuse worked wonders on my knotty shoulders, and I relaxed in the chill out zone for a while.

Back at our room, I had no key with me, could hear the TV going, but there was no answer to my knocking.  I still had the spa-undies on, though thankfully with a coverall beach dress over them, and I was clutching a plastic bag with my wet swimsuit.  Not really how I wanted to start a search of the hotel looking for R and the key!  When I found him on the terasse, he hadn’t a key with him!  Luckliy reception had a spare, and I was able to dry off properly, change into something more fitting before pretending I was in France and sipping a cocktail on the sun-filled terasse.

Wearing one of my new mountain warehouse dresses, we rang a taxi to take us into town, and the very friendly Albert arrived. 

At the Ashe, I ordered the fish special, which was hake with a sun-dried tomato tapenade, and absolutely delicious.  We went for a bit of a stroll after dinner, before calling Albert again to take us home.  Times were tough he confided.  No Roses, no ‘merican tourists, and no students.

Back at the hotel, I wandered the grounds enjoying the sunset before retiring.

Wednesday was the day we had set aside for doing the Slea Head Drive, and I’d been anxiously checking weather forecasts for over a week.  I needn’t have worried, we had blue sky and sunshine all the way.  After a breakfast of porridge with the hotel’s own honey I donned another of my new dresses and off we set.  Past the Blennerville windmill, and into a Dingle traffic jam.

First stop was Castlegregory Beach.  There is a good car park here, and some clean loos.  Which probably explains why most of the carpark was taken up by motorhomes, in spite of the sign banning them.  The bay is calm, though a little rocky, but seemed popular with swimmers and dog walkers.

Next, the Connor Pass!  No trucks or buses allowed, however there were loads of cyclists.  Is there a special cerfickatick they get for plodding all the way up here?

At the viewpoint there were great views in both directions – back down to Castlegregory to the north, with Mount Brandon brooding over it, and down to the picturesque Dingle to the south.  We swooped down into the town, had a minor kerfuffle finding the right road to the centre, but found a great parking spot by the church, which is free, and in easy walking distance of the the town and the harbour.

We stolled downhill, past the long queue outside the coffee shop – that must be some special brew!  After an ice-cream and short look at some tweed jackets, our next destination was the Ryan’s Daughter beach.  Given the sunny day, that seemed to be the destination of about a billion other people also.  The small car park at the top of the path was jam packed, and cars were parked right down the laneway onto the beach. 

Manoevering around was extremely stressful, and I left R to be amused by the attempts to get up and down, while climbed up Dumore Head, the most westerly point of the mainland.  It’s a specacular view, looking out towards the Blaskets, no wonder it was used for some of the filming of Star Wars.

Carrying on round the drive, our next stop was the fairly new Blasket Centre, and its brand new viewing platform.  When seen from above, this viewpoint is the wiggly W of the WAW sign.  There is also a stunning stained glass window in the centre itself, depicting various aspects of life on the islands.

Saw no dolphins.

The hills on Sybill Head look like solid waves as you approach, and are called the three sisters.

We stopped at abillboard advertised cafe-pottery, only to find the cafe closed and the pottery overpriced.  We should have stopped in Ballyferriter, I’m sure I saw Darth Vadar and Yoda standing ouside a pub!

The hotel has bicycles for use by residents, so we had a few laughs as we made our way to the nearby Ballyseedy Wood.  Thank goodness we both managed to stay upright.

Back at the hotel, we changed for our special dinner in the main restaurant, which was wonderful.

There was heavy rain overnight, but it eased by about 8, so I got into my running gear, and R took me into Tralee town park to do a freedom parkrun.  It’s a nice route, not too hilly, and I’m realiably informed the team here are great, so I’ll look forward to the day when I can run it for real.

Back at the hotel for a late breakfast of chia seed pot, and eggs benedict with no ham.  Then it was time to pack, and head off to the next leg.

 

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Cliffs of Moher and more

Posted on August 18, 2020 by lindaharley

 

happymap

Always happy with a map in my hand

The next stage of our trip was to pick up the Wild Atlantic Way and head south.  Two years ago we had done the WAW from Sligo as far down as Galway, so it was good to be taking the next part of it.

After breakfast we compared maps and sat navs.  We wanted to take the ferry-to-Kerry, to cut out going through Limerick, and I discovered it was slightly cheaper if we booked online. (18-90 for a car) But we had to persuade the sat nav that we didn’t want to go straight there, but rather take the very scenic coastal route.

bishops

After driving round the bare grey rocks of the Burren, we stopped for a leg stretch at Bishops Quarter beach, which seemed a very calm bay popular with swimmers.  I could see that the sat nav then wanted to take us inland to the cliffs (huh?) while I wanted to hug the WAW.  R agreed to take my suggestion, which I think he regretted the whole rest of the way, as the roads were very narrow indeed, and oncoming vehicles didn’t always pull over where they could.  So the air was blue, but oh my, the views were just breathtaking!  The Aran islands basking in a vivid blue sea, the sun glinting on the waves.  After we turned a corner, there were the cliffs, brown sheer drops bordered by green at the top and blue below. And there was the odd compulsory WAW point for me to try and fail to get the full name in.

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We had booked entrance tickets in advance, and enjoyed a look around the visitor exhibition, using the clean loos, and having a cooling ice cream.

It’s a bit of a walk to the various viewing points, and there are quite a few steps to climb.  There are marked busking points along the way, and there were a variety of musicians playing away.  Although the weather was warm and sunny, it was a little hazy, and I couldn’t quite make out the Kerry mountains to the south or the Twelve Pins to the north.

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As well as the usual tourist gifts in the visitor centre, there are a few more shops near by, including aran jumpers, musical instruments, and jewellry.  I fell in love with a set of items created by a local designer, whose sister was the sales assistant.  They were inspired by the colours of the WAW, and used three different blue stones: agate for the ruggedness of the coast, larimar for the ocean, and topaz for the sky.  I took my time decididng which piece to buy.  I asked the assistant how they were surviving in these unusual times.  She shook her had sadly and said “Normally at this time of year there would be 10 coaches of Americans parked outside.”

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I took time to be thankful that there weren’t huge crowds around, I’m not great in very busy spots.

We waved goodbye and put in the co-ords for the ferry.  Again, I wanted to stick to the WAW, while Sally Satnav kept wanting to take us inland, on more minor roads.  Our eta was just after 2, and as the ferry departed every hour on the hour, we were not expecting to catch that one.  But we pulled up to Killimer dock just as they were finishing boarding, and a crew member motioned us on baord, and to the head of one of the lanes.  The boat cast off straight away, but so smooth was it that R didn’t acutally realise we were moving.  Coronoavirus notices advised everyone to stay inside their vehicles, though not everyone obeyed that instruction.  I had the ticket as a barcode on my phone ready to be scanned, hands free.

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Saw no dolphins.

The queue at Tarbert to go the other direction seemed much longer that ours.  We were reminded that there are many Tarberts in Scotland also – I think the name means something to do with fish, and they are all ports.

The journey from there to Tralee was unremarkable – we went inland rather than yet more coastal driving, and soon were back at the Ballygarry House Hotel, which we’d enjoyed so much on a recent visit , that one of the first things we did when we got home was to book this return trip.

bothforme

This time, we were taking advantage of a special offer that was 2 nights for the price of 3, and included one dinner and a welcoming prosecco cocktail!  R only likes drinks that start with S, end in F, and have a mirno in the middle, so, both for me!  In my matching frock and all!

 

 

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Galway

Posted on August 16, 2020 by lindaharley

You say staycation, I say holidays in Ireland.

Covid restirctions mean that far flung travel is still fraught with difficulties.  Many countries are on the quarantine list, and more can be added literally overnight.  Take into the mix the health risks of flying, and who wants to go on a cruise these days, means that holidaying closer to home becomes even more attractive.

I’d tried and failed to visit Galway previously, so I was really excited to be starting our trip in the City of Tribes.

The journey took about 4 hours on good motorways.  We did stop at a service station which was in Kildare, and as it was one of the counties that had recently been put under more restrictions, I wondered if this would apply here.  But it was open,  I was surrpised that the food outlets were still operating, including the touch screen ordering at Burger King.  And eat-in was an option.  It’s amazing how my brain now picks up things like hand sanitiser stations, supervision of numbers on-site, one-way social distancing flows……..or the lack of same.

Our destination was the Harbour Hotel, right by the marina, which was very well located, and had ample car parking at the rear.  My map reading and the sat nav instructions were in agreement, tourist maps and leaflets acquired, and we were soon heading out for our first wander around.  Plenty of covid-conspiracy grafitti.

Pubs that don’t serve food are still closed, and other cafes and restaurants either have a queue to get a table, or you need to book in advance.  We decided to reserve a table in the hotel restaurant tonight, rather than run into difficulties finding somewhere in town.  The only spot they had was at 5.30.  As my friend Sarah would say, “Norn Irn tea time!”

We strolled past the large (and smelly) boats in the harbour, and found that the gate at the far side was closed.  R leaped over the fence, but I was more reluctant.  A passer-by was trying to shout instructions across the road, but I couldn’t make him out, and he picked his way through the traffic to open the gate for me.  Thank you!

We found ourselves at Spanish Arch, and our first expereince of the ever-present busking in this lively and musical city.

A trio were delighting people in the bright sunny square with some rock covers, the sun was shining, swans were gliding on the River Corrib, and a Galway hooker was putting up its sails.

The main street into Latin Quarter looked quite busy, so we wore our masks and took our time dandering past the cladagh jewellers and aran jumper shops.  I found a Murphys ice cream emporium, and cooled down with my favourite Dingle gin flavour whilst enjoying some more busking.  We found a Morrocan restaurant that looked interesting, and booked a table for tomorrow night’s dinner there.

Back at the hotel, I changed into a holiday maxi for dinner.  The Dillisk restaurant has a strong marine theme, including a seaweed garnished High and Dry gin cocktail, and seaweed flavoured wheaten bread.  There was sea bass on the menu, but it was supposed to come with gnocchi, which I don’t really care for.  But the staff volunteered to swap that for chips.

After dinner I took a stroll through the Claddagh, an open grassy are popular with young people who were relaxing with a few drinks.

We had booked a breakfast slot at 8.30, and the serve yourself buffet had plates individually wrapped in cling film.  I had some bread and cheese, and ordered scrambled eggs.  I was a little concerned that all the customers were being seated at adjacent tables, rather than spreading us out a bit more.  Ther was a mysterious bra abandoned by the lift – I’m guessing what happens in Galway stays in Galway.

It was a Sunday morning, which makes for a pleasant wander through less crowded streets.  We got some iced coffees to sip while people watching at Eyre Square, and I bought an enamel brooch from a chatty jeweller, who suggested we take the “ferry to Kerry” on our journey south, which would avoid going through Limerick.

I did my “not parkrun” by sticking to the water’s edge and running out the 1km causeway to Mutton Island.

The weather was glorious – normally we’d find somewhere to sit and enjoy a drink in the sunshine, but current restricitons make that more diffuclt.  We found a quiet-ish spot down Kirwan’s Lane, and ordered some food to go with our drinks.  I get the feeling the noisy girls beside us had ordered one plate of chips between them, so no doubt there are ways around the rules.

To our restaurant for dinner – I ordered a veggie tagine and a glass of chardonnay…..to be told that they don’t serve alcohol!  But the waiter helpfully gave directions to a Spar round the corner where I procured a bottle for us to share.  Much cheaper that way anyway.  The food was delicious, and we took the long way home via Long Walk, soaking up the colourful atmosphere.

I booked a ticket for the Shannon ferry online, ready for our trip next day to the Cliffs of Moher and beyond.

 

 

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Mostly Munster

Posted on July 28, 2020 by lindaharley

Munster consists of the following counties: Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Waterford.  Time to Take A Break – how many of them could I visit in a short trip, the first venture since the Covid-19 pandemic turned the world upside down?

Wednesday

I like following a map, not for navigation purposes (the sat nav handles that), but just to get a feel for geography, to know which those mountains are, to spot any points of interest along the way.  The road map I was using on this adventure was 15 years old, but to be honest, roads don’t change that much.  Even the new motorways are often just upgraded N roads.  So it was interesting and useful enough to follow.

Drogheda is as busy as it ever was – back in the old days the Belfast-Dublin route used to go through the centre of town, with huge delays and traffic hold ups.

I had a cuppa at a cute little place in Ashbourne Industrial estate.  Face masks are mandatory in indoor retail places, so I was getting used to having mine always to hand.

We stayed at the Maldron Hotel Newlands Cross, and booked a table at the Chinese across the road, the Hong Han.  They used to specialise in buffet style food, but that’s no longer feasible.  However, they were doing a non-stop- roaring trade in takeaway for collection.

I realised it was the first time I’d eaten out in over 4 months, and I thoroughly enjoyed my king prawn and broccoli. The prawn crackers were served with what I’m sure was gravy.

Thursday

I had a rejuvenating night’s sleep in crisp white sheets, though the bright standby light on the telly was annoying.  Is there a travel hack to get around this problem?  The shower was noisy and underpowered.  Breakfast was another area where previous practices have had to be changed.  No more communal queueing and handling of the buffet serving spoons, instead food has to be ordered from a menu.  I had the vegan thyme mushrooms on toasted sourdough, which was nice and light and damn tasty.

We enjoyed surfing through local radio stations as we travelled.  On South East radio they announce recent death notices, followed by a piece of sombre music.  Very Hunger Games!

In Wexford I found the statue of John Barry at the Crescent.  He became known as “The father of the American Navy”, and every year a wreath is laid at this statue.  I was impressed at a photo of JFK taking part in this ceremony.   History has its eyes on you!  There was a teeny alleyway leading up to the main shopping street.  The train crawls through here at a very slow speed.

The John Barry pub on the corner, like all other “wet pubs” which don’t serve food, was closed, with a suitably depressing notice on the door.  This feature was sadly repeated everywhere we went.

I love bridges, and was very impressed with the new  Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, very fine indeed.  At 887m, it is Ireland’s longest, and was opened earlier in 2020.  It crosses the River Barrow from Wexford into Kilkenny.  And now we were into Munster, and crossing the Rice bridge over the River Suir into Waterford city– does the central span lift, I wonder?

Our route took us over another stunning cablestay modern bridge, the Thomas Francis Meagher , and we changed radio stations to WLR.

We stayed in Clonmel – home of Magners/ Bulmers cider.  The Raheen House Hotel had a sign-in sheet for contact tracing, lots of sanitiser about the place, and it was not possible just to have a drink at the bar.  There are beautiful gardens with a wide variety of plants, which allowed for a pleasant stroll.  The magnolia (rhododendron?) blossoms were as big as my hand.  Dinner was served in a soft gentle atmosphere, with candles in the fireplace and classical music playing in the background.  I tucked into some tasty fish and chips with great tartare and mushy peas.  Early to bed, and slept well.

Friday

We had pre-ordered breakfast the night before – I chose grapefruit segments and a 2 egg omelette with mushroom and cheese.  I was a little bit worried about the bowl of sugar and salt sachets on the table – how Covid safe is that?  Imagine I had glitter on my fingers….

The radio was on in the background, and I was struck by how non-aggressive the interviewing style was.  That combative “not letting you finish what you’re saying before repeating the question more animatedly” technique is now rife in the BBC, and it’s not helpful to actually hearing what people have to say.  After breakfast I took a walk by the river.

We found ourselves listening to the morning show on RTE Lyric,  what a strange mix of music, including Goodness Gracious Me, which you would never be able to publish these days.  There was a cooking slot, and I must admit the recipe for mango salsa sounded delicious, I might try that with some grilled halloumi or prawns.

Over there are the Galtee mountains, where the cheese comes from.  This part of the country has rich fertile ground, meaning lots of farming traffic, and roadside stalls selling strawberries and potatoes.

“Welcome to Tipperary – you’ve come a long way” says the sign at the edge of town.  The N24 goes through the centre of town, which is jam packed with delivery lorries.  I could see protest placards about the “road of death” but I wasn’t immediately sure whether they were for or against a bypass.

We stopped in Newmarket, Co Cork, which probably hasn’t changed in years.  Into a coffee shop – there was a limit on numbers entering, and hand sanitiser….but sachets of ketchup in a common bowl.  A sign in sheet for contact tracing, was by the till, with a communal pen, but no-one was ensuring that everyone used it.  Still a 10 euro limit on credit card (ie contactless) payments.  I ordered a cheese scone with my coffee, which came with a mound of grated cheese, a new one on me.  Was I supposed to sprinkle it on the scone or was it just for decoration?

I had to use the cash machine in the Spar , but I did find a a lovely rust jacket in a sale in an old fashioned drapers.  “That’s not a local accent?” said the lady behind the till, and we chatted about how the pandemic has affected everyone in different ways.  Those in the arts sector found their work ceased overnight, with little prospect of getting back to normality any time soon.  Whereas farmers and local shops like this, not so dependent on tourist trade, are impacted less.

Sadly I missed a phone-call from the spa where I had been on the waiting list. Oh well, no-one really wants to see my runners’ toes!

The road carried on over the mountains, where it’s hard to have straight roads.

We skirted Limerick, where the signpost as you enter the motorway made it clear what vehicles were not allowed to use it!

Into Tralee, Co Kerry, where this year’s Rose Festival has sadly had to be cancelled.  We stayed at the Ballygarry House Hotel, just on the edge of town.  There was limited mask wearing, though we later clarified it was only mandatory in retail outlets, rather than hotels.  I changed into a colourful holiday maxi dress and we had dinner in brasserie, halloumi salad and not-Chardonnay.  I felt bad having to say no to this and sending the wine back, the waitress even produced the till receipt to show that it did indeed say “Chardonnay”.  All I can say is, my palate has had a lot of practice over the years.  Never mind, I switched to Pinot Grigio, which was fresh and light and a good accompaniment to the salad.

Saturday

Well that was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages!  The beds are ginormous, and the white cotton bed linen crisp and inviting.

The breakfast buffet is still there, but not help yourself.  You point at or ask for what you want and it is served to you by a member of staff.  Hot food is ordered from a laminated menu.  All the menus have a little box explaining what changes have been made to keep everyone safe.  I had a glass of cranberry juice and poached eggs on avocado and tomato toast.  The portion sizes were just right, and the menu held lots of tempting choices, including porridge with their own honey.  We watched the bees outside the window and spotted the hives a bit further back.  Lovely grounds, must be popular for weddings….which have of course been severely hit by the Covid restrictions.

Running gear on, we headed to Inch beach, a popular surfing spot and an official parkrun route.  Grey and dull, I couldn’t see any mountains, though Ireland’s tallest are just over there.

Lots of other runners were around, some bravely barefoot, as with the number of jellyfish I was dodging I wouldn’t be setting foot in the sea without a wetsuit.

The loos were open, an unusual feature in these times, so I was able to change into loose black trousers and jade shirt.  Cafes and  BnB are right next to the beach, which I will note for when parkruns are eventually back up and running, as it were. Jogging on sand is always challenging, but I enjoyed the sea air and listening to the Hamilton soundtrack.

Our next stop was Minard Castle in the mizzle, with conspiracy graffiti on the coronavirus notices.

From there we went into Dingle which was packed!  After a bit of a wait for a parking space, we wandered by the harbour, watching the tourist boats fill up with hopeful dolphin-watchers. I’m not sure I’d want to be on a boat with lots of others jostling around on the ocean waves.

We called into a café within a store, and I was appalled:

  • Very little mask wearing (even though this is a retail store)
  • No sanitiser at entrance to café
  • Tables held communal cutlery, sugar, salt and pepper shakers, milk jug
  • No sign in sheet
  • Didn’t see tables being sanitised between uses.
  • No paper towels in the gents (so when were they last checked?)

We felt uncomfortable and didn’t stay any longer than we had to.

We treated ourselves to some fabulous ice cream at Murphys – Dingle gin, sea salt, and Irish brown bread flavours. Breakfast of champions!

There were too many people around, no social distancing being practiced, crowding round the ice cream shops etc, so we decided to head back to car.  The heavens opened,  the wind threatened to blow us all away, and we got absolutely drenched.  Luckily the dogs’ towel was there.

Back we went  through Anascaul, home of Antarctic explorer Tom Crean, and the north side of the peninsula.  Showered and chilled out in the hotel’s fluffy white robe and slippers.

I went for a walk in Ballyseedy Wood, but I didn’t spot any of the otters or red squirrels.

Dinner in the brasserie, where the menus are on disposable paper, discarded after each use.  I chose a goat cheese in a nut crumb with spiced pear and beetroot salsa.  There was very good attention to cleaning tables and sanitising between use from the staff.

Sunday

Lovely breakfast – chia seed pudding, French toast, and a drizzle of their honey.

We had an insightful chat with the manager, who remained very visible throughout our stay, and who was very conscious of the damage that one photo on social media could do.  So his brief to staff was – customers have their eyes on you.  And his clear objective was to persuade customers that You’ll be Back.

We listened to Hamilton en route back home, reaching Barak Obama Plaza just as One Last Time was playing (R’ s favourite version of that number has Obama himself delivering Washington’s farewell address).  Obama, like many US presidents, has Irish roots, and he and Michelle visited relatives here back in 2011, including pouring a pint of Guinness in a nearby pub.  Someone had the Offaly bright idea of turning the service station into an attraction in itself, and there is now a mini conference centre upstairs.  The dog holding area is called “Central Bark”.

Home

What did I miss?  Well, I don’t think we managed to cross into Clare, so I didn’t quite tick off the full Munster House.

And it won’t be “One Last Time”, as we enjoyed our stay so much that we straight away booked for another visit!  I shall get my reservation in to the spa in good time, so I’ll be able to report back on that.  The honey and Irish whiskey body scrub sounds fabulous, I’ll just have to be patient while I wait for it…..

 

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parkrun tourism: Crawfordsburn Country

Posted on March 14, 2020 by lindaharley

parkrun #285 event #71

Reason for visit: New Norn Irn one I haven’t been to yet!



Access:
The postcode given on the site, BT19 1JT, took me straight to the gorgeous grounds of Crawfordsburn Country Park, though I did have the traditional argument with the SatNav, because I knew about the Sydenham bypass roadworks and it didn’t.  So Yaa Boo Sat Nav!

There are plenty of car parking spaces, but parkrunners are asked to use the lower or beach ones, leaving those closest to the centre for older and maybe less fit users.  We don’t want them complaining about parkrun ruining their tradtional Saturday morning treat.

The centre doesn’t open till 10, but there are clean loos down at the beach car park, a gentle jog away.

Crowd:

I attended event number 3, and there were 120 that day.  The inaugural attracted 246.  The RD was a recently elected MLA, and I chatted to him about an Alan Turing qute he’d used in his maiden speech.  The chap giving the first timers briefing was someone I knew from a recent work project.  And I was meeting up for the first time with the NI parkrun toruist gang. 

It’s a dog friendly course, but very challenging for buggies or wheelchairs (though I believe it has been done with a buggy!).

Course:

Ah the course.  It’s by the sea, innit, must be flattish?  Wrong!  It’s a single lap course which takes quite a meadnering route incorporating the coastal path. 

The verbal description was quite detailed, and in the past some runners have got lost and ended up in nearby Helens Bay! 

Start and finish are both at the centre.  At some point you run with the river on your left, later it’s on your right. 

Do NOT run under the viaduct.  And this is the only course I know of with a volunteer role of Lollipop lady!

It’s VERY hilly, and the downhill sections can be steep and twisty.  Did I say it was dog-friendly?  I think a mountain goat would be more appropriate!  One with a built in sat nav……

And I suggest there should be a badge or cerfickatick declaring “I didn’t get lost at Crawfordsburn Country :-)”

Gear:

For ease of recognition I was wearing my 50 events Tshirt, which of course is now 21 events out of date.  I do still have my cotton T shirt with a button sewn on for each event visited, though the Belfast patch is getting very crowded.

I had my lovely flowery leggings, my new zippy pouch, green gloves, and of course cow cowl.  My Garmin was useless, I really am going to upgrade it soon.

Theme tune:

I was running with no music, but I did sing “Let’s ready to parkrun!”, a variation of the PJ and Duncan hit, when I was washing my hands for 20 seconds.

Parkfaff:

The cafe for post parkrun cafe had a fabulous range of scones and traybakes.  I tucked into a warmed apple and cinnamon scone thing, which was served by some delightfully friendly staff.  I can see why this place is such a popular spot!

And the rest:

I’m writing this in the middle of March 2020.  The UK has just moved from “contain” to “delay” phase of response to the Covid 19 pandemic.  Around the world, parkruns in other countries have already been cancelled, including our neighbours in Ireland.  The feeling is that the UK will soon follow suit, so this might well be the last one I get to attend for a while. So as I was jiggy-jogging around the challenging course, I was thankful for the beautiful views, and most of all for my health, while I still have it.

All my parkruns:

NI (and other) parkruns: summary list

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parkrun tourism: Lower Drummans

Posted on February 29, 2020 by lindaharley

parkrun #284 event #70

This is a short one, and no photos or lots of access or facilities details, cos it was my first at a closed event. (No mobile phones allowed, nor doggos!)

And what a great experience it was!

I remember first hearing about parkruns in prisons (Black Combe was the original) and thinking what a great idea! We all know running is good for your physical and mental health. And as part of the rehabilitation of inmates, having an activity they can share with friends and family, as well as continue when they are out, is very valuable. The guys take on the volunteering roles, and there are lots of familiar features in the start pop-up, hi-viz jackets and barcode scanning routine.

My 250 shirt drew some attention, and I chatted about how amazing the parkrun community is, no matter where you go.

I’m not going to describe the course in detail, but the views of Binevenagh and Inishowen reminded me how picturesque this part of the world is.

Well done to everyone for getting this event up and running, and keeping it going!

All my parkruns

Filed under: Parkrun, running | 1 Comment »

parkrun tourism: Kingston

Posted on February 23, 2020 by lindaharley

parkrun #283 event #69
Reason for visit:  a rare chance to see both my little darlings being marvellous!

I was in London as J had been nominated in 2 categories for the National Dance awards, and I was also staying to see H’s latest West End venture. Originally the plan had been to do Bushy for H’s 50th, but when he couldn’t make it I switched to Kingston as the next closest.

Access:

I was staying in the Traveloge Teddington, a handy 4 minute walk from the railway station, and very close to Teddington High Street, along which many buses travel.

From there I was able to jog the mile or so down High Street, trying not to be distracted by the delightful little boutiques. Helpful indicators that I was near the river, across the footbridge, and another 500m down to the Hawker centre.

The 285 bus goes between Heathrow and Kinsgton, handy tourist knowledge.  Allow an hour to get to the airport though, what with traffic and roadworks.

Facilites:

There are clean loos in the Hawker centre, and presentation of your barcode gets 15% off in the cafe.

First timers briefing takes place here also.

Course:

The course is a sort of lollipop shape.  The start is around 200m further towards Kingston, runs on a tarmac path alongside the river, onto the towpath under the footbridge, along to Ham field.  This can get a bit mucky!

From there it’s back along the same route, finishing at the Hawker centre.  There’s one small section where runners are going in both directions, so keep left! And there’s a slight incline coming out of the field, otherwise it’s pretty flat.

There was a minor bit of panic early in the week as the council were carrying out work to the path, with a possible cancellation warning.  But they finished on the Friday, just in time.  I was still able to win “parkrun cancellation Top Trumps” with my Crissy Field story.

It can be a narrow path at times, but the crowd soon thins out.

Crowd:

There’s usually around 400 runners, some buggy runners bravely taking on the field.  I saw a  few dogs, though the sitepage says it’s a “no dogs” course, and quite a few adults accompanying thier under 11s.

It’s a popular one with toruists, I got chatting to a number of cow cowls and bobble hats, as well as some world tourists who were doing their 90th event!  Letter K is also a popular one for alphabeteers and name-spellers.  And look, a lesser spotted 500 shirt.

I got a shout out in the briefing as having come the furthest, and during the run got a “Well done Miss Northern Ireland!”, which was nice.

Gear:

I was wearing my purple Jog Lisburn top, with gloves and headband agaisnt the cold wind.  My purple skort is getting a bit tight, i really must lose weight. I’ve managed to find my missing zippy belt, and theres a ziped pocket in the back of the trousers where i kept my hotel key card, away from my phone.  No watch or music, so I was using counting to 100 and back down again as a distraction technique.  Hokkas were a good choice of footwear for this mixed terrain.

And the rest:

Well J was just amazing.  She looked stunning in her jacket by Adam Brady (not the Scottish dancer) and giant soled shoes.

A cross between Cruella de Ville and will.a.am.

The talent in the garden room at The Barbican was electrifying, and I really enjoyed meeting critic Donald Hutera, who I’ve followed on Twitter for some time.  And the awards ceremony was really well done, with short video clips of all the nominees shown in each category.

The next day I was able to meet up with my son, who’s working backstage on Magic Mike Live, an energetic and exciting show with lots of impressive dancing and cheeky audience interraction.

Thank you Magic Unicorn!

All my parkruns

Filed under: Dance, kids, London, Parkrun, running, travel | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

parkrun tourism: University of Stirling

Posted on November 12, 2019 by lindaharley

parkrun #268 event #68 and final letter in UK alphabet!

Reason for visit: attending the annual autumn gathering of Scottish Country dance in Perth.

I’ve been to this annual dance get together for 7 years in a row.  Perth, while having a lovely parkrun of its own, right beside where the dancing happens, is also a handy base to explore further afield.  I’ve used it to reach Camperdown and Kirkcaldy, and this year I was delighted to discover that a new parkrun had started at the University of Stirling, and did indeed begin with that elusive letter U!

Access:

From Perth, I caught the 7.15 train to Bridge of Allan.

I followed the very helpful directions given on the parkrun page, inclduing crossing the road at the appropriate point.

Trains are not that frequent so make sure you check a timetable for times.

Facilities:

There seemed to be plenty of parking, and clean loos were located in the swimming centre, a reminder of Scotland’s prowess in this acivity (swimming, not going to the loo…..)

Crowd:

Plenty of students, of course, and being an elusive letter I saw several other cow cowls, and gave a “Dolly or Bev” shoutout to a With Me Now T shirt.  It’s dog friendly, and there were even a couple of prams. There were around 200 when I visited.

As I was doing my final km I found a barcode lying on the ground, and spent the rest of the run waving it at people and going Amanda? Amanda?  Until I did indeed find the right Amanda who was over the moon to be reunited with her special scrap of paper. Remember, no barcode, no time!

 

Course:

It’s absolutely stunning! In November, when I was there, the leaves were all red and gold, there was a morning mist on the lake, and the swans and ducks were enjoying the calm day.  2 and a bit laps of the lake, which is hillier than you think, and prone to flooding and puddles.

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Gear:

As it’s overlooked by the mighty Wallace Monument, I should really have worn my home Wallace apricot, but I was giving my 50 events T shirt an airing.

Gloves and cow bobble were important to keep the extremeties warm, and I left my bits and bobs at a tree by the finish funnel.

Time:

I’m still in recovery mode, so was jog walking to a 40 something time.

Afterwards:

I couldn’t find the cafe where they meet, but I called in instead to the lovely Meadow Park, where I treated myself to a veggie haggis bap and a celebratory glass of prosecco, complete with Scottish raspberry. 

All for a very reasonable £6.55, served by the friendliest of bar staff.

All My parkruns:

NI (and other) parkruns: summary list

 

 

Filed under: running, Scotland | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

parkrun tourism: Markeaton, Derby

Posted on October 20, 2019 by lindaharley

parkrun #266 event #67

Reason for visit – Jemima’s latest show, “Step Sonic”, and co-incidentally Markeaton’s 300th event!

Access:

I flew to Birmingham International Airport, which has great rail links to many local towns and cities.  The train to Derby took about an hour, and I got a taxi from the station to Jury’s Hotel.  This was in a great location right on the edge of Cathedral Quarter, and literally round the corner from Deda, where Jemima’s show was.

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To get to Markeaton Park I took a taxi for a fiver, but I walked back afterwards, which took about 40 minutes.

There are buses that go from the city centre to the park, but I can never manage to work out buses in foreign parts, whether they take contactless, or exact cash, or a particular card.

Course:

Markeaton Park is a lovely spot with plenty to entertain visitors.  The course is 2 big laps with only one slight hill.

The route is all on paths, but they do get a bit mucky and puddly.

There’s a compulsory duck pond, and a few bits of sculpture. Finish tokens are collected in buckets.

Crowd:

There’s usually about 500, with lots of well behaved dogs. I received token number 626, which I thought made me Stitch the alien, but the results showed me at 527.

I’m guessing there was an issue with the finish tokens, so well done to whoever sorted that out!  The volunteers were brilliant, a good clear first timers brief, a shout out to visitors and milestones, and a special”jog walk” leader, suitably attired in 118 gear.

I gave a “Dolly or Bev” greeting to someone in a With Me Now Tshirt.

Gear:

I was having zip issues with my new jacket, and also with my running belt.  My 250 shirt got a “well done”, and my trainers were fine for the surface.

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It was chilly, so I was glad of my Jog Lisburn beanie, and UK parkrun tourist cow cowl.

Time:

I’m still getting back after injury, so I was “jeffing” my way round (a mix of jog and walking).  The jog-walk group were really supportive, and encouraged each other to “just get to the next tree” or similar.  I was happy enough with my 40 minute time. And grateful for the water provided at the finish.

Facilities:

The start and finish are near the Orangery, where there is a cafe serving a delcious array of traybakes and cakes.  Dogs are welcome, in fact they even get special discount!

In the walled courtyard there are a selection of craft shops, and some clean loos.

And The Rest:

Well Jemima’s show was rather fabulous!  I never tire of overhearing members of the audience in the queue for the loo or the bar expressing their admiration for her.  There was even a special Step Sonic cocktail!

And I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Derby, its cathedral with beautiful modern stained glass windows hosting a very moving Knife Angel made from handed in knives in a bid to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of stabbings.

I even managed to get a haircut – well, I’ve never seen a place that had quite so many hairdressers, so it would’ve seemed rude not to.

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I enjoyed a fish finger sandwich in Bear, a veggie curry in the oldest pub, The Dolphin, a dish of garlicky mushrooms with stilton breadcrumbs in the Wonky Table, and a bakewell tart from Birds home bakery.

I found a delightful Saturday afternoon recital by the Derby Orchestral Society in the old Derby Museum and Art gallery.  Haven’t quite worked out who all the heads emblazoned on Speakers Corner are.  But I’ll happily come and visit again!

All My parkruns:

NI (and other) parkruns: summary list

Filed under: foot injury, Parkrun, running, traybakes | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

parkrun tourism: faelledparken, Denmark

Posted on September 16, 2019 by lindaharley

Event #65, and parkrun #263, country#5

Reason for visit – supporting a mate doing the Copenhagen half-marathon.

After falling at Sixmilewater at the end of July, I knew I had 2 trips already planned, with flights and accommodation booked.  So as I was sat in A&E, I set myself what I thought was a realistic target of being able to WALK at both those parkruns.  It hadn’t been my intention to be the official tailwalker for both, but that’s how it turned out. In Danish “Gående bagtrop”

I was making this visit, to a new to me country and capital city, with my husband, to support a friend doing the half-marathon.  Same friend who’d done the Paris marathon earlier, when I did Bois du Boulogne

Would it be Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen?

Access:

For the second week in a row I headed to Sprucefield to get the great value bus to Dublin airport.  Ryanair fly to CPH, so we had the usual charges for extras, such as sitting together, and prayed that our hand lugagge would meet the size scrutiny.  We knew that Denmark is expensive, so we stocked up on booze before we boarded.  We got a taxi into Hotel Nora, in the Norrebro district, which was a pricey way to get the 6 miles into town.  But I always get frustrated at the end of a journey to a new city if I have to do the “Where’s the metro? How much is it? How do I buy a ticket? Do I have to change?  Oh no I’ve gone the wrong direction!  Is it this stop? Now where’s the hotel? Oh no I’ve gone the wrong way! ” opera.

I’d chosen Hotel Nora for its proximity to the start and end of the half marathon, which is also where faelledparken parkrun takes place.  It was a pleasant 20 minute walk from the hotel.

This way to parkrun!

We met up with fellow parkrunners en route, who had been here last year, so they kept us right.  There are public transport routes detailed on the parkrun page.

 

 

It’s Denmark, most people arrive by bike.

Crowd:

I’d been communicating via Facebook with world tourist Gert, who told me that he was hoping that the influx of marathon visitors might get to the Danish attendance record of 181!

There were LOTS of serious runners from all around the world.  The couple we met en route were from Scotland, and I got chatting to a South African wearing a 100 runs cap!

They don’t always have a tailwalker, so I was pleased to be able to encourage a couple of locals, nursing various injuries, to walk with me.

178 runners – so a new record for this event!!

 

 

Course:

It’s a flat, fast course – 3 laps, starting and ending at the same point by the see-saw.

 

Course record is 15.32.  Markers are set out in flour.

The course runs past a lovely fountain in a lake, and a dome roofed cafe.

 

Facilities:

There are clean loos in the park. Start and end are at the same place, so you can leave coats and bags there. I didn’t manage to stay for the post run coffee, but there are plenty of lovely cafes nearby.

 

 

Time:

I was walking rather briskly, and getting lots of “thank yous” from runners overtaking.  You do need good working thumbs in this role.  I did it in 55 minutes which I was impressed with!

And the rest:

Oh Copenhagen, you have stolen my heart!

Effortlessly cool and stylish, warm and family friendly, colourful and bathed in light reflecting from water, easy to get around, wide streets and cobblestones, blankets and heaters, open sandwiches and pastries, street parties and canal boats.

We witnessed the world record being broken at the half marathon.  And I’m sorely tempted to have a go next year.  (At the half, not the WR!)

All My parkruns:

NI (and other) parkruns: summary list

Filed under: foot injury, Parkrun, running | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

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