Ranny Hill - Have you seen the weather?

Click on this image for our track in Google Maps

I mean, seriously, have you seen the weather we're having?

There's no way we could stay inside with an evening like this: not a cloud in the sky and temperatures that are flirting with the 22-23°C. This may be as close to a summer as we're gonna get here (which is fine by me - 23°C is already little too hot for walking) and given the light of this peaceful late afternoon, we are of course going to head for yet another hike...

An orange tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines), which is a very common sight in these parts

Like the proverbial butterfly, that lets itself carried on a random breeze, we changed our initial destination plans at the last minute, while we were already driving away to an initial location I will not disclose. One look towards Ranny Hill and Mulroy Bay was enough to tell that we'd be a fool to go any further, in light of the mesmerizing early dusk conditions we saw there.

Besides, ever since the chain broke on our road-bike, last week, and with a repair that is taking longer than anticipated, we haven't had our dose of Ranny Hill for a while, along which we cycle almost every day. So we're going to minimise the distance travelled and kill two birds with one stone, by granting us some much needed extra minutes to spare once we are back, to help go through all the backlog waiting for us (including about 6 or 7 hike entries, in various state of completion, that I may or may not ever publish)... These last few weeks certainly haven't been very productive, to say the least, and I still don't feel like I have managed to get my groove back yet. This being said, the countryside's secluded paths and hike tracks have lost nothing of their appeal, even more so on a day like this:

How could you not want to see what hides behind this corner?

On this small road, we're happy to find plenty of bluebells still, to agreement the palette of colours offered at our fingertips. After that long never ending winter, spring has finally made its mark, in full force:

A prime example of bluebells, sitting on the banks of a sheltered small stream

Yet, it is time to leave the bluebells and the road behind us, to cut across the large field where some friendly cows are enjoying an vegetarian supper. Or rather, me and them are presently best pals because we are standing on complete opposite ends of the field, with more than ample space in between so that neither of us can be construed as a threat to the other. Not that my upbringing makes me especially weary of cows. But ever since I got chased by a herd of them in Staffordshire (which is yet another thing I may relate in more details some day), I do pay a bit more attention to the apparent friendliness of any large mammal(s) I happen to share a field with...

Yet these cows seem as happy and peaceful as can be, in the pleasant warm evening, so much so that  we'll pause to take a snap of Rossgarrow and Bunlin Bay, from the vantage point of this field:

The wilderness of Rossgarrow, with Bunlin Bay on its right side

And now it is time to start our "climb" in earnest. Later in the year, we'd have to cut our way through some packed ferns, but it's still early enough in the season that they're not an issue right now. Plus, there has been a gorse fire on this hill, not so long ago, which makes the slope look a lot more arid than we've used to know. Add to this description a herd of wild goats, which we suddenly stumble upon and, if it wasn't for the lush green patches here and there, we could almost believe ourselves to be standing in the garrigue, somewhere in the south of France...

Alas, this herd doesn't come accompanied with a shepherd girl, that also happens to bathe naked in waterfalls...

Well, we knew there were goats around these parts - we've seen them before. However, we certainly seem to have hit the mother lode this evening, as the five ones that quickly run away from us are but a tiny part of the herd we'll come across at the top...

Leftover gorse from an earlier fire

For now, we'll just cross some more remnants of burnt gorse, that cracks with a crisp sound under our feet as we complete this easy climb. Already the views from the top are about as spectacular as we anticipated:

Some of the small islands of Mulroy Bay

Of course, we can't avoid also saying a quick hello to the herd we spoke of earlier, while ensuring we maintain enough distance as we push further, to ensure the mothers in there don't see us as a threat for their young ones:

The large herd of goats that appears to have taken residence on top of Ranny Hill

From the northern side of the plateau, we take a quick snap of Ranny Point, without failing to notice that everything seems to be called "Ranny" around here. I guess either (what I assume to be) some Ranny guy must have been famous... or, more likely, have done something very stupid while intoxicated, to have left his name all over this place:

"And here is the place where a drunk Ranny fell into the sea while trying to walk back home..."

Now, as we look back towards the islands, we spot some sea kayaks.

I definitely gotta get in touch with these guys at some stage, as I can definitely see myself going out onto the bay into one of those... Or, I might very well buy myself an open canoe, and just paddle away on my own, since I live this close to the bay.

Two kayakers, paddling between the welcoming islands of Mulroy Bay

I guess, between the cycling, swimming and hiking, this is just another attempt to add another activity, so that I can indulge in eating even more cake, chocolate bars and ice cream, than I really should.

Speaking of which, I'm starting to get hungry, so it's probably time to head back...

Suggested Sound Track

• Prefab Sprout - When Love Breaks Down

Seems like a weird pick for an evening where I feel just fine. You gotta wonder what the heck I may be listening to, on the days I feel depressed... Then again, since it's my duty to document the paths I walk on, I can tell you exactly how we got to that song. So buckle up, and enjoy the ride...

See, we mentioned butterflies we saw at the very beginning. And, as I was walking, that got me wondering how comes the English language doesn't have an equivalent to the French verb "papilloner" (literally "to butterfly around"), which means to idly go from one thing to another according to a set of capricious external conditions. Strangely, while one may think that "beelining" could have been used to describe something similar (I mean, where's the "straight to the goal" implication if you have ever witnessed a bee go from flower to flower), and unlike what was my impression until very recently, it means the exact opposite.

And while we're on the subject of "papilloner", we of course remember the movie "Papillon", based on the book of the same name, starring Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen... the latter happening to  be the title of a Prefab Sprout album, where one where one can find a track with the a propos lyric "Have you seen the weather?" (which, as opposed to the context of the song, very much describes our elated feeling tonight). It may not be September, and it certainly isn't raining. But as soon as we latched onto remembering this part of the song, we knew we had found our carrier signal for this evening.

Besides, Prefab Sprout's Steve McQueen is one of the first CDs I remember buying, in downtown Birmingham, right around the time I was being chased by herds of cows across fields, during the few months I spent in Staffordhire... Sounds close enough to full circle to me!

Additional Pictures

Fintown's Scraigs - Which side am I on?

Click on this image for our track in Google Maps

There's rain on the horizon...

As a matter of fact, a few counties, including Donegal, have just being placed in status yellow starting from this evening, on account of anticipated heavy precipitations.

Still, with the ground being dry from about a whole week without rain, I decided we'd try our luck in the Donegal "midlands", and especially around the Fintown area, where being able to avoid the regular dampness of some of its walking areas can be a big plus.

Aghla Mountain, its summit covered by clouds, with Lough Muck at its foot

Now, our original plan was to skirt Lough Muck and climb Aghla Mountain, which is something you want to do with dry underfoot conditions. Considering that I'm doing this hike about once a year, I do recall all too well the many times I ended up with thoroughly soaked boots, after the climb down towards the lake.

Alas, as you can see from the picture above, the cloud ceiling stuck at around 500m, with no break in its cover, which killed the prospect of a climb of Aghla in decent visibility. Not that it would have bothered us that much before, but since we now have to take some pictures for you guys... Besides, even if it is presently light, the rain has definitely arrived and we'd hate to start a long climb only to be greeted by much heavier downpours...

Therefore, we're gonna switch plans, and head for the long ridge on the other side. This may account for much less of a challenge, but that'll still do just fine for a Sunday walk.

A typical isolated stone well/hut

Thus we head, first past the round stone structure that, to this day, I am still unsure the use of (you find these dotted in isolated fields all across Donegal, always with some kind of "reverse staircase" entrance, but they always seem a bit too dry to be a well), and head across fences directly for the ridge.

Heading towards the ridge

Despite the very light rain, which isn't exactly bothersome, the underfoot conditions are pretty good for this light climbing, and we are already getting some very good views of Lough Muck. It's really a pity Aghla is in the clouds, otherwise I would have some more decent pictures to show you.

Presently, as we are getting close to reaching the top, we are passing a set of inclined strata that looks like a staircase that's been been tilted 45°.

Maybe a staircase for the drunk giants, that are known to inhabit this place...

This is what is nice about this region: whereas you might think the landscape could be a bit monotonous, it is anything but. For instance, if you set your gaze towards the east, you'll be greeted by the lush greens of the pine forests on the the foothills of the Blue Stacks:

These Blue Stacks in the distance certainly look inviting... but they are just a bit too cloudy today.

Then, on the other side, you get to glance over tranquil Fintown, along with its eponymous lake. They're so close you feel like you could reach your hand and touch them:

As an aside, we do happen to like Fintown. Sure, it may not look like much as a town, on account of the dwellings being mostly lined up on either side of the road. Yet, it is surrounded by the promises of the countless walks one can undertake in the wilderness that surrounds it from any direction. Just a mere few minutes' stroll, and the world's your oyster. After all, we almost tried to look for a house here, once we decided to move away from Dublin, on account of this.

Plus, this town does have a railway!

It doesn't matter if the tracks don't go more than a couple km, and whether it's mostly a tourist attraction, there is just something about living close to a railway line...

But we're not done with our cornucopia of different sights. As you come down from the top of the ridge, you'll come across a young spruce forest, providing yet another completely different feel for the place:

Is it Ireland? Or is it the North-West U.S. coast...

And then, a few hundred metres further, you can get into some typical Irish bogland, flush with its typical elevated mounds:

If you want a challenge, you may try jumping from mound to mound, instead of skirting the area

All this in a matter of minutes. Never a dull moment walking around these parts, I tell you...

Still, I could go on, especially as we have now climbed down the ridge in order to take a different route back. Maybe you'd prefer a typical old farm, replete with sheep, at the foot of the hills? Can do!

Just your typical old hillside farm

Or how about some fishermen on Lough Finn?

Good catch, I hope

I guess, this short picture show will have to do for today. If you want more, you know where to head to!

Suggested Sound Track

• Natalie Merchant - Which Side Are You On?

An easy pick, considered how I decided to switch sides at the last minute. You can call me a turncoat all you want!

While The House Carpenter's Daughter is a great album, it still pales in comparison to Tigerlily IMO, which is a stunning work of art.

Don't despair yet - you'll probably hear me pick a song or two from that other album when time is ripe...

Additional Pictures

Binnykeelta - A date with Lara

Click on this image for our track in Google Maps

Yeah, I know it's been some time, but that's what happens when you have to entertain guests, and you can't rely on airlines to properly spirit them away, once they are supposed to...

Not that I really mind hosting guests. But I also don't mind when they don't overstay their welcome, even if it's through no fault of their own. Else, it does take that bit longer to find my bearings back, which means no new posts (and no backlog processing) for a while.

But now that I'm alone again, and with the weather being as congenial as can be (it set to remain so for the week), I can quietly fall back into the usual routine and, at last, foray back into Fanad!

The view from our parking spot

We're a relatively short hop from home, but the drive there into the overwelcoming setting sun (which won't actually set for another two to three hours) is a blast, as we drive along Mulroy Bay and zoom through the deserted villages that sit on its eastern bank. During these allegedly late hours, the extended sunshine is certainly painting a gorgeous picture, which we can't wait to contemplate from higher up.

Tonight's destination is Binnykeelta and we'll go through our usual route by borrowing the farm path that climbs into the northwestern part of the hills. And no sooner have we set foot on this path that we are being greeted by the many bluebells that are out in full force, around the sheltered banks. That's a very nice touch indeed!

A large herd of bluebells

This is a place I tend to come later in season to eat blackberries. Not that there is usually an over-abundance of them here, or even that this spot is better suited for them. Still, given the choice, I like to pick my Fanad blackberries off this place.

Of course, we're way too early for blackberries so we don't overstay our welcome on this path, where the only life we disturb are a few magpies. After that, we just forge our path along the somewhat barren slopes. So long, rolling lush green hills...

The typical upward "path" we'll take

With or without blackberries, it isn't long before we start harvesting the fruits of our short climb. As we progress ahead, the bay we just left is starting to reveal itself under our appreciative eyes. Come on baby, show us a good side for our photoshoot!

The ocre-dotted green of Fanad's northwestern top

Yet we are not done with our climb. There are so many pictures I could post here that it's almost starting to become an annoyance, so I'll just restrain myself. But at the very least, let me give you one of Tory Island as it starts emerging between Rosguill's Crock na Sleá and Gortnalughoge:

Tory Island pointing its head behind Rossguill peninsula (with special appearance by Horn Head)

What else to say? It's hard to make it more Irish than this (which is why our suggested soundtrack is also going to be Irish for once). Or at least, that's what you'd think until... Tada!

John Hynde, feel free to contact me if you want to turn this into a postcard...

Had I framed this a bit better (and had I a better camera), these islands may actually account for one of the most postcard-like view I might ever have taken. Sure, it's missing some sheep grazing in the foreground, but that's what Photoshop is for, especially when the local flock have decided they'd rather graze further down so as not to be disturbed with all these hikers without manners. Besides, if you really want rolling hills with grazing livestock, I can provide that too:

"Could this be any more Irish?"

Unfortunately, I can't stay for too long here, given that, first, I do have a persisting cold which means overstaying my welcome in somewhat chilly temperatures is not going to make it any better, and second, because I do have a date with Lara planned for later on tonight...

As much as I like it here, it's hardly a suitable place for a date

That is Lara Croft we are talking about, since it happens that the Rise of the Tomb Raider video game was recently on sale, and I've been a long enough fan of the Tomb Raider franchise not to take the plunge once the price is right.

How's that relevant to this entry? I'm coming to that.

This landscape reminds me of some underwater shipwreck I once visited with Lara, near Venice

You see, in the early days of video gaming, multimedia was still in its infancy. Therefore, if you had purchased a copy of Tomb Raider II, you would have found that the soundtrack for the game was provided as separate audio CD tracks, on the game disc. In other words, the game was designed to use your CD-ROM as an audio player, for the background music.

However, this also means that once you had the game installed, and if you sorted out a few things, you could could use any audio CD you had at hand to provide you with an alternate game soundtrack.

And so, at the time I played Tomb Raider II, I also had gotten my hands on the début album from The Corrs, which I rightfully saw as a great alternative to the O.S.T. Therefore, I spend much of my gaming sessions guiding Lara Croft to new and exciting places, with the background signature of Forgiven Not Forgotten.

Now, even if I appreciate their music, I can't say I am that huge of a fan of The Corrs, but I have to say that I have never found a soundtrack that seemed to match a game as perfectly as this one. It really makes me wish modern level-based games had more of a BYOS (Bring Your Own Soundtrack) attitude.

Fact of the matter is, these finely crafted tracks enhanced the experience so much that I have very fond memories of all the hours I spent playing Tomb Raider II, and this is probably why I have remained an avid Tomb Raider fan to this day. Hopefully the new game holds up to that great experience I once had.

"Dear Lara, if you're ever in need of Irish tombs to raid, for a new instalment of your franchise, please also contact me!"

Suggested Sound Track

Considering the above, we're obviously going to be pick a track from Forgiven Not Forgotten. Yet, there are so many excellent songs on that album that it's difficult to pick just one. I guess, if I have to choose one, I will go with:

• The Corrs - Heaven Knows

All in all, I don't think I will ever get images of Lara Croft sommersaulting around out of my mind, whenever I hear this song. And that is just fine by me.

Additional Pictures