Lehanmore Community Centre
Cork
County Cork
Ireland
1 Night
So last night was a weird one. We went to bed with the red van parked behind us. Inside was an older single woman who had parked up shortly after us, climbed into the back and has stayed there since. At 22:30 we’ve just realised the doors are still open and we’ve not seen her since. We’ve been out to investigate with a torch and called out to see if all ok. We heard heavy snoring so retreated ……that was last night.
Woke early this morning, probably worried about this woman. Doors remained open all night, Jo having checked out of the window at 3am. Still worried, we discussed the possible need of calling emergency services. I went out to knock on the van an see if was all ok. To my relief the lady inside was sitting up alive and well admiring the view .
I had a good chat with her and it turns out she’s from Yorkshire but lives round the corner and often comes out and camps in this manner. So what a relief, as a sinister turn of events would have spoilt our stop here.
It was an absolute gorgeous day although a tad chilly. Our route today would take us over the Healy Pass, and what a road this is. The road winds through a rugged landscape between two of the highest summits of the Caha mountain range. Barely encounting any traffic we stopped at the summit alone. Absolute silence, so peacful, slightly strange. The road was built as a part of a Famine relief scheme in 1847 and perhaps adds an emotional feeling as well.
Next stop the very tip of the Beara peninsula to get the cable car over to Dursey Island. Dursey Island is 6.5 kilometres long and 1.5 kilometres wide and separated from the mainland by a narrow stretch of water, Dursey Sound which you cross in a cable car that looks like its from the 1940s.
The walk to the tip and back is a touch under 9 miles but has some hefty elevation. This walk was a treat in such weather. In comparisons to some of the great places we have visited and indeed walked this is worthy of a high place in the rankings. Perhaps due to its solitude and absence of almost and human life.
We ate our lunch in the hot sun sat behind a ruined building a the last point you could comfortably sit and eat without fear of ending up in the Atlantic.
The walk back was on the lower road we shared with the sheep and was easier but the views still fantastic.
The cable car took us back to the mainland and we drove the 3 miles to a local community centre where we will spend the night overlooking the Atlantic …of course 🙂
