Day 20: Carrick to Kilcar via Sliabh Liag and the coast road (11.5 miles)

I woke early this morning to that dreaded sound of wind and rain. I did know it was coming - that wasn't a surprise - but it did seem a little wild out there. The wind was due to drop about midday so I had a late breakfast (for me) at 09:30 and really took my time leaving. Knowing that I didn't have to carry the big backpack was brilliant. I left it in the bar of my lodgings as Cliff had asked (thanks again Cliff!) and I walked out into the street. I'm not sure if it was a sign of things to come or of how tired I was but I walked off in the wrong direction. I did realise my mistake quickly enough and I turned right around and back past my digs ... which was also wrong. I needed to go up the road to the side of my B&B. The two German cyclists who also stayed there last night seemed to be heading the same way.

The road out of Carrick towards Sliabh Liag (Slieve League in English) was very pretty. The River Glen raced alongside me as it widened out and made a dash  for the sea.

There were rapids...

And muddy deposits ...

As well as boats that had seen better days.

I was on my way to the edge of a mountain (sliabh is the Irish word for mountain) so the road was, of course, uphill, albeit gently at first.

Eventually the climb got steeper, the closer I came to the car park just before the climb up to the cliffs themselves. The wind was blowing hard as I made my way there but I still had the shelter of the mountain in front of me. I wondered what it would be like when that shelter disappeared. It didn't seem to me that the wind was dropping at all. Could the forecast have been mistaken? Perish the thought!!

Turning into the car park was my first real introduction to the ferocity of the oncoming wind. It had stopped me in my tracks several times on the way up but this was a new dimension. All of a sudden I wasn't sure whether this was a good idea. I looked upwards and there seemed to be people on the road that led up to the cliffs themselves. "If there are people walking there, it must be OK," I told myself. I really didn't want to have come this far and not even try. So I went through the gates and headed upwards. I shot the first of three videos on the first hill up which was still relatively sheltered.
The second one I shot after I turned out on to the road that ran parallel with the sea itself. You can see that the wind is getting visibly stronger here. And the third video - called The End - I shot whilst cowering behind a rock face. You can have a look at them HERE. Do try and view them in order - they are numbered. Just before I shot that third video I was trying to take a few pictures of the sea.

I didn't really notice the dark grey cloud that was barreling its way toward land. Suddenly something hit me hard! Then thousands of other things hit me. I felt as though I was being stoned but tiny little projectiles. It began to chuck it down and the ensuing hailstorm had me run for cover - what little I could find of it. I needed to get my poncho out of my backpack as quick as I could. The wind had managed to blow my hat over the top of my head - I barely caught it. Because the hailstones were so painful on my bare hands it was really hard to get the backpack off. When I got the poncho out of it, I had to get it back on again and then put the poncho on. Have you ever tried to put a cape on in a gale? That's how tricky it was. By now my trousers were soaking and my yellow cycle jacket was also beginning to let the rain through. As soon as I could I cowered. You don't see the hail in the video because of where I was hiding but I was still being pelted with them from the side. It really hurt. I could see another grey squall coming in from the sea. I decided right then I was going to go back down as soon as I could. As luck would have it a car (yes you can drive up there!) was coming down. I flagged it down and asked if they'd take me back to the car park. They were a very nice Spanish couple with a cute little baby in the back who thought the orange monster with the weird voice was very funny. I was so very nearly there and yet so far away.

I got out of the car at the gate to the car-park, thanked my rescuers and walked back the way I'd come not long before. I was drenched. Thankfully the hail was gone though. There was a cafe and craft shop called Ti Linn a little ways back the road. I made a beeline for it. I needed to get out of the wind and rain and dry off. By the time I got there the sun was out again. Mocking me.

I ordered some soup. The other people in the cafe had also come in to shelter from the hailstorm. We all agreed that we had no business being up there. The man sitting next to me said he saw two cyclists up there who pulled out hip flasks when they got to the top and had a nip of scotch. Well it seems the Germans had made it! I'd seen them leave as I walked up the first section so they missed the hail by minutes. After about ten minutes an older couple came in and the woman was covered in mud. They'd driven to the cliffs and she'd gotten out of the car. The wind had lifted her off her feet and dropped her. "Four big strong men there and none of them could stop it!" I was feeling relieved that I didn't try to keep going!

I stayed in the cafe for ages. I watched rain come and go as I posted my videos on Facebook and texted with Tim about the logistics of getting from Donegal to Derry on Friday evening if I can't catch the bus. (Just loads of conflicting information on Bus Eireann's website!) Finally I'd finished my lunch and I had to make a move. I needed to walk back to Carrick before turning south and taking the coast road to Kilcar.

This road proved to be a lovely antidote to the disappointments of earlier on. It rose quite high above sea level and circled around a large hill. It afforded spectacular sea views and was nicely bereft of traffic. It didn't feel very long before Kilcar emerged from around a corner in a little valley looking out to sea. The steep road spiraled around the hill and into the town. I was aware that the heaviness had returned to my feet and was glad to find my lovely B&B exactly where it was supposed to be.

The owners welcomed me warmly and took me to my room which is bordering on luxurious. I had a relaxing hot shower and was so shattered that I just put on my PJs and had my emergency Pot Noodle for dinner. More guests arrived in the late afternoon. I haven't met them yet - no doubt I'll see them at breakfast - but from the accent I think they may be Dutch. When they arrived I heard them tell our hosts: "We have just come from the cliffs. You know these Slieve League cliffs? My god the wind was so bad! It was so dangerous up there!"

It wasn't just me then.

Total mileage: 268.5 miles

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