I'm having trouble going to sleep early enough. I really should be catching zzz's by 10pm but for the last week I've been doing well to get to bed by 12:30 am. I then, rather unreasonably, keep waking at 6am. It's starting to catch up with me. I can feel the exhaustion creeping into my bones.
It was just before 6 when I woke this morning. I tried to go back to sleep but nothing doing. I pootled around online for a bit before my need for the bathroom finally forced me out into daylight and over to the bathroom block of the campsite. I had some breakfast and put Minty back into travel mode which involves repacking and securing everything. I unhooked him from the electrics and, with a quick call to the owners to say I was leaving, I headed back to Donegal Town.
As I neared, there seemed to be a huge number of coaches trying to park up in the pier car park. Many silver-haired people speaking a variety of languages were disembarking. I parked up Minty, paid my parking tariff and wandered off up to the Town Square to buy some water. The square was entirely cordoned off and there were a huge number of Gardai (Police) patrolling. That's when I remembered that Prince Charles and Camilla were due to make a visit to Donegal Castle today. I went through security which involved having my bag checked and being wanded with a metal detector. Honestly checks like this happen so regularly these days I didn't bat an eye but the locals were slightly more put out - "It's a bit much, isn't it?"
When I was buying my water I asked the shop assistant what time Chaz and Cam were due to pop in. "They said 10." It was 10:15 now so I thought I'd hang about and see what the story was. I joined the two schools and the bus-loads of German pensioners behind the barricades at the square and waited for the royals to show up. I mean, why not? I was there anyway and it would make a nice photo for the blog. So I waited.
And waited.
The security helicopter hovered above and motorcycle cops circled around with sirens on but no sign of C&C. On the rooftops there was a police officer with binoculars spotting the crowd. The children thought he was a sniper but I'm pretty sure snipers don't get up and walk around. A small army of press people wandered around taking pictures and talking to children. This guy seemed to be very popular. He promised the children from Glebe Primary School that he would 'bring' the Prince over to talk to them. I have no idea who he was but I think everyone else did!
As it neared 11 I called it quits. I needed to crack on with the walk and I'd wasted enough time already. So off I went toward Ballyshannon without ever having seen the VIPs. Well not the British ones anyway. Clearly I saw some local VIPs. Whoever they were.
And so to the walk. It was pretty hard going. Quite a lot of it was on a large N-road and although it had a wide hard-shoulder (so I felt quite safe) it was very tedious.
I trudged on to Rossnowlagh where I knew there was a post office and shop. I would stop there and take the weight off my feet and ankles. I passed the loveliest 9 month old Golden Retriever who was bouncy and very friendly. I remember when Tess (my retriever/collie cross) was like that. It was as though there was a spring on her bottom. The more you tried to get her to sit - the more she bounced up.
When I finally made it to the shop I had about 5 miles left to go. I bought a 99 cone and had a chat with the very friendly owner of Finnegens. He was telling me that a German man had come in a few months back who was on a pilgrimage from Derry to Knock. He had intended to cycle it but the airline wouldn't let him take his bike so on landing in Derry - with no walking shoes or proper clothing - he decided to walk it instead. The poor man was in a terrible state apparently. Another (English) woman was walking the Wild Atlantic Way last year raising funds for Donkey Sanctuary. At this very moment there's another woman from Galway walking the Way to raise money for the Jack and Jill Foundation. She appears to be walking somewhere in the region of 50km a day and plans to do it in a month. So really, in the scheme of things, I'm quite sensible and boring.
I turned off the Way and walked up the hill behind the shop. This route would shave 2km off the journey and would allow me to see spectacular views. It was a quiet narrow road and although it was a bit of a slog up the hill it made such a pleasant change from traffic-dodging and the surroundings were so pleasant that I really didn't mind at all.
The five miles went quickly but as I came into Ballyshannon my body grew ever stiffer and the ache in my feet had risen to my right knee. Ballyshannon itself is a pretty little town built on the River Erne. It's quite hilly and the streets have lots of steps. As you approach the Bus Station there's a lovely statue of Rory Gallagher, who was born in Ballyshannon in 1948. Apparently there's a festival there from 2nd to the 5th of June - when I'll be in Mayo. Hmm.
I made my way to the bus station to wait for my bus back to Donegal. By now my knee was starting to become very painful. Even as I write hours later it's still very sore. I sat on a bench and was joined by an elderly man. We had a long lovely chat about my life, his life, my walk, Donegal, Limerick, family and everything else you could think of, I was telling him about my walk from Malin Head to Carndonagh and how despite the weather being awful I found the place to have been very beautiful. To which he replied, "Aye, what you make of things is how happy you'll be."
Indeed.
Tomorrow I travel north to fill in the day when I abandoned the walk after being blown onto the N56.
If I have time I'll go up Sliabh Liag as well. Then I have one more night here before going back to Ballyshannon and heading southwards all the way.
I will be so sad to leave Donegal.
Total mileage: 311.7 miles
Raising money for the RNLI on www.justgiving.com/Jane-Volker
I'm glad you're back with the lovely Cliff! What a shame you have to keep going.
ReplyDelete"The road goes ever on and on..." eh?
Good luck with today's walk. I hope the weather will be kind to you.
And some other woman may be walking 300 miles a day or whatever it is but she's just an overachiever. I bet I'm not the only one who couldn't do a tiny fraction of what you're doing.