Connemara, Galway, Ireland

Location: Binn Doire Chláir, The Twelve Bens of Connemarra, County Galway, Ireland
__________
Just after university finished, I hopped on the ferry back to Ireland and made my way over to Galway for a few days. After meeting up with friends in the city, I hitchhiked out to Connemara the next day. Intending only really to walk near the road to spy out some of the classic photo opportunities, I was taking my time and of course hitch hiking isn't the fastest way of getting places. But when I reached the foot of these hills, I was keen to get up there. It was beautiful weather, but this made things difficult as I did not have much water with me and there were few sources of water higher up. It was after 5pm by the time I had reached the first peak, sweating profusely, low on water and my bag wasn't exactly light either. This is the view from the first peak, Derryclare and being a fairly ambitious hillwalker, I went on to reach three more peaks, finishing on Binn Bhán (the middle-left lump) which is also the highest. Having cut my mountaineering teeth in the Scottish Highlands, these hills are comparatively diminutive*.

I got down the road around 9.30pm, but I still needed to find somewhere to rest for the night. The plan was to reach the nearest youth hostel. But this has got to be one of the quietest roads in Ireland, at least at night time as there are few houses along it and the tourist traffic had dissipated hours earlier. A car did pass me shortly after I reached the road, but at the time I was changing out of my muddy and sweaty clothing back into my civvies as I was in not state to thumb a lift in that state. There were no more vehicles for over half an hour, and I am not a worrier by nature but I was beginning to think of finding a quiet hollow to spend the night or walk to the nearest house or farm. I enjoyed the silence of that landscape, the silence only to be briefly interrupted by the calls of the cuckoo bird, a sound I haven't had the pleasure of hearing since childhood. Also the dusk light was pretty magical out there.

Anyway a car did eventually appear. I could spot the headlights from miles away and I pulled my best hitch-hike pose in preparation. I assume most people would stop for a hiker who is stranded at that late an hour in such a remote location, so I had no fears that it would by pass me. I got my lift from a lovely couple who actually went a few miles out of their way to get my close to the youth hostel. Also two more cars showed up just after I was picked up.

*In fine weather, these were fairly easy going. I only climbed 4 out of the 12 mind you, and doing the full traverse of the Bens would be much greater undertaking.