WEXFORD - WATERFORD

Two fascinating days down here.  I started in Wexford's 1798 street (I bet not many towns have a street name which is just a number).  I ran along the main road, in the constant company of lorries heading for the port of Rosslare. An attempted diversion along a minor road was quickly abandoned when I was attacked by 3 angry dogs.  Is it better to be hit by a lorry, than to be bitten by dogs?

Wexford is a land with many statues of men holding snooker cues.

Disaster! Could only find one tea shop along the route and it was closed for holidays! 

Near Scullabogue - another part of the 1798 story.

I'm a big fan of memorials.  Not so keen on crosses but these guys are great.

Eventually made it into New Ross for the night.  After 22 miles, I was too tired to walk into the town for a meal, so ate a sandwich and Chelsea bun from Tesco for tea.  It was a noisy B&B but I'd no trouble sleeping.

Next morning, I had a brief meeting with JFK in New Ross before leaving for the hot 13 mile run to Waterford. 

New Ross is also famous for giving a name to Liverpool's ground -Anfield.  A local man owned land of that name in New Ross and, many years ago when he emigrated, he transferred it to the new stadium.

Waterford is a great town with the prettiest railway station I've seen so far.  The place was full of Americans.  One with a large beer-belly jokingly told me he was fighting anorexia - and was winning😀

 ARKLOW - WEXFORD

I'm now too far from home for day trips on the train, so it's off today for a two night break.

Train and bus to Arklow, the big hill out of the town was a hard start.  Then smooth going to Gorey for a tea beak and down to the small seaside resort of Courtown.  Stayed in the Harbour House and dined on chips from the Dinky chip shop - one of Ireland's best, apparently.  Although a windy seat at the end of the pier wasn't the ideal place to eat.

Next morning, I was awake, as usual, at 5:30am ready to go running.  For some reason, breakfast in this place wasn't until 9:00am, so I wasn't leaving just yet.  Another problem was that, when I looked out the window, all I could see was rain lashing down on a large flat roof - and this is supposed to be the driest part of Ireland.  I thought of getting the first train back to Belfast but hung around the B&B reading yesterday's papers until 11 am hoping that things would improve.  The forecast improved but the weather didn't!  Anyway, no point in quitting, so I set off in the wet gloom on the long trek south.

The original plan had been to follow the roads and then the 20K long beach to Curracloe.  Due to the rain and strong southerly wind, there was no option but to run inland.  Watching out for traffic on the narrow twisting roads, I passed through the well-kept small villages of Ballygarrett, Kilmuckridge and Blackwater. 

They say that you know you are in the countryside when people start waving at you.  Every driver in Wexford seemed friendly - at the very least, every driver lifted their index finger a fraction off their steering wheel as they passed.  At the end of the day, I was more tired from waving than running.

Eventually, I decided to risk a short run on the beach near Curracloe.  It was here that the films: Saving Private Ryan and Brooklyn were filmed.

The conditions weren't easy and it was a great relief,after running 21 miles, to reach the farm owned by my friends Jim & Chris.  Had a great meal there, a few drinks and a long sleep in a massive bed. 

Next morning it was a short 6 miles into Wexford and bus/train home.  That's it for the eastern coast; now I'm turning right and heading towards Cork.

 Wicklow to Arklow

24 May 2022

Finally got back to this after too many years of laziness and lockdown.

Off to a bad start when the zip on my pocket got stuck, with my bank card and train ticket inside. Nothing would free it, so had to spend about an hour cutting a hole into the pocket with my car key.

Two early morning trains from Belfast and I’m back at Wicklow station.

 

I’d thought about following the coast and running along the beach at Brittas Bay but the connecting roads looked dangerous on the map.  Decided to follow the old inland road which started with about two uphill miles, it’s always best to climb early in the day.

This road is now replaced by the M11 and there was little traffic and unfortunately little to see along its 17 miles.  I passed a few abandoned pubs, the national garden centre and one other runner.  The hills along the road didn’t help my foot injury, running pace slowed a bit and the last few miles into Arklow were a struggle, especially as time was getting short to catch the only afternoon train from Rosslare.  

Things got more interesting on the approach to Arklow.  This was the first sign of the town’s maritime heritage - Gipsy Moth IV was built here. Arklow is also famous for being the home of Parnell, Ronnie Delaney and Van Morrison’s song The Streets of Arklow.

I finally crossed over the bridge and into the town.

 

That left about 10 minutes to hobble the uphill mile to the station, I just made it.

The journey home passes through the beautiful Vale of Avoca - that’s a place to revisit one day.