Stage 91: Co. Clare: Ballyvaughan to Doolin: Sunday 17 March: St. Patrick’s Day: 35.19km or 21.86miles

‘Hope is my compass and success is a reward for courage’ (from a Russian song quoted by Alexei Navalny who died suspiciously on 16th February in a Russian prison)

Up until three days before this run, I thought I’d be doing this stage on my own. Then Donald Smith messaged me on the Thursday to say he would join me. Donald has run with me on a few occasions and last May he ran the Burren Marathon, so he is familiar with this area. On Friday morning I got a WhatsApp from Roisin Howley, a young girl from Kilfenora who had seen my post on Munster Trail Runners. We were so delighted to have Roisin run with us and her local knowledge was indispensable today.

Today's Coastal Team

Donald and I stayed in Oranmore, leaving at 7.15am and drove to our finish point of Doolin where we had arranged to meet Roisin at 8.30. We left one car there and drove back to Ballyvaughan to begin Stage 91. We started today’s run at the harbour in Ballyvaughan opposite Monks Hotel and then headed west. After about 3km we come to the ‘Pinnacle Well’. It looks like a little church, but it’s actually a holy well. We all had a sip of the fresh water inside.

At the Pinnacle Well 

Quick drink at the Pinnacle Well

We then backtracked about a hundred metres, crossed over a stile, towards the coast and followed a long narrow stretch of land heading east. It’s called Illaungraffanavrankagh on the OS map but known locally as ‘the Rinn’. We run to the very tip of the peninsula, almost feeling we’re back in Ballyvaughan again. 

At the tip of the Rinn

Once we turn around, we face into a strong west wind and the rain soon follows. We stay by the shore and shortly we arrive at Gleninagh Castle or Ghleann Eidhneach, which means valley of ivy. The tower was built in the 1600’s by the O’Loughlins and there’s a small well nearby with lots of holy statues. No shortage of wells or water in this area.

Roisin thinking about climbing up Gleninagh Castle

And another well (beside the castle)

We followed a rough trail inland and arrive back on the main road, but only for a few hundred metres. On rare occasions I allow myself to come inland if there is a quieter road or trail close to the coast. This was one of these instances. I knew there was a trail that ran parallel to the R477 that would be traffic free and could take us almost all the way to Fanore. It’s one of several ‘green roads’ that cross the Burren. Luckily for Donald and me we had Roisin with us today who knew every inch of this landscape. Without her guidance we might not have found the entrance to the ‘Green Road’, as there was no indication or signage telling us where it was. It was a narrow and steep climb to reach it but well worth the effort when we got to the top. 

It's a dead heat to reach the Green Road

Up here on the narrow path (or Green Road) we have magnificent views over Galway Bay. Even better, it’s now brightening up and we’re benefitting fully from the spring sunshine. We see no rain for the rest of the day. 

Cows enjoying sunshine before they go back down to lowlands again

Burren Winterage

On the Burren farmers will shortly be herding their cattle down from the hills. This is to enable all the wildflowers to bloom on the rocky slopes. The Burren is filled with a wide variety of orchids, spring gentians and alpine avens. These plants and flowers are so rare and unique to this part of Co. Clare. Moving the cattle down from the uplands will help. The cows will stay on the lower land until November and then they move to the rocky and sunnier hills over the winter. The Irish winter is quite mild and the cattle avail of the sunshine (even vitamin D) that they would not get below. Although this is the reverse of what happens in other countries it makes a lot of sense here.

Looking back towards Ballyvaughan

Up high on the Green road as we loop around Black Head

The trail gets wider as it loops around Blackhead, heading south and we’re able to get some speed up, while still admiring the views.   

In Annie Enright’s ‘The Green Road’, the narrator describes it perfectly ‘if you crossed the long meadow, you came to a boreen which brought you up and over a small rise to a view of the Aran Islands. This road turned into the green road that went across the Burren, high above the beach at Fanore, and this was the most beautiful road in the world, bar none, her granny said.’

I agree with her granny, but unfortunately we must descend from the beautiful Green Road. Shortly we arrive on Fanore Beach which looks glorious in today’s sunshine.

At Fanore Beach

Fanore Beach

We run along the shore and then come inland just before Donoghue’s Pub. As we get closer to the pub, we notice a lot of commotion. It’s the preparation for Fanore’s St Patricks Day Parade. I had got a mention in the Clare Champion about my run and one of the organisers of the Fanore Parade, Anne Pilkington asked me to give a short talk about my adventure. They then recognised Roisin and insisted she come up on the stage to play the fiddle. Roisin impresses all of Fanore with a melody of tunes.

I know we're definitely in West Clare now and it reminds me of Ralph McTell's song, 'From Clare to Here'  

I sometimes hear a fiddle play or maybe it's a notion
I dream I see white horses dance upon that other ocean

Roisin performing at St Patricks Day Parade in Fanore

Afterwards we visited the shop for refreshments, the shopkeeper refusing to take our money. We continued our run on the coastal R477 with a few hills to climb along the way. After a while the road veers inland at Ailladie. We decide, using Roisin’s local knowledge again, to stay by the coast. The landscape along here has some grassy trails but it’s mostly a rocky surface with all sorts of caves, stones, fossils, and a variety of flowers. Already wild orchids and dandelions are making an appearance today. Roisin reminds us of what Cromwell’s officer Ludlow said about the Burren back in the 1600’s

‘There isn’t a tree to hang a man, water to drown a man nor soil to bury a man’.

Rough waters near Ailladie

Roisin admiring the wild Atlantic

This area is famous for rock climbing, and we spot a few hikers along here. I admit to once having a brief interest in this hobby. I was here back in the 1980’s and it was also my first (and last) time climbing up and abseiling down a cliff. This wasn’t for me, but I have such great admiration for these brave souls who are fearless in these situations. As was the case in Fairhead, Co. Antrim these virtual climbs have their own unique names and various degrees of difficulties. By all accounts the ‘Mirror Wall’ seems to be the toughest of them all. It’s a 30 metre (100 feet) drop and especially dangerous with strong Atlantic winds bashing the coast.

The rocky ledges and cliffs of west Clare

Roisin & Donald - way out west

Sea spray on west Clare cliffs

Sticking rigidly to the coast, we clamber along the spectacular cliffs and absorb the afternoon sunshine. We stop for a short break of snacks and biscuits to give us some sustenance over the last few miles. Up on the hill we spot a March Hare, probably heading to his own tea party. The Aran Islands become clearer now and we see a ferry heading over in that direction. Finally, we arrive at Doolin Pier. It’s already 3.30 but it was a most enjoyable day with beautiful weather and perfect company. It renewed my love for west Clare.