“You can’t be miserable when you’re running. It’s such a simple and pure way to feel alive.”  ― Veronica Rossi, Brooke

<Author: Gerry O'Boyle (photos by Helen Byers)>

Saturday 11 March 2017

Stage Two: Co. Down: Rostrevor to Kilkeel (via Cranfield)
(Approx 26.5k or 16.5 miles)  

It was back down to La La Land (or Narnia Land as we call it!) in Rostrevor to complete the second stage of our coastal run. Now it’s definitely spring and a little warmer than last month. It was even an earlier start this time, leaving Bangor in two different cars at 6.45am and driving down through the (majestic, but hazy) Mourne Mountains.  

There were six of us today. Three new runners joined us, Colin Walker, Chris Stevenson and Michael Stevenson. Colin is such an inspirational character and he’s probably the main reason why you notice a lot more people running in the N.Down area, mainly through his ‘new beginnings’ group. Chris has been running a while, has done a few long runs in his time and is now training for the London marathon. Michael (no relation to Chris) is a relatively new member of NDAC but he’s learning fast and has already done a few marathons.    

We started, where we finished last month in the beautiful Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor. Colin travelled down directly to Rostrevor (got a lift down with Andrew and Philip–these two guys promise to join us later in the year). We got a nice a picture of all of us under the famous old oak tree at Kilbroney (N. Ireland’s nomination for European tree of the year). Everyone, except me (still recovering), decides to do the parkrun at Kilbroney – and really, you couldn’t get a nicer setting for a parkrun. 

The Holm oak tree - Northern Ireland's 'tree of the year'

.......And so we head for the coast. It was quiet enough on the main road towards Kilkeel, but in any case we were lucky enough to have a footpath to run on nearly all of the way. After about 6 miles, there’s a Right turn towards Greencastle and Cranfield, heading south on a quieter country road. After about half a mile we come across ‘Eileen’s Store’, our last chance for refreshments before we get to Kilkeel. Eileen and her husband John are so friendly, making me a cup of coffee but refusing to take any money for it.

Eileen and some of the Coastal Runners

We carry on, crossing the bridge over the White Water River and then take a Right turn towards Greencastle. There used to be a ferry here going over to Greenore in Co. Louth (just over a mile across the bay) but the ferry hasn’t gone since 1951. There’s talk recently about running it again but local opinion seems to be against it. ‘NO Ferry Here’, says a big sign nearby. I think the locals are worried about too much traffic in their area. 

We walk up the hill to the actual castle itself at Greencastle, one of the oldest castles in Ireland, built almost 800 years ago, in 1230 by Hugh de Lacy. It’s now mid-day, the sun is threatening to shine and we’re all warming up. The sheep in the fields nearby are bleating like crazy at the sight of these strange people. 

Greencastle castle

During World War 2, there was a special aerodrome built here in Greencastle, Co. Down which became home for soldiers of the US Army in preparation for the D-Day operation in Normandy. General Patton even came here to check his troops – he called his soldiers, the ‘fittest, readiest outfit that I’ve ever inspected’. I’m sure he would have said something similar if he had seen today’s six coastal runners!   

We now do a U turn, back the way we came, but after about ½ mile we take a RIGHT turn along Fair Road. Apparently this road is called Fair Road because in past times Greencastle was once the ‘Capital of the Mourne Kingdom’ and its fairs were the most famous in all of Ulster. Fair Road leads down towards the sea and gradually narrows into a gravelly path as we get down to the coast. Then it turns into a lovely narrow grassy path that goes along by the shore, perfect for us runners! And after running along the grassy path for a while we then find ourselves on the west side of Cranfield beach.  

I did realise a couple of weeks ago that it would be high tide when we got to Cranfield, but at that stage it was too late to change today’s date. Having said all that, we’ll be more careful with checking the tides in future. Low tides are much better and remember ’the sand is for the feet of the runner’!

We are reminded again in Cranfield beach too about a horrible disaster that took place on 3 November 1916 (we had seen another monument about this at the Quays in Newry last month). During a terrible storm two ships (SS Connemara and Retriever) collided into each other, killing 94 people. James Boyle, a non-swimmer, was the only survivor but refused to ever speak about this incident until he was an old man. Even the 34ft high Haulbowline lighthouse in the bay couldn’t stop a disaster like this happening. Strange that today the sea was so smooth and calm and it was hard to imagine this happening. 

It’s still quite a high tide when we get to the east side of Cranfield, and we’re wondering whether we should run around the corner on the shore or take the country road back towards Kilkeel. We send Sean on a mission to discover whether it’s feasible to run along the beach. We wait and wait and eventually positive news comes by text from Sean – ‘yes it’s safe to go along the beach’. We all run along the shore, struggling sometimes among the rocks and eventually we find a path that leads off the beach, onto a narrow lane and back onto the Kilkeel road to our finish line.      

So another great day of coastal running and stage two is done! It’s only three weeks to our next run on April Fool’s Day. 

Re-enacting the cartoon by Neal McCullough

“You can’t be miserable when you’re running. It’s such a simple and pure way to feel alive.”  ― Veronica Rossi, Brooke

Next two legs: Sat. 1 April (Kilkeel to Dundrum) and Sat. 13 May (Dundrum to Strangford) 


If you’d like to Donate to Clifton Special School, please see below. https://mydonate.bt.com/events/cliftoncoastalrun/381290