"Life (and running) is not all about time but about our experiences along the way."  - Jen Rhines

Saturday 13 May 2017

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

Stage Four: Dundrum to Strangford (approx 43k or 27miles)



Dundrum Bay at low tide

Our core team of three (Helen, Sean and myself) organised today’s Co. Down run from Dundrum (Stage 4) to match the low tide which we knew was at 7.45am. We had even considered running across the causeway at Dundrum Bay, which looks passable when the tide is out, but in the end, decided it would be much wiser and safer to go around Dundrum Bay via the old railway line which is now part of the ‘Ulster Way’. PS the causeway is a potential death trap!

The weather had been so dry and sunny over the last two weeks but unfortunately we weren’t so lucky today. From early morning it was very dull with a light mist falling and staying with us for most of the morning. Even the Mourne Mountains seemed to have disappeared behind the mist and fog.


There were seven of us running today. We were delighted to be joined at the start in Dundrum by four friends – they are running with us for part of today’s journey. My good friend and fellow Galwegian/Bangorian, Gerry Coy (nicknamed Gerry the Duke!) has joined us.  Gerry’s wife, Shona (the Duchess!) has also volunteered to meet us in Strangford at our finish point and drive us to Dundrum. This means we don’t have to drive back to Dundrum when we finish today’s leg. Thanks Shona!


 Also we’re so happy to have Jill Dowie-Aicken and Sarah Benton running with us today. I have known Jill and Sarah since I’ve been involved with NDAC (North Down Athletic club) about 7 or 8 years. They both are dedicated runners but share the same easy-going attitude which you really need for this adventure... and they even share the same birthday too! Lastly, I’m so delighted that Louise Watson is joining us. Louise also has a child, Bethany in Clifton Special School. I know it can be a challenge to be a parent of a special needs child but Louise, as a mother, has faced even more tough times than any of us could ever imagine. As regards Louise’s running ability, I don’t think this coastal run will be a problem at all for her. Louise is a hardened triathlon athlete and could probably swim around the whole Co. Down coast! Helen is delighted too that her good friend Louise is joining us and so she has three female running mates today.

Gerry describes the route and almost everyone listens...



As I said we decided it was not a good idea (and not safe) to cross the ‘causeway’ at Dundrum Bay even if the tide was out. It’s very muddy sand in the bay and there doesn’t seem to be a proper causeway to follow. In any case the old grassy railway line around the bay is perfect for us runners. We were easily able to access the old railway line by staying by the shore and passing the old Widow Cottages (Widow’s Row) on our way. This grassy path was a lovely pleasant start to today’s run.  

Widows Row
We learned that these cottages were built for wives and children of the 73 fishermen who lost their lives in a great fishing disaster of 1843. A commemoration plaque quotes a poem ‘The sky was dark, the wind was high and bitter looked that day. When ten stout boats with gallant crews set sail from Dundrum Bay’

We seem to be reporting on a lot of fishing and sea disasters in this coastal adventure of ours, but I suppose, it goes with the territory. We continue running on the old railway line. We can easily imagine the old steam engine and carriages trundling along here with the beautiful bay and Mourne Mountains in sight. The line itself was closed in the early 1950’s but at least the grassy surface is maintained today as a beautiful peaceful walk or run. I must admit, I’m really enjoying the extra company today with Jill, Sarah, Louise and Gerry -not that I was ever getting bored listening to Helen and Sean!   It’s a wee bit sad leaving the beautiful Mournes behind us and we’ll miss those tall hills as we head north. Those mountains have been our constant companions in our early stages in Feb, March and April. I can remember the first time I came here, about 20 years with Maureen and just two children, Conor and Daniel. Arriving in Newcastle on a July afternoon, it was misty and foggy (just like the weather today!) and so we felt slightly cheated at not being able to see those famous Mountains. The following morning there was still mist and rain, but then, very slowly the clouds faded away, the mist disappeared and suddenly the towering Mournes were there right in front of us. It was well worth the wait! It was way back in 1896 that Percy French wrote the famous ‘Mountains of Mourne’. The song is written in the form of a letter from a recent emigrant to his girlfriend back home. The writer is not impressed with London at all and is feeling very homesick.

For all that I’ve found there I might as well be 
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea 

Electric fence manoeuvres!

Anyway, we say goodbye to the Mournes behind us (we can’t see them through the mist but we know they’re there!) and continue running along the grassy old railway line. After a few miles and without warning the old railway line comes to an abrupt end and we struggle through fields and farms until we eventually see a bridge (Blackstaff Bridge) and find the road. We take a right turn towards the village of Ballykinler. We avoid the nearby British Army base (there since 1901) on the coast – we can even hear the practice gunfire, so best not take any risks on this part of our journey! 

Shortly we arrive on Tyrella Beach, which is definitely a much safer place for us. Tyrella has even been awarded the prestigious Seaside Award annually since 1997 and has also maintained the Blue Flag award due to the cleanliness of the beach. Having said all that, none of our party is that keen to test the water and anyway, to be honest, Tyrella beach is a pretty desolate place today – it’s cold too and the rain is coming down. However, with the low tide we can make the most of the expansive beach by running on the sand without getting our feet wet.  



The Duke waving farewell!

Sadly, Gerry Coy (the Duke) leaves us at Tyrella and his chauffeur, the Duchess is there to meet him! Shona kindly takes some more pictures of the magnificent seven runners! We’ve now completed 7 miles of our run and so, six of us, continue our journey north along the coast. We can just about make out St. John’s Lighthouse in the distance and that’s where we’re heading. After a while we debate whether we can stay on the beach – its getting rough and gravely. We decide we need to go inland a little and find the country road. The weather is improving now, the rain has stopped and behind us the Mourne Mountains are reappearing and we can see clearly Slieve Donard and Commedagh in the distance. The country road narrows to a nice quiet lane and we finally arrive at St. John’s Point Lighthouse.
  

Mournes backdrop on Tyrella beach

St John's Lighthouse

St John’s Lighthouse 
Apparently you can stay overnight at this lighthouse now. Not a bad place to wake up and watch the sun rising over the Irish Sea!  Back in 1846 Brunel’s famous SS Great Britain made a navigational error and mistook this lighthouse for the Calf lighthouse on the Isle of Man. (yet another nautical disaster!) More recently in 1950, the writer, Brendan Behan also caused havoc when he was employed to maintain and paint St. John’s Point lighthouse (this was his day job). Behan’s boss wasn’t impressed with his attitude at all and wrote.....  “Mr. Behan’s language is filthy and he is not amenable to any law or order. Empty stinking milk bottles, articles of food, coal, ashes and other debris litter the floor of the place which is now in a scandalous condition of dirt.”
Brendan Behan described himself as a ‘drinker with a writing problem’ and if I’m not mistaken, he got similar negative reviews from his employer in Donaghadee when he painted the famous lighthouse there! Coincidentally, I met a man last month (called Neville) in Galway who also painted/maintained the lighthouses at St. John’s Point and Donaghadee and he told me he had a copy of that letter sent to Brendan Behan.  

We were a wee bit concerned about the route from St John’s Point to Killough especially after reading Terry Eakin’s 2013 blog describing his coastal run. Terry called this section ‘‘a couple of miles of mudmadness, cows everywhere, wet fields and masses of litter along the shoreline’’ Well in May 2017 things haven’t really improved, although I don’t remember the cows! It was sometimes hard to find the Coastal path along here even though it’s part of the ‘Ulster Way’. It was as if this coastal path was designed about 30 years ago and nobody has really updated the Signage, Stiles or Path. A lot of rubbish that Terry refers to might have been blown in from the sea. We were glad to eventually reach the lovely village of Killough.


Killough
The harbour was developed in the 18th century by Michael Ward of Castle Ward (which is just outside Strangford). At that time Mr. Ward also organised the building of an amazing straight road that still runs all the way from Killough right up to the front entrance of Castle Ward. Although we were tempted by this straight road, we diligently stuck to the winding coast to complete our journey
properly! Killough village was originally known as St Anne's Port and it was the afore mentioned Michael Ward who renamed it Port St. Anne, in honour of his wife. Not a bad birthday or anniversary present to give your other half!  If Brendan Behan had the lighthouse painting contract for Ireland, then Alexander Nimmo seemed to have the Irish contract for building piers. It was Mr. Nimmo who build the new quays and a pier here in Killough. In Galway city, the pier is still called Nimmo’s Pier. (Helen also made the nautical connection to that search for that famous fish!)

We follow the coast in Killough. It is indeed a nice harbour village and we can see why Michael and Anne Ward were attracted to it. We can now see Ardglass on the other side of the bay.   

Percy French might have written about the Mournes but Belfast’s Van Morrison wrote and recited his famous ‘Coney Island’ about this part of the world. We’re thinking of Van Morrison’s words as we get nearer Ardglass and Coney Island.   
 
Stop off at Ardglass for a couple of jars of Mussels 
On and on, over the hill and the craic is good

Yes the craic is definitely good for us runners too but not sure if we’re going to have those mussels when we get to Ardglass! Just before Ardglass we take a right turn onto Green road (remember, we’re trying to strictly follow the coast). The literal translation of the name Ardglass is ‘Green hill/height’ and indeed it is quite a climb up Green road. Apparently Ardglass contains more medieval towerhouses than any other town in Ireland, a total of four, reflecting its importance as Ulster’s busiest port in the 15th century. At Ardglass, Jill, Sarah and Louise complete their part of the journey. Jill had arranged to leave her car there so we say goodbye to the three girls. We’ve now done 17 miles (or 27k) .Thanks girls for your support. ......and now there are three of us left, Helen, Sean and me! We have a wee coffee and scone break in Ardglass but don’t sit down – we might not get up again! We walk through Ardglass drinking our coffee at the same time.

Louise, Sarah and Jill at Ardglass

  
Leaving Ardglass we take the main Strangford road but after about 1 kilometre we take a right turn at Sheepland Road towards Ardtole (Sean says we’re really in the Ardtole of nowhere now!) We continue to follow Sheepland Road veering left until we eventually spot the ‘Ulster Way’ coastal path sign towards a very narrow path leading towards the coast. 



Yellow stiles guiding our route

Terry Eakin (2013) was right ‘this section of the run was really great - about 6 miles all off-road’. We cover a lot of ground very quickly here on this lovely elevated coastal path. Sean leads the way and Helen describes him as ‘a mountain goat that is unleashed, racing around the hilly seaside over many yellow stiles.  





Gerry and Sean consulting the map at Ballyhornan

We pass Guns Island on our right hand side. I think you might be able to cross over to the island at low tide but it’s now 1.00 pm and almost high tide. Eventually at the village of Ballyhornan we have to leave the coastal path but we’re still on a very quiet country road, the rain has stopped and the sun is threatening to come out. I’m struggling now and after about 22 miles my legs are suffering. However, Helen and Sean are going well and trying to ‘carry’ me through the rest of the way. We pass by Killard Nature Reserve and our quiet country road meets up with the main Ardglass-Strangford junction at Kilclief Castle. At the castle, a welcome sign (to me anyway!) says ‘Strangford 3 miles’. Three miles or 5k - I tell myself it’s just like running a parkrun now!  

So after 27 miles, we finally arrive in the port of Strangford. It was really such a beautiful stretch of the Co. Down coast today (even if the weather was disappointing) and Strangford is a lovely place to finish Stage 4 of our coastal adventure. 


Arrival in Strangford

So we’ve now reached Strangford and for our next leg (Stage Five on 17 June) we could just simply hop on a ferry to Portaferry and continue our run along the east side of the Ards Peninsula. But NO, we’re not going to do that! We’re going to run all the way around Strangford Lough (via Killyleagh, Comber, Newtownards and Kircubbin) and add about an extra 60 miles to our journey. As usual, we’ll keep the sea, or in this case, Strangford Lough on our right hand side as we run along. Our next outing is on Saturday 17 June from Strangford to Comber. 


Strangford Ferry

Total distance to date: 131k or 82miles Next leg: Saturday 17 June (Strangford to Comber)    

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

"Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think what it might be." - Joyce Oates

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

Saturday 1 April 2017

Stage Three: Kilkeel to Dundrum (Approx 35k or 22 miles)  

It was just Helen, Sean and I today. We were back down again to the Mourne Mountains to the nice fishing harbour in Kilkeel to start stage three of our journey. I must admit that we were a little apprehensive about today’s stage of our journey. Those of you who know the Kilkeel-Newcastle road will notice that it’s a busy, windy road and doesn’t always have a footpath along side it. Also, there isn’t really a proper coastal path and it’s a rocky shoreline too. To make our task even more difficult today, the forecast was for some heavy showers. 



Mrs Graham who waved us off in Kilkeel

So, it was hard to know how we should tackle this stretch. We are indebted to our colleague Terry Eakin (aka Herbie Herb) who covered this whole coastal route in 2013 and we are continuing to refer to his blog to guide us along the way. We left Bangor at 6.45am, hoping that a low tide at 9.10 might help us. We parked again at the Leisure Centre, near Kilkeel harbour. As we are getting ready for today’s adventure, Mrs Graham’s (Helen’s friend’s Mum) kindly came to wish us luck, giving us a £10 donation towards Clifton School. Thank you Tracey’s Mum!

Kilkeel Harbour

We run towards Kilkeel town centre, continuing along the Newcastle road for about half a mile until we came to a crossroads at Moor road. We then take a Right turn, running down towards the coast again. For a while we have, either a nice grassy trail, or a flat enough pebbly beach to run on. There are spectacular views here on both sides, inland across the Mournes, with Slieve Binnian towering in the distance and then on our right hand side the calm Irish sea. The sun was shining too and no sign of any showers on the way!

However, as we get closer to Ballymartin the terrain is getting worst, more rocks than pebbles on the beach now and adding to that, we are confronted by swarms of flies. Sean said they were Mayflies – not sure about that and anyway it’s only April! I read that in Ballymartin in 1858 a Spanish boat sailing from Liverpool to Barcelona went off course (slightly!) and hit the rocks. The impact was so severe that it split a huge stone in two and since then the stone in Ballymartin has been called Barcelona rock. 

Gerry avoiding the stones

We keep running/walking along the rocky shore, although there is a nice small sandy beach near Ballymartin. We’re stepping over more rocks now but as we get closer to Annalong we notice a trail slightly inland. This is definitely easier on the feet. We stop briefly to talk to a lone female runner (training for her local Longstone Camogie club). We arrive in Annalong harbour and get talking to a lady called Maureen Scot who is out walking with her dog, Bell. When she hears our story, she generously gives a £20 donation towards Clifton School. Thank you Maureen!



Longstone to Annalong

We continue north towards Newcastle staying by the shoreline. For the first mile north of Annalong, there’s a nice rough trail but eventually the trail disappears and we’re running through stones and rocks again. At one stage we find it easier to climb into a farmer’s field and run on the long grass, but after a while even the green fields disappear and it’s just a rocky shore. The good news is the sun is still shining and no sign of any rain. We can just about make out the Isle of Man in the distance. 




The rocks on the shore are getting bigger now and we realise that we need to go inland. We spot a farmer’s gate/entrance near the beach, which leads to a narrow hilly lane inland and eventually we arrive back on the main Kilkeel-Newcastle road about 2 miles south of Bloody Bridge. As we run along the main road heading towards Newcastle, the Mournes are beginning to tower over us on the left hand side. Helen says she’s getting thirsty but we know we need to keep going until Bloody Bridge. 

Bloody Bridge
This is exactly where the Mountains of Mourne ‘sweep down to the sea’ (as the Percy French song goes). Although we are at sea level, we’re only 2 miles from the top of the famous Slieve Donard peak (higher than any other mountain in either Ulster or Connacht and standing at 852 metres or 2,795 feet).    



Bloody Bridge River

I did a little research on where the name Bloody Bridge came from and I think it’s safe to say that the name goes way back to 1641 when there was an Irish/Catholic uprising in Ulster against the recent protestant planters from Scotland/England. The story goes that there was a massacre here and bodies were thrown into the river and so tainting it with blood. There is a lot of truth in this and I discovered that there were 19,010 pages of recordings of testimonials taken in 1641(and, believe it or not, these testimonials are still held in Trinity College, Dublin). All testimonials have similar stories of horrific killings, barbaric massacres and lots of drowning. I spent some time looking through these reports, looking for some mention of the area around Bloody Bridge. It was hard enough to find anything specific to this exact area and also some of the language, written 376 years ago, was quite hard to understand. The best example I could find was a testimonial from Mrs. Crooker recorded in 1641 which is typical of these kinds of killings.  

Elizabeth Crooker late of the Newry in the County of Downe sworne & examined saith she was stripped & had taken from her in leather and other houshold goods & Clothes at the Newry to the value of Ten pounds & vpwards by the Rebells there & that she her selfe and her son were taken by the Rebells & carried out to the sea to be drowned, others were carried to Newcastle to be hanged. 

Image taken from James Cranford, Teares of Ireland (London, 1642). Image produced by the courtesy of the Board of Trinity College, Dublin.



Newcastle
According to our Ordnance Survey map there is coastal path from Bloody Bridge to Newcastle. However we realise this is not true, unless we want to follow the same fate as the fictitious character Maggie who fell into the sea near this spot (now called Maggie’s leap!). So we continue running along the busy main road again. However, after about a mile, as we get closer to Newcastle, there’s a footpath which leads us all the way to the main promenade.   

Approach to Newcastle on footpath

We were so glad to finally arrive in Newcastle. It’s been very hard work today and has taken us 3.5 hours to get from Kilkeel. We stop for takeaway coffees and stroll along the esplanade and eventually pass the magnificent Slieve Donard hotel which has the most beautiful setting by the sea with the Mournes facing it. 

Newcastle promenade

Dundrum
At this stage the tide is coming in, but not too far in to stop us running along the coast. We still have another 10k to run before we get to Dundrum. The Royal Co. Down golf course (and then the sand dunes) are on our left as we continue along the shore. We run along the sandy beach and follow the coast all the way to Dundrum bay as the sand gets softer and softer, a little too soft for the tired feet of the runner! At Dundrum Bay we circle around Murlough (Ireland’s first Nature Reserve) and we can now see Dundrum village across the bay. Eventually we cross Downshire Bridge which brings us right into our finish line in Dundrum.

Dundrum bay

Twenty minutes later we are driving back to Kilkeel, when the heavens open and the rain comes down. It’s the first shower of the day!

So Stage Three is done! It’s now 6 weeks to our next run on Saturday 13 May. 

Total distance to date: 88k or 55 miles

Next two legs: Sat. 13 May (Dundrum to Strangford) and Sat. 17 June (Strangford to Comber) 


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

“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

"All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning."  Albert Camus 

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

Date:11th February 2017

Stage One: Omeath (Co. Louth) to Rostrevor (Co. Down)
(Approx 26.5k or 16.5 miles)  

Helen, Sean and I started our grand adventure today in the village of Omeath. Looking across the river/sea from Omeath, we could already see today’s finish line on the other side at Rostrevor, Co. Down.

It was an early start and a nice spring morning (I’m going by the old Celtic calendar that says spring starts on 1st Feb) as we headed first for Rostrevor (our finish point today). Unbelievably, Helen and Sean decide to run the Rostrevor parkrun first! I declined, saving my energy and feigning my back injury as an excuse. Well after all, I am the elder on this adventure.  

After the parkrun with Helen and Sean barely out of breath, I drive the three of us the 16 miles to Omeath, leaving Sean’s car in Rostrevor. 

.........and so at last, our adventure began in Omeath, Co. Louth at exactly 11.05 on Sat 11 Feb 2017 ......and this mad idea isn’t just an idea anymore. It’s now really happening! 

The snow started to come down as we started our run but it soon faded away, although still very cold. As we run along the road from Omeath to Newry looking across at the beautiful Mournes (the area which inspired CS Lewis’s and the Chronicles of Narnia), I can’t help thinking about a horrific incident that took place in 1979. (The same day Lord Mountbatten was murdered by IRA) On that August day 18 soldiers were killed by the IRA at Warrenpoint, just across the narrow river from where our run started at Omeath. Another victim of that day was a curious English tourist (on the Omeath side of the river) who was shot dead by British soldiers in the mistaken belief he was one of the bombers who detonated the bomb. 

Back in a much more peaceful 2017, we continue running along towards Newry, and eventually cross over from Co. Louth to Co. Down. (the border). All the talk in the news recently after the Brexit vote is what kind of border we will have. Well, there’s definitely no sign of a hard border here! In fact there’s no real sign of any kind of a border as we cross over from the Republic into N.Ireland.

As we arrive at the quays in Newry, we decide to stop off for a takeaway coffee before heading towards Warrenpoint. Just outside Newry we find a nice grassy path overlooking the river and really enjoy running along this traffic-free ridge for a few miles. Eventually however the path comes to an end and we have to join the Newry-Warrenpoint dual carriageway. It’s a busy road here but quite safe on the footpath.

After a while, I suggest (bad idea in hindsight!) that there is another easier path closer to the river and it would be much nicer to run along this path. We jump over a fence and run along a muddy path by the shore of the river, but then the path disappears completely. Now we’re struggling through fields and find ourselves trapped between the river and a wee stream. We see a man, and we start to worry that it’s his field we’re trampling on. We ask him for directions. He suggests we carry on through the field (it wasn’t his land anyway). ‘’Keep going’’ he says, ‘’until you reach thon house’’ as he pointed in the distance. Eventually we somehow find our way back out onto the dual carriageway, at the aforementioned ‘thon house’ (I had to look the word ‘thon’ up in my Ulster-Scots dictionary when I got home)     

Narrow Water Castle, Warrenpoint

I was glad to see that Castle just outside Warrenpoint and anyway, reaching another town was a good excuse for us to stop. We strolled through Warrenpoint and we picked up speed again as we got on the Rostrevor road. This was a much nicer and quieter stretch with the river widening on our right hand side and a lovely feeling that we were now definitely in the Mournes. There was also a nice footpath all the way to Rostrevor.  

As we get closer to Rostrevor, Helen is pulling away leaving a wide gap between her and Sean and I. To slow her down we suggest we stop at the big monument erected in memory of General Robert Ross. We climb up the path and steep steps to the top of the monument (with lovely view across the bay) and read all about the famous General Ross. He will forever be remembered as the man who burned down the White House! The ‘Burning of Washington’ took place in 1814, during the War between British forces and the USA. One eyewitness testified that General Ross was personally involved in the piling up of furniture and kindling for the White House, preparing to destroy the landmark. It was the only time that a foreign power captured and occupied Washington. I’m not sure if President Trump will visit this famous landmark, if he ever visits Ireland!

Ross's Monument

View across the bay from Ross's Monument

The rain is coming down now but we don’t care! Now it’s just a short run to our finish point in Rostrevor. It’s such a great feeling, completing that first leg of our journey and we couldn’t really have picked a nicer place to end our first run than Rostrevor, nestling in the Mournes. CS Lewis wasn’t the only one who was impressed with this area. The famous English writer, Thackeray also wrote ’were such a bay lying upon an English shores, it would be a world’s wonder and travellers would flock to it’.

CS Lewis Narnia Trail at Kilbroney (part of the parkrun route)

We don’t delay too long in Rostrevor. Sean drives us back to Omeath to pick up my car, but on the way to Omeath we decide to stop in Warrenpoint for something to eat. In Warrenpoint, we were lucky to find a pub (The Lock and Quay) that had everything we needed. It was the cozy fire in the pub that attracted us first; they also had a TV showing Ireland v Italy rugby match (Ireland winning easily), good beer too (alcohol and no-alcoholic) good food (although we were so hungry, we would have eaten anything!) and best of all, the three of us seemed to have the pub to ourselves. Not a bad way to end the day in the best of company!  

Next leg: Saturday 11 March, Rostrevor to Kilkeel (via Cranfield) 

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