New Bike

Today I purchased a 2nd hand mountain bike in the hope I might actually use it in Crewe to pootle around on.  We shall see...  I did manage to cycle it up the big hill to my digs though which I didn't think I'd be able to do the first time.  I have some good ideas, but struggle to stick to the plans associated with them.

Last Training Walking Weekend

Date: 24th September - 26th September
Location: The Peak District (for a change)
Campsite: Rivendale Caravan Park
Team: The Grainger Family, Di, Sylv, Penny, Tanya
Weather:  Cold but bright and dry on the Saturday.  Dark, gloomy and rainy on Sunday.

Walked 13.9 miles
sunburn
sis did tissington trail the same day

Cycled 12 miles (rained off)

Walking trip to Ireland to be sure, to be sure

Date:  4th to 7th September
Location:  Staying in the Glencarr Hotel
Nearest Airport: Cork
Weather:  Predicted light showers.  Actually horrendous on the first walking day
Team:  Liz, Lynne, John, Nick, Allen, Martin, Rob, Kirsty and Me.
Drivers: Rob and Allen
Navigators: Rob, Allen and Martin

Packing
What a trauma - trying to pack a suitcase and leave space for Kirsty's stuff and still not go over the weight.  Well we did it.  We were spot on the 15Kg.

Flight
What is the point in pre booking in online if you still have to check in.....
Anyway, it was all on time and went to plan.  The picking up of the minibus was a bit of a problem in that it seemed we were mis sold some of the cover.

Dinner in Killarney
On our way to the hotel, we stopped off for dinner.  X factor on in the background as all 9 of us virtually took up their back room.

Arrival at hotel
Thank god for sat nav.  I really don't think we would have found it in the dark down all the winding lanes.  Shown to our rooms and welcomed with open arms.  Night in the bar with the locals, though couldn't understand why anyone would walk the 50 billion miles up the lanes to the hotel just for a drink in the bar.

Massive brekkie
As has become the custom, I ordered a full Irish and then the gannetts delved n.
Breakfast was generous and delicious.

Set off up Carroutounhill
We had checked the weather reports and it was looking like the Sunday was the best day for conquering this little hill.  Packed up and ready to go, we set off to the carpark just down the road.
Out of the minibus, waterproofs on as the drizzle set in.
The weather didn't dry up and just rained on and off.
As I climbed the Devil's Ladder the wind started to pick up and I had to keep stopping so I could duck down and avoid being blown off my feet.  John did drag me up bits of the mountain so help speed me up.
We met one family coming down the mountain with a very small child - I do wonder why people would want to do that with a 2 year old.  They told us that the route we planned to go down, might be difficult to follow in bad weather and also was harder than the Devil's Ladder that just come up.
At the top of this section, the wind had really picked up and I needed help to put my fleece on without losing my coat.  Kirsty was nearly blown over. 
The rain was getting heavier, but it wasn't far to the top. 
We got to the cross at the top and the weather was so horrendous that the decision was made not to stop for lunch and also to return down the path we'd come up.
Looking back, this was totally the right decision as the weather just got more worse.
I was actually feeling quite good at my performance so far.  There were bits I found difficult due to the height, but also as the ground was so slippy.  I was being blown around so much by the wind that I couldn't focus on where I was stepping.
The trickle of a waterfall we had climbed up was now a full on river down and every step dislodged mud, stones and rocks.  There were several calls of 'avalanche'.  At one point, Martin dislodged a rock that came flying down and whacked the back of my calf as I didn't move out of the way quick enough.  I had a massive bruise to show for it.
Although I was finding the descent difficult I was trying to build my confidence and take bigger steps down and not cling to everything possible.  Then I fell.  I stepped onto a rock, my foot went from under me and I tumbled.  The next thing I know, I'm on my back (on rucksack), sliding head first down the waterfall and I stopped when my head hit a rock.  Due to the angle I had stopped at, I was struggling to keep legs from going over my head, which would have caused me to fall further.  Rob was in front of me and Martin had been behind me.  It seemed forever before they got to me.  Flipping head hurt.  I was drenched thoroughly.  Water had gone up my trousers and in my boots.  I'd ripped my gloves (good job I was wearing some).  Other than a few bruises, I think I was lucky.  Due to the amount of mud, I did have a soft landing.  Rob and Martin got me on my feet and we made our way to the bottom where the rest of the team were too busy eating to notice the event.
Kirsty did laugh at me when I told her I'd fell and landed on my head.
It was a quick way to get down a few metres though!
Next was the drudge back to the minibus.  The gusts of wind were so strong we were literally being blown off our feet.  Rob went down, Lynne went down and everyone else stumbled.  
My waterproofs had done well but eventually had given up.  I was soaked to the skin.  The last mile as always was hard work.

Kirsty had phoned the hotel, so we had dinner booked.  Hot shower and beef dinner - perfect.  The food was spot on and I managed to eat 2 puddings and finish off 2 others. 
We had hung up all our clothes and stuffed our boots with newspaper but nothing was drying.  I couldn't believe that my fleece wouldn't dry quicker. My boots took about 3 days to dry.
My phone had got drenched but worked just fine.  My camera died and I later took it part to dry it and still cannot get it working.  I will now be borrowing Mum's for Kili.  Not happy.  It was in a case in rucksack under rain cover - I didn't get it out once when it was raining.

The next days walking was altered to suit the fact we didn't have boots to walk in.  Valencia Island, cliff tops and dinner whilst out worked out to be a lovely relaxing day.

The last day we managed to get extension on minibus, so took a leisurely coastal drive back to the airport near Cork.
Flight back to Liverpool went well and actually landed a bit earlier than expected.

Home and straight to bed.  I didn't realise my bruises until the next day.  I was covered head to toe in bruises.  Kirsty however had picked up a tick which was a bit scary.