There's a Gap In Between, There's a Gap Where We Meet

October 8, 2010

Here, I attempt (successfully), 1) a much more challenging hike: much flatter, and (unfortunately) paved (so arguably more of a "walk"), but 14 whole miles, through the Gap of Dunloe and then some to a river/lake area where one might take a boat to Killarney (I did not take such boat) and 2) a 300 km drive to Dublin.

Nosh and Coffee for breakfast (mediocre panini on top of weird salad + decent coffee). Here's a picture of how the town looked bleak and cloudy:

Drove to the gap and parked in the parking lot in front of what is known as Kate Kearney's Cottage (apparently has been open as a tourist location for 150 years), where there was a closed coffee shop, and some old guys milling about offering horsedrawn cart rides through the gap. I ignored all of these people, because I was walking.

It was a very nice walk, with the exception of one very long, not super steep hill, it was mostly flat, and cut between two large mountains, creeks running down them. I saw a small waterfall where the wind blew hard enough to send the entire fall vertical. The hills were green, and there was a river that ran through the gap up to the saddle from where I could see far in two directions. At that spot I sat and chatted with an Australian on a 6 month trip, and briefly with a Spanish and a German. They were on bikes. The weather started to pick up a bit and I continued along down a long hill and they headed back.

The trip had been estimated at 2 hours each way, and I found myself well behind schedule. In fact, even at a fairly rapid pace, it took me two and a half hours to get to Lord Brandon's Cottage (the endpoint), where a small shop sold tea and coffee and ice cream. I ate strawberry. Here's a picture of the waterway near Lord Brandon's Cottage where some people took boats back to Killarney (I couldn't do this because my car was parked at Kate Kearney's Cottage):


For the return journey, I decided to pick up the pace significantly. Even though my outfit included a backpack, hiking shoes and jeans, I ran for 3 separate 10 minute intervals (probably around 3 miles total) of the 7 mile return trip, making it back in an hour 40 (50 minutes faster). Here are some views of the scenery.

Sheep (they were everywhere):

The gap itself from the highest point on the trail:

The river that ran through the gap:


The hike was the best part of the day by far -- and it was good. Things then got bad for about 6 hours, and even though they got better after that, not quite good enough to make up for the bad.

My car wouldn't start. I couldn't figure out why, since I had not left the lights on, and I had only been gone 4.5 hours anyway. The old Irish guys tried to help me start it by pushing it around the parking lot while I pressed on the gas and turned the key, but this did not work. A somewhat less old Irish guy then revealed that this method only works for manual cars, and not automatics. I called AA Ireland (which seems to be the Irish version of AAA) and asked for help. Just getting to speak to someone took a while, and they promised to be there within the hour. The guy arrived at 5:10 p.m. (I had finished the hike at 3:45, and had a 4 hour drive to Dublin ahead of me so was getting antsy). He successfully jump started the car. I was not entirely at ease because no explanation was given for the battery failing in the first place, but I got in the car and started driving.

It was a very stressful drive because I was afraid that there was something wrong with the car (occasionally lights would flash on the dash for a second or two before going out), and I wanted to get as close to Dublin as I could before it got dark, and the first 2 hours of the 4 hour drive were along the twisty, narrow, hard to pass on highways that I don't like. So a lot of focus here, listening to the radio fade in and out. The toll road freeway was, as before, amazing. I really like those roads. I made it to Dublin in fairly good time, somewhat ahead of schedule, but got lost circling in the city trying to find the hostel.

While circling, I ran my gas almost to zero so stopped for a partial refill. Of course, after this the car would not start, and was making all sorts of clicking sounds around the air bag. I was not happy about this at all. I called AA Ireland again (with the end of my phone charge -- I had been using it for navigation the whole trip so it was almost done) was promised again a one hour wait time, and finally the guy arrived. I told him that I did not want to deal with fixing the car, as I did not trust it to start the next day (when I had a flight) and that I would prefer that he tow it, and that I get a partial refund on the rental. A verbal agreement along these lines was made, which I need still to confirm via email with Sixt. Because of company policy, he could not drive me to the Abbey Court Hostel, so I flagged down a cab on the N4 highway, driven by a very friendly Algerian driver.

The easiest part of the day was checkin, and I was relieved not to have been stuck with paying for the parking spot I had reserved several days before and had not yet cancelled. My room was full of Costa Ricans. I took a shower, and walked out to the streets to catch a bit of Dublin before I left. But as much as a weeknight can be fun alone, Friday night really isn't, and I was reminded of this. The streets were packed with people, reminded me of downtown Reykjavik on a Friday, just with far, far more people and covering a much bigger area.

I think I'd go back to Dublin, but I'd want a travel companion for the evenings, I think.

Radiohead -- Where I End and You Begin