Wild camp to Oughterard: E2 Day 2

A worrying start to the day dodging heavy construction traffic. Later I followed a quiet track which weaved between trees, lakes and sheep, arriving at a friendly B&B at Oughterard. 

A frost sparkled on my flysheet this morning. Last night had been colder than I expected. Nevertheless, despite my summer sleeping bag I slept well in three layers of clothing, waking twice to answer calls of nature and very briefly admire the stars above. Deliberately starting early to avoid the construction work I had heard last night, I struggled for a while on rough, boggy ground stumbling into unseen holes, my leg suddenly dropping. Such events did my knee no good at all. After one false trail and negotiating branches left by forestry operations I regained the firm surface of a gravel, forestry track.

As I walked along in the misty, darkness, pinpick red lights from wind turbines scattered on the horizon, a pick up passed its headlights briefly illuminating me. As the sky turned grey construction work was already beginning. For several kilometres I shared the gravel road, much if it newly remade, with vans, cars and soon, large trucks, their wheels as high as me, carrying stone or returning empty. In a few places they were quarrying the granite rock, the noise of the hammers mounted on the arms of JCBs spread across the hillside were the pounding sounds I had heard last night. In the half light of dawn powerful lights on these machines enabled them to continue working. While I am sure my presence was undesirable among the heavy construction traffic, nobody stopped me and I disobeyed no signs explicitly prohibiting my passage. A few signs stated that road construction would take place between July and September and walkers and cyclists might be restricted, but this was April.

Finally leaving the construction traffic behind the hike improved immediately. A forest track, little used by any vehicles, took me around the side of a mountain. The thinly planted conifers frequently allowed views down to a lake or the bog lands beyond. Marks on the ground indicated the track had recently been used by a mountain bike and deer. A rabbit bounded out of my way. Two swans were starkly white on the black waters of a lough.

Track through forestry.

Beside Lough Buffy.

Leaving the forest and crossing a sheep farm, climbing over padlocked gates, I reached a minor road by a sign that said there was "No Access" to the track from which I had come. There was also a footpath waymark pointing down the road, indicating that the Connemara Way was routed somewhat to the west of the tracks I had been taking. I had last seen a waymark by my camp site, new road construction had presumably removed later posts so I am not sure precisely where our routes had parted. 

My entry from track on the left onto a minor road, the post indicated that the Connemara Way was to the west of the route I took through the forest.

Watched closely by some sheep I followed the road north to the village of Oughterard. Arriving about 11 am, too early to check in to my lodging I enjoyed a couple of lattes (and an almond tart) in a café. On subsequently checking in to the Camp St B&B, the helpful owner suggested I took a walk down to the pier at Lough Corrib, an impressive, large lake with several islands. I should be able to admire the lough for much of tomorrow. 

Village of Oughterard.

I noticed a sign advertising a consultation on a "Greenway" from Galway to Oughterard. If developed this would be an attractive means of walking to Oughterard from Galway, an alternative to the route I took. Unfortunately the consultation had recently finished otherwise I would have written in to support this excellent way of encouraging people to enjoy the undoubted health benefits of exercise. Sadly not everyone felt the same. A sign attached to a telegraph pole stated "No Greenway through Private Property". Comments on-line suggested without access to private property (use of a disused railway line was being considered), the Greenway would unlikely be viable. The many "No Entry" and "No Trespassing" signs suggested that Ireland was a more conservative society than I imagined.

A GPX track of my route from Galway to Oughterard can be found here or here.