Ballycastle to Slieveanora: E2 Day 32

 A return to forests and mountains.

I woke with a sore throat and a stiff knee. Exercises helped loosen my knee, not sure why I have a sore throat, hoping it is not sign of some developing infection.

My pack was rather heavier today as I was wild camping tonight and unsure of accommodation in the days beyond, so I was carrying extra water and had stocked up with food. With Sunday and a bank holiday for the Queen's funeral it seemed prudent as shops might be closed.

Deciding against a second coffee in the town centre I left Ballycastle on a path following a disused railway line. The route then swung left and right as it climbed up through Ballycastle Forest on forest tracks. Unlike many this was a mixed woodland with a variety of trees, the red berries of the Rowan trees particularly caught my gaze today. The forest was also a potential battleground in the war between red and grey squirrels. Red squirrels still clung on here but were under threat from the advancing greys. Any sightings of grey squirrels had to be reported to a telephone number advertised on notices. I looked out for squirrels of any colour but all I spotted was a few hazel nut shells, apparently a sign of squirrels feeding. 

A road section followed on which I was monitored by cows in adjacent fields, and a large inflatable dinosaur. Initially the walking in Breen forest was easy on forest tracks made of gravel. A few people were about, a jogger, another person with a backpack, but otherwise I had the forest to myself. Then the route suddenly departed into more difficult terrain, uneven, muddy ground, dense ferns and large clumps of rushes. Although my GPS gave the general direction only broken bracken stalks and the occasional footprint told me I was on the correct track, but for a while things were difficult. This "path" deposited me at a wooden bridge, after which a muddy track climbed up a watery valley to a forest path with waterlogged sections. A subsequent forest track had an "Authorised Persons Only beyond this point" sign. Having no intention of retracing my steps over the difficult terrain for several kilometres with no idea of where to detour, I of course ignored it. Being Saturday I did not expect to find anyone working, however I reached a digger depositing matting beside the track. He kindly stopped to let me pass.

Rowan tree in berry beside track

Typical forest track.

After more road and forest tracks I reached a winding road through moorland to the top of Slieveanora, where I shared the summit with two large aerials and a sign stating it was a nature reserve. Near the top there was a memorial to US airmen who died in a crash here in the Second World War. From the top there was a fine panorama. I could see down to the sea and beyond to various parts of Scotland. 

View from summit of Slieveanora.

My final section for today was over rough, boggy ground on vague paths in the moorland peat. Reaching firmer gravel roads in the Slieveanora Forest I looked for some flat ground on which to pitch my tent for the night. The method of planting trees seems to involve creating ditches between them, and these ditches together with fallen trees and deep spongy moss meant that pitching under the trees was not an option. Fortunately a small stream had resulted in a gap in the planting and there was flattish ground between the meanders. I picked a spot invisible from the forest track and pitched my tent for the night. Small irritating gnats meant I was soon sheltering inside. Later the soft, tinkle of the stream lulled me to sleep.

A gpx file of my route can be found on wikiloc.com and OutdoorActive.