Jaseinthewild

Rocks.

Known as the Giant's Causeway, this UNESCO World Heritage Site can be found on the coast in County Antrim, about an hour Northwest of Belfast.

The site is famous for its geometric basalt columns, which were formed about 60 million years ago during a period of intense volcanic activity. Lava from eruptions cooled and solidified rapidly, cracking into hexagonal shapes as it contracted.

Or, if you prefer folklore, the columns were built by the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill to form a path across the sea to Scotland so he could fight his Scottish rival Benandonner. That's a lot of effort for a bit of biffo...

Volcanos, giants, take your pick. Either way, it's a special place to visit.

Windy Mount Errigal.

After spending the night in Enniskillen, I headed out to Glenveagh National Park with a plan to summit Mount Errigal, Donegal's highest peak (which is only ~751m mind you).

Despite being a short climb, it was still a memorable adventure. The wind was absolutely wild, nearly blowing me off my feet with each step that I took. Looking around, the terrain was barren and rugged, but the views... breathtaking.

The iconic mountain, known for its pinkish glow at sunset due to quartzite rock, holds a special place in Irish folklore. It forms part of the Derryveagh Mountains and offers stunning views of the surrounding Donegal landscape.

So, although it's a short one, if you're in Ireland and out Donegal way, Errigal is a must-hike for anyone seeking a rugged, scenic hike that doesn't steal your whole day.

Don't miss the abandoned Dunlewey Church nearby, and keep your eyes peeled for a sneaky sword-in-the-stone too.

Fancy a night in an Irish castle?

After spending a few evenings in hostels and cheap hotels, a luxurious night in the beautiful Lough Rynn Castle was meant to be a well-earned reward.

By the time I reached Lough Rynn, I should have walked 300kms - over half the full trek that was planned. But, since I had cancelled the walk earlier in the week, there was little else for me to do to beyond kicking back by the fire, raising a glass, and enjoying a delicious dinner in the impressive drawing room.

Having spent the day exploring the coast, I was certainly ready for a relaxed evening. But before I got too comfortable, I had a wander around the walled gardens and extensive grounds. This included a ruined fort, old boathouse, and a little further off the beaten path, an ancient Druid Altar... but more on that later.

Lough Rynn Castle was built in 1833, so its history doesn't stretch back too far, at least compared to some of the other structures that still stand across Ireland. But it is certainly old enough to have a rustic yet opulent charm, and I thoroughly enjoyed my evening (despite being a king minus his queen).

The change in my plans introduced some logistical challenges, so in the morning I would be driving from Lough Rynn in County Leitrim, to Dublin, where I would drop off my little silver bullet of a rental car. From there, a bus would take me across the border to Belfast, in Northern Ireland.

Off the beaten track in Ireland.

So after a less than ideal start to my time in Ireland, I headed out from Limerick in my little silver bubble of a rental car.

It lacked a sixth gear, whistled down the highway, and cost me a kidney after the AUD to Euro conversion, but it had Bluetooth, and that's all I needed to bang out some Johnny Farnham karaoke.

I spent most of the day driving up and down narrow Irish roads, weaving my way between farms that once would have been the stomping grounds of my Southern Irish ancestors.

The highlight of the day, though, was Carrigogunnell Castle, a ruins far off the main road and lost to nature. One of my favourite things to do in Ireland is to avoid the popular ruins / castles, and instead visit those which are yet to be commercialised. Often, these lesser known locations allow you to fully explore a ruins, without barriers, admission fees, or most importantly, crowds.

I was still adjusting to the new evolving plan, post walk cancellation, so at this stage my only objective was to continue North, and suss some sights / walks along the way.

In September I got older.

It was my birthday, and I always try to do something adventurous to celebrate. In the past, it's been a bit of travel, or kayaking around shipwrecks - generally cool stuff, but not a huge investment of energy. In more recent times, I've started these stupid long distance walks - and I love them.

So, to celebrate another year, and getting a little bit closer to the day that I'm reincarnated as a dung beetle, I set off to tackle a direction I haven't yet trekked from Sydney - West, over the mountains.

For safety, and 'psychological health benefits', I decided to start the walk from Bathurst and finish in Sydney, walking South-East to Oberon, before continuing East, over the Blue Mountains and down into good ol' Sydney Town.

Now, spoiler alert, I didn't go all the way to Sydney. I ended up calling it a day about 20km past Katoomba. Why you ask? A myriad of reasons really, but ultimately it distilled down to enjoyment, and I decided that I'd enjoy Katoomba to Sydney as a separate walk, rather than overload the activity and suffer unnecessarily.

At its conclusion, this walk totalled 132kms over 25hrs of walking. During the walk I saw kangaroos, echidnas, wombats, black cockatoos, foxes, rabbits, and all the usual livestock. No snakes, and boogeymen during the night time hours thankfully.

One of the elements I was particularly interested in during this trek was my shoes. I wasn't wearing hiking boots, but rather a multipurpose shoe by Columbia Australia - the Konos TRS Outdry Shoe. There's a huge, huge difference between walking 40, 80 & over 100kms in a pair of shoes. You can get away with a tiny ni**le, or an element lacking here or there when walking a shorter distance. But when you’re walking over 100kms in such a short, constant timeframe, you really do need shoes that straddle that fine balance between support, comfort and durability. The Konos performed extremely well, being light when I was jogging, water-proof for the river crossings, sturdy for the technical moments and importantly, superbly comfortable for the long paved sections.

Definitely another memorable experience! 🫡