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The Lug Walk 2011
The Lug Walk 2011
The weather was truly savge on this years Lug Walk and so the next day whilst pottering over how to even begin to describe it my ears pricked up to a Met Eireann report which stated that. . . . .
"the whole month of June's average rainfall fell upon Dublin and Wicklow over the last two days"!
So no prizes for guessing waht this meant for favoured old places like Conavalla or Barnacullion!
With bog as soft and as entrapping as "Acme Quick-Drying Cement" - the stuff that's in the Road Runner cartoons - every footstep in given places would become an arduous effort of mammoth proportions. There had to be at least an extra 30% worth of extra struggle and of extra pains required to labour through this great Challenge Walk.
Yet there was no two ways about it, all 120 odd souls who turned up to brave the elements knew only too well what to expect, what to prepare for, why they were there in the first place and how to battle through all the "heavy hearted" stages that would come a little more frequent on this years Lug Walk.
But Challenge Walkers love what they do and take great pride in their achievements. The euphoria that follows once a well earned bowl of soup has been lowered at the finish certainly helps ones pains to at least begin to abate.
There were of course some glorious moments as the heavens shone down, in between pis. . . . . raining down really heavily.
During many of these moments old friends would reaquaint and new friends would be introduced (nothing better than to be able to cry about your pains to willing ears who don't already know you!).
This is the nature of Challenge Walks. Whilst some may have been upset at being directed downwards having failed to reach critical cut-off points in time - others who could be concidered veterans to outings such as these (especially the toughest ones like The Lug Walk) knew only too well the real dangers of continuing on in worsening weather whilst all the time loosing "time of day".
Heading up on the approach to Lug itself I honestly thought ordinance was being discharged in the Glen of Imaal below only to realise a vicious hail storm five minutes later - 'twas thunder of a biblical nature all along. . . .
Challenge Walks of late seem to be attracting an unfair level of hostility from various quaters for whatever reasons but as I watched the more experienced help many a person with their navigation skills or indeed as I watched many a walker pick up old litter usually discarded by the Sunday "drive out to the car-park look around for half an hour then drive home" fraternity - I couldn't help but be impressed that no matter what the day throws at the Challenge Walker that there is an honesty and eagerness to help others that prevails.
With clubs like the Irish Ramblers who go through great pains to both promote and host such great Challenge Walks of our time as in the Lug Walk, thanks and gratitude although often thin on the ground should never be put on the back-burner.
Sincere Thanks to all.
Jim Holmes.
Lug Walk
Fair play to you all. Wish there was a sack of medals to give you heroic bunch.
A big thanks to Irish Ramblers for their work in keeping this Challenge Walk going, despite the weather.
Jean Cantwell
lug walk
Having just read with great interest, Jim Holmes comments, I feel I must add my own 2cents worth. My group and I, were one of the many who were directed downwards, on not reaching the Wicklow Gap on time, (10 minutes late, to be precise) there was no account taken of the horrendous conditions underfoot, when setting out the checkpoint times. I fully understand health and safety issues, on the day, but with over 25 walkers allowed to start walking at 4.50, and our group starting at 5.10, these were valuable minutes that we were not allowed to make up. Jim's comments, on there being some "uninitiated walkers" might apply to some other groups, it certainly did not apply to our group, as we ourselves are "veterans" of many a challenge. Maumturks, Art O'Neill, Blackstairs, to name but a few. There has never been that sort of time pressure on any of these walks. And whats more, they were fun, which is what walking is supposed to be.
P.S. Oh and by the way, we finished in our own time.
Cathal McNicholas, Secretary of Roscrea Ramblers.