THE MOUNTAIN AIR IN BALLYHOURA
We were travelling again. This time our destination was the Ballyhoura Mountains in Co. Limerick. We had flown to Cork and after a short and winding drive we negotiated the lovely town of Mitchelstown just off the M8 (the main motorway linking Cork with Dublin). We then took the R513 in the direction of Kilfinnane. After several detours and phone calls we eventually arrived in the town and our base for the weekend. The town is moderate in size but like with most provincial towns in Ireland, it was full of pubs. It’s situated in the Southwest of Ireland, strategically on the borders of the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Cork. The attractive town has remains of a 14th Century Castle and the present day town was laid out in the 18th Century with the simple but stunning church being built in 1878.
We had been kindly invited to stay at the Ballyhoura Hostel, which had recently been renovated by the owner Seamus Nunan. The house was previously his family home and it was great to hear his interesting stories of his childhood, he is obviously passionate about his hometown after returning from Dublin and has spent a lot of money and sweat on making the hostel a great place to be. The Hostel is described as ‘Five Star’ Hostelling and seamlessly combines the comfort of a top hotel with the expected freedom and value of a hostel stay, it’s a genius concept and one that definitely works, especially with its close proximity to the Ballyhoura Mountains and the plethora of outdoor activities on offer.
The décor is dominated by the outdoors both visually and aromatically. The senses are treated to the enchantment of wood in many forms, Seamus is a carpenter by trade and his skill is evident in the quantity of stunning furniture and fixtures that are beautifully dotted throughout the property. The dining area is dominated by decoratively sculptured stools using recycled tree stumps, but I was captivated by the selection of tables which again had been created from the same stumps, their appearance just compels you to touch and caress the intricate composition.
Ballyhoura is a stunning area of undulating green areas, woodland and moss laden trees set in breathtaking scenic hills and mountains. The snowcapped Galty Mountains was our ever present impressive companion. The Mountain Bike trails are nestled in some magnificent surroundings, were designed by Daffyd Davis and run over 90km of the most wonderful undulating hills and forests that Ireland has to offer. The trail system was created over seven years ago in Coilltes Greenwood Forest and hosted the European Marathon MTB Championship in June last year.
It consists of narrow single-track and boardwalk sections and also has lovely stretches of forest road climbs over short and long distances. The trails are laid out in five loops and each loop leads onto the next. The loops are well signed with frequent colourful way makers in one direction – just pick the colour of the loop you want to ride and follow the arrows, it’s as simple as that. Facilities at the trail head include map
boards, car parking, toilets, showers and bike wash facilities. Trail friendly accommodation, bike rental and good food are available locally.
Before commencing our dirty adventure we had a chat with the animated and passionate Chris O’callaghan from the Trailriders Bike Hire Centre. He explained that the trails are constantly busy and this was proven by the cavalcade of cyclists heading towards the start point. He suggested we try the Green Loop which he explained would offer easy climbs and fun single-track descents and is the shortest of all the loops but would ultimately give us a great flavour of the Ballyhoura Trails. It is essentially one gradual climb followed by one long descent with all but 1.5 km of the loop on narrow, twisty single-track trails. It sounded ideal!
Sarah and I were given two lightweight full suspension models (hers a Cube and mine a BMC) and we set of from the well-stocked shop, the weather was fair, warm but thankfully no sign of the gales that greeted us from our slumber. We had decided on the green loop as Chris praised its qualities and also because of Sarah’s limited MTB experience. The Greenwood Loop is the first of five loops in the trail system and takes you through the lush hillsides underneath Seefin Mountain and Black Rock and is used as the outward and inward legs for the rest of the trail network. The trail was initially steep as we progressed slowly up the mountain, the track was well maintained with the occasional boulder to keep our concentration.
The middle section was relatively benign as we pedalled into the shadows of the tree cover. In the air was a March chill but the sun was already generating a welcome warmth. Sarah was coping like an expert, her initial apprehension had diminished and she was leaning into the corners (I thought at one stage she was going to attempt a Rocky Drop Off!) and appeared enthused as her appearance was increasing mud splattered.
After stopping briefly, we emerged on a crude Tarmac section with stunning far-reaching views of the surrounding hillside. Galvanised we then hit more tree cover creating a natural tunnel with the occasional chink of light guiding our way. Due to the recent wet weather the trails were rather slippery
especially in the more shaded areas and on occasions can be rather narrow (not more than 1m wide) but that just adds to the all-round fun.
We crossed a fast flowing stream before climbing again, eventually reverting to a rutted grass track at the crest of a hill. At this stage I was slightly worried about Sarah’s abilities as the trails became quite technical in places, featuring some elevated timber boardwalk sections with exposed edges, but she performed like a pro.
The complete scene of isolation was amazing, the surface was still ok. It was great to see a mix of all ages and sizes throwing themselves down the mud laden trails, father and sons, middle aged slightly rotund blokes and athletic teenagers. The only common factors were the continual smiling faces and the dirt splattered bikes and clothing.
From the point the well-defined track contoured downwards, the views were breathtaking, a backdrop embroidered in green hues with a smattering of stone dwellings and snow-capped mountains dominated. The surface was now variable including a quantity of loose rocks, gravel, mud, deep cavernous puddles and protruding roots but it didn’t prevent us pedalling at a relatively fast pace. What followed was a thrilling descent on a rather bumpy, muddy track and with some heavy braking we arrived safely in the still busy carpark.
On reflection we both had so much fun, but me probably more than
Sarah. The set up at Ballyhoura is great; the people as always in Ireland, were amazingly friendly and accommodating. The welcome from Seamus and Theresa at the hostel was so genuinely hospitable; we definitely felt part of their extended family. The strap line on their literature states “You won’t want to leave” and it is so true. We will be returning in the future, that’s a definite.
I would like to briefly mention Blarney Castle which we detoured to enroute back to Cork Airport. We all know of the Castle and the believed powers of the famous stone (the gift of eloquence) but the castle itself is a magnificent example of fortification and its dramatic imposing structure is recognised as one of Ireland’s finest historical buildings. The stone is set in the wall of the battlements and to kiss it, you have to demonstrate some gymnastic prowess by leaning backwards (obviously holding onto the iron railings) from the parapet walk, whilst being held by a member of staff (who in my case was a rather frail chap, not dis-similar to Mr Burns from Simpsons fame).