Thursday 3rd May
Beautiful weather has now become the norm and we set off into lovely countryside which took us to the rugged coastline of Co. Antrim and on to the Giant’s Causeway – a magnificent sight. The navigation was fairly demanding and at the end of the day we lost ourselves in the countrtyside for an hour and a half whilst we quarrelled and tried to unravel the mysteries of the road book! All credit to Jim, we eventually emerged on the correct road and arrived at our hotel tired but happy – well tired anyway. I missed out on dinner and went straight to bed grabbing over twelve hours much needed and, I would like to think, well deserved kip. Jim received the good news at dinner that we had incurred no penalty points – excellent! He was so pleased that he remained in the bar till the wee sma hours amusing the other competitors, or so he thought, with his company. The good news – one of our lady competitors raised e50 by dipslaying her bosoms and donated the money to our Macmillan can (cans for cans I guess!) the bad news is that Jim was a little slow to get started on the new day.
Friday 4th May
Another splendid sunny day to get us going through Donegal and down to Co Mayo traversing both the Dartry and Ox Mountains and running alongside variouis loughs including Lough Corrib. The afternoon involved a rally techniwque called “regularity” for which we were not ideally equipped and at which we did not appear to excel – all very interesting however and a grand way to keep our speed down,so we could see the scenery. At one point, we had an epic short thrash with an entrant in a Porsche 2.7 Carrera and I could have played that game all day. We stopped for an afternoon halt at a very attractive old castle “Ashford Castle” which is now a luxury hotel and for the last section of the day I swopped navigators. Jim moving across to a Citroen 2CV and me taking on board Annabelle who fancied a change of pace from her driver Sarah, which, judging by her rather quiet demeanour was perhaps a little faster than she is used to! They are having a great rally but a bit slower than everybody else- though they do attract lots of attention particluarly from little kids who love their “noddy car”. Their bravery in campaigning this car is not to be underestimated. We pitched up at the Park Hotel Kiltimagh Co Mayo for tonight and crowned the evening with a charity auction. Both Jim and myself were led astray by the occasion and have made purchases. Both secrets, which will sadly not be revealed here.
Thanks to the fantastic staff here for letting me have machine access – which has been great. Tomorrow we are off to Galway and Killarney. The word is that the weather will not be as good – this will be a pity for the many open top cars which have not raised thier hoods since we left Wick nearly a week ago. I hope to upload more photos tomorrow subject to good web access.
May 5, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Ok, as requested. nerd here:
The Burren (from Irish: Boireann, meaning “great rock”; Boirinn is the modern form used by the Ordnance Survey) is a unique karst-landscape region in northwest County Clare, in the Republic of Ireland.
The definitive article (making it “the Burren”) has only been added to the name in the last few decades, possibly by academics, as it has always been called Boireann in Irish and Burren in English
The territory of Burren was also called Corco Modhruadh Oirthearach (“eastern Corcomroe”), which is the north eastern portion of the shared territory, or tuath, of Corco Modhruadh meaning the “seed or tribe of Modhruadh”. The diocese of Kilfenora in which Burren is situated is coextensive with the territory of Corco Modhruadh. In the annals, Burren was often called “Burren in Corco Modhruadh. Burren was ruled by the Ó Lochlainn clan, who styled themselves Kings of Burren, up until the upheavals of the mid 1600s. The present day descendent of the last chief of the Ó Lochlainn clan resides in Ballyvaughan / Baile Uí Bheacháin.
The region measures aprx. 250 square kilometres and is enclosed roughly within the circle comprised by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Gort, Corrofin, Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna, as well as the Black Head lighthouse.
The rolling hills of Burren are composed of limestone pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as “grikes”, leaving isolated rocks called “clints”. The region supports Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment. The blue flower of the Spring Gentian, an Alpine plant, is used as a symbol for the area by the tourist board. Burren’s many limestone cliffs, particularly the sea-cliffs at Ailladie, near Fanore, are popular with rock-climbers. For potholers, there are a number of charted caves in the area. Doolin is a popular “base camp” for cavers, and is home to one of the two main cave-rescue stores of the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation.
Burren is also rich with historical and archeological sites. There are many megalithic tombs in the area, portal dolmens, a celtic high cross in the village of Kilfenora, and a number of ring forts, among them the triple ring fort Cahercommaun on the edge of an inland cliff, and the exceptionally well-preserved Caherconnell Stone Fort. Corcomroe Abbey is one of the area’s main scenic attractions.
The Cliffs of Moher (Irish: Aillte an Mhothair, lit. cliffs of the ruin) are located in the parish of Liscannor at the south-western edge of The Burren area near Doolin, which is located in County Clare, Republic of Ireland.
The cliffs rise 120 meters (393.7 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag’s Head, and reach their maximum height of 214 meters (702.1 ft) just north of O’Brien’s Tower, eight kilometers away. The cliffs boast one of Ireland’s most spectacular views. On a clear day the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay, as are the valleys and hills of Connemara.
O’Brien’s Tower is a round stone tower at the approximate midpoint of the cliffs. It was built by Sir Cornellius O’Brien, a descendant of Ireland’s High King Brian Boru, in 1835, as an observation tower for the hundreds of tourists that frequented the cliffs even at that date. From atop that watchtower, one can view the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, the Maum Turk Mountains and the Twelve Bens to the north in Connemara, and Loop Head to the south.
Moher tower, located at Hag’s Head, is a square stone ruin. It appears to be the remains of a watchtower placed during Napoleon’s reign in Europe.
I’m really not this sad…
May 13, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Deke:
Got news for you – oh, yes you are!!! When even your best friends won’t tell you…… No wonder Katherine has a set of industrial ear muffs (no smutty reply, please!).
JMR x
May 13, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Dave: Justa quick corredction for the sake of the girls – Sarah, is in fact the driver of ‘Dolly’ the remarkable 2CV Special (sic.) and Annabelle is the very able navigator and enroute coffee (cabin?) service. They are a fine example of in breeding….oops, er, I mean of inbred Cornish consistentcy and determination – not a dry eye in the house!!!
I cann’t wait for the final episodes!
Well driven bruv – BUT, now can I please retire with some grace. It has taken 36 years to get me back in the “hot (Wet) seat” – it may take longer next time. Now marshallling, C2C2008, well that may have some tangible rewards?
NEXT VENTURE?
LB (Jim)
PS: Just to let you know, I still have a copy of the Motoring News from April 15, 1977, including full report of the GCR!
May 15, 2007 at 12:08 pm
yes I always like to wash my dirty linen in public too. Happy to let you go for next year and get someone with more interest in the event and a little less interest in texting! If you do marshal remember that you will have to pay for your own seat.
May 17, 2007 at 5:29 am
I’m still in denial that I have a drink problem – I spill too much!!
The youmg madonna with the boobies is a great laugh. She also kept as all amused with her stories. Apparently, aged 10, she navigated her mother home to Budapest from Cornwall. Incidentally, I also tried out your recipe for “Hungarian Chicken” this weekend – it went down a treat with the whole family, though I am a little worried about the possible side effects – changing into a serf-woman!!
Jeanne (Dave’s wife!) please be advised that on Dave’s behalf (he had trouble walking during the later stages of the event) I purchased some ‘body balm’ from the Burren Perfumery (it is heading for you via brothers Bob and Frank – a kind of fragrant baton race!). The staff at the Perfumery itself were brilliant and made donations (both on behalf of the business and as individual donors) amounting to over 50 Euro. Well done and many thanks!!
Jim
May 23, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Ah, the old “too much texting” mantra. I agree, but in this case feel justified as the “textees” in question were our family, friends, sponsors and supporters. By use of text bulletins, I was able to keep them up to date with progress whilst they awaited updates in the superior mediam of “Le Blog”.
Interestingly, many have commented on the effectiveness and professionalism of our sponsor relations, particularly this aspect. Sure they will also be delighted when the final blog pages are posted featuring our results and trophy win.
Incidentally, despite the “text fever”, we still only actually made 1 (one) recorded mistake (in the first section of the first day – and even this was a tranposing error -also made by several muh more experienced and frequent competitors- rather than a route miss!). Not bad for an old codger emerging from 36 years of retirement.
I look forward to stamping the card of your appointed navigator next year. Best of luck for then.
LB