The Conigar Bog

While herself searched for holy wells in parts of Cork where nobody goes very often and nothing much happens, I hiked from Carriganass Castle to Gougane Barra. This is part of the St. Finbar's Way pilgrim route leading to the saint's oratory on the lake.
16.5km (10.25 miles) took me 6 hours - very slow, very tough going over some difficult terrain. Apart from the early sections on small roads, the route traverses various types of boggy ground, at one stage actually crossing a blanket bog with turf cutting still evident. 
The last section crosses the steep Conigar pass at over 500 metres and by the time I reached the top cloud had rolled in and navigation became quite 'interesting'. 
I can't recall having to negotiate so much boggy ground, the rubber tips were soon sucked from my walking poles and each footfall needed to be taken with great care lest the bog refused to release it's grip, or slippery rock refused to offer any. For some of the time I was performing an inelegant 'bog ballet' to a squelchy accompaniment, leaping between tussocks and at other times simply trying to select the least waterlogged route.
I saw only one person at the very start of the walk, it was eerily quiet much of the time, especially in the clouds, but exhilarating. It was good to be out in the autumn colours even though the best views were hidden behind cloud today. 

Extras - descending towards Gougane Barra with St Finbar's chapel on the small promontory and dire warnings about Conigar.