The Archaeologist

The forecast was for heavy overnight rain and strong winds. And they weren't wrong. The suggestion was that the foul weather would clear through in the morning to leave a generally bright and breezy day. Unfortunately, they were badly awry with that one. We lingered over breakfast, luxuriating in our wonderful B&B (QC's in Cahersiveen - and highly recommended) before driving south to do a loop walk from Derrynane. We enjoyed a few moments of sunshine before the weather deteriorated to a mizzle, then a drizzle, and then rain, falling out of an almost uniformly grey sky. It was a complete and total contrast to the previous day.

On the way back, at the top of a pass, I spotted an impressive stone fort way down in the valley below. Once pointed out to TJ we had to go find it. Typically, there was nothing on the map to indicate its presence. It has become a bit of a joke over the last few days that the cartographers are playing a joke on us. Marked on the map are countless standing stones and other ancient sites, almost all of which do not appear to exist on the ground in any shape or form whatsoever. Yet, we have come across huge stone ring forts, impossible to miss, even from a distance, that have no indication to their presence on the map at all. All the sites we have found have been stumbled across by accident. All the sites we have actually looked for have eluded us! It's quite bizarre.

We managed to find our way to Loher Fort here and once off the main road there was even a sign. We arrived in driving rain and decided to wait to see if the weather might abate. After a few minutes we were blessed with a very brief respite. just long enough to have a quick look around and take a few photographs. Here is one of the archaeologist herself. She was positively in her element!

The poor weather shaped the whole day really and we had to be flexible in our plans. Events conspired to return us back to Caherisveen early evening and I had not yet taken my portrait. TJ sadly declined the opportunity given her to be my face for the day so I hit the town in the wind and rain and failing light to find deserted streets. I didn't have to loiter around long though to find a willing volunteer, the lovely Mike Sullivan from Valencia Island. It never ceases to amaze me that even on the most difficult of days someone interesting always turns up.

I got a buzz from that little encounter, which when TJ mentioned a sighting of some blue sky, somehow carried over into a sudden urge to go for a run up the hill behind the town - to the summit of Bentee. I didn't leave until almost 6.30pm and got to the summit after the sun had set behind a huge oncoming shower cloud at 7pm, a steep and very boggy climb. The adrenaline rush of needing to get back before nightfall fuelled the legs and I returned in good time. My legs had felt heavy on our walk today yet once I had shifted my mind-set they felt fine. It's so often the case that what seems like physical fatigue is really all in the head. I was set up then for a wonderful evening!