Climbing Cardiac Hill

 

Jaunting cars in Muckross Park,Killarney

Killarney is a beautiful place, it has the Lakes of Killarney, Muckross House and Gardens,  and Killarney National Park, which consists of about 4 300 acres, with many wild deer roaming the hillsides.   There is also Torc Waterfall and Torc mountain, and many other attractions in the area.

One of these ‘attractions’ is Cardiac Hill, a very steep climb made of uneven stone steps, in all we counted over 3000 steps to get to the top….there is a rope barrier to hold on to, if that is any consolation, and you will probably be completing this course in silence…the exertion of climbing and breathing will not leave much room for anything else.

Are we there yet….are we….

Still, we persevered and the views at the top were worth the climb, apart from the aching legs next day, that is!

Lakes of Killarney, as seen from above.

This climb doesn’t bring you to the top of Torc Mountain, in fact I think the trek up to the top of Torc is easier than this one, as it is more spread out with gentler climbs.But that’s for another day!!

Innisfallen Island, Lakes of Killarney and Killarney town in the background

A Word a Week Photo Challenge : Frame

Killarney, Ireland

My photos for this challenge were taken in Killarney, and the trees in the National Park do a good job of framing Torc Mountain and the Lakes of Killarney.

The Lakes of Killarney

Another view of the Lakes

http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/a-word-a-week-photograph-challenge-frame/

Look up Look Down Challenge : Week 22

I enjoy hillwalking, and it fits in nicely with this challenge.   My friends and I head out on a sunny -or wet – day, all excited to be out in the fresh air, and to be getting exercise at the same time.     We park the cars, get our boots and jackets on, get the walking poles ready and walk to the base of the mountain.    Then we look at the mountain and think ‘how will we ever get to the top of that’!   We plod on, step by step, stopping for a breather to admire the view every 10 or 15 minutes, then after another while we look back to the start and think ‘wow, we have come a long way’, and we don’t even realise how much ground we have covered!

Walking through the mists

After about two hours, we reach the top….bliss…..find a dry stone to sit on, off with the rucksacks, and out with the lunch.    We usually spend about 20 minutes at the top, then its off again, this time the trek back downhill.   This can sometimes be more strenuous than the climb, if the descent is steep, and then we are very grateful for the poles to keep us upright on the steep slopes.

Here are some of my ‘Look Up, Look Down’ pictures, most taken in Cork and Kerry.

Time for a lunch break