A great weekend, with wonderful January weather.  On Friday we met up with Dennis, Damien, Gertrude, Brian and Martin at the bottom of Croaghmoyle 430m Just south of Nephin.  Brian had worked out a good route over this hill, which none of us had ever been on before. About 3 hours.

Saturday, we left the hostel in Letterfrack, and joined by Neil and Fergus, we drove around to the south side of Maumtrasna.  We walked up the beautiful Sruh Na Long Valley, scrambled onto the snowy summit, and then back down the ridge.  About 5 hours.  Blue skies all day, and meal out in the Bard’s Den.

Sunday. Fergus wanted to do Ben Choona, while some of them wanted a shorter day (something to do with a fitba match) so they went to Diamond Hill.  Our party of Gertrude Margaret, Fergus and I, boosted by two French girls from the hostel (eat your heart out Dennis), started up the hill from Lough Fee, hotly pursued by Westport Hillwalking Club.  They didn’t catch us, but on the top of  Garraun we met folk from Castlebar that we knew from MI, and we both descended the east ridge, and back along the lake to the cars.  Coffee in Kylemore Abbey.  Everybody else went home, but M and I stayed another night in the hostel, as I had part of the Irish Polar crossing to do.

Monday, biked from L.Inagh to Lenane, and on to Westport on the Western Way, then to Newport on the Greenway. Heavy going in a few places, but otherwise superb.  I would hate to walk it.  Margaret picked me up in Newport and then home.