T'was the Day After Christmas...

The morning dawned bright and clear.

At least in Fermoy.

The Mawhinneys, Kevanys, and I, met at 10 AM and drove about 45 minutes to co. Tipperary where we bumped our way to the base of the Galtee Mountains.

It was cold, wet, and very foggy. Looking down to the valley you could distinctly see that the sun was shining everywhere but where we were.



I had looked forward to this for far too long to be put off, but the kids, specifically Peter Mawhinney, were anything but thrilled. He made sure we all knew this was the worst day of his life. Little did he know what was to come!

The scenery was gorgeous to begin with...what wasn't shrouded in fog was lush, green, and very rural Ireland. Mossy stone walls, rolling hills flecked with sheep, spidery bare trees, and the crisp clean scent of fresh rain. Ahhh....

It wasn't far up the rocky path that the fog soon drowned any scenery there might have been. It got thicker and thicker the further up we went. All we could see was the path and the thick tufts of spiky brown grass on either side.



We stopped to rest on a pile of rocks for a quick bite to eat and something to drink, and then it was time to climb. So far the trail hadn't been challenging. Mostly my feet were aching from the rocks. But once we got off the path and started to climb the mountain...that was different.

It was the weirdest experience. When I think of climbing a mountain I'm such a Canadian. I expect trees, bushes, and...a view. This was a never-ending grassy hill that shot straight up into the misty unknown. If felt like we were on some sort of huge conveyor belt that kept going and going, and we couldn't get off. The occasional rock would pass us by and that was at least some reassurance that we were getting somewhere!



The incline seemed to get steeper and steeper with every step. We were all huffing and puffing like old men smoking their pipes, and drenched with a fine blanket of mist. The water would run down my nose when I leaned forward to rest, and surprise me because I hadn't noticed that I was slowly being soaked.

But it wasn't the damp that made us cold. It was the howling wind.
The closer we got to the top the angrier it became. Soon it was so strong that it threatened to topple you down the slope if you turned the wrong way. We could barely speak to each other for the noise.

At long, long, last we reached the top. We cheered, but you could hardly hear it, and since we near thrown over the edge from the wind (not even joking)it didn't take long for us to find shelter behind some rocks to regain our strength with tea and sandwiches.


As it turns out, getting back was even more of an adventure!

Us females foolishly felt some security knowing the male leaders of the group (Sam and Eamon) were armed with a map and compass. We headed down the mountain following instructions to veer to the left.

So we walked.

And walked.

And walked.

And started to get some inkling that something wasn't right.

At first there was some joking at the mens' expense. And then they started consulting their compass more and more frequently.



And then we met some more wanderers who weren't quite sure where we were, but were quite sure that we should be heading right.

So we headed to our right and walked.

And walked.

And walked.

And before we knew it were were in a valley of sheep.



"Go Baa-ck!" Warned the wise old sheep.

The men finally confessed they were lost.



Eamon pow-wowed with the other Lost Wanderers, and they agreed that we needed to keep walking right.



So we did.

By now we were completely soaked. The mist and occasional bursts of rain got our heads and clothes, and the treacherous bogs had claimed our shoes so many times that we didn't even bother going around them anymore. My socks were surrounded in a warm pool of water squishy delightfully between my toes. My hands were red and numb, completely incapable of performing simple tasks.

And yet I was having the time of my life! Seriously, it was SO much fun! I just loved the exhilaration and being outdoors. It just makes you feel so ALIVE! I just wanted to pitch a tent, build a fire and try to boil some water for tea :D
Who cares that we're lost in an endless sea of mist?



Well...Peter was crying.

Luckily for him, we found the path eventually and from there on it was easy-going, and we all made it back to the cars safe and sound! Let me tell you though, it was a QUIET ride home!

Continued in "The Mystery of the Lost Key"...

Oh wait you already heard that one. Well my life seems to come up with these random stupid adventures now and then so I'm sure something else will come up.