Cuilcagh - “Stairway to heaven” 🍀 16kms 🚶‍♀️

Today a large group of kids were headed off on an excursion and the weather was fine and so I asked for a day off.  A chance chat with Richard this morning, who had been the overnight supervisor, for advice on the best local mountain to climb.  He then said he would love to climb it too as he finishes his contract tomorrow and moving south and when he climbed it the fog rolled in and he got no view!.  So I caught a ride with him which saved a 2hr cycle each way.

A day of easy chatting with Richard who is in his final year of his outdoor education degree.

The climb is over 7kms each way and mostly on boardwalk to protect the bog habitat.  I was grateful for that as I learned the hard way in the Lakes District, that bog has an acidic quality to it.  After my hike there where I sank to my shins, my skin on my feet peeled and cracked and it took a month to heal 😳😳

The area is UNESCO listed and a very well known popular area to hike. The views just kept getting better and better as the climb continued and then finished with about 1km of stairs. From the top I could see to Lough Erne where I'm staying in one direction and to Donegal to the west.

The walk down was pretty gazing out to the view 😊

We then drove to Enniskillen, the largest town in the area as Richard needed to buy a few items for his relocation. A coffee for Richard and a hot chocolate for me and we sat on a bench in town in the warm 16-18 degree sunshine and watched the world go by.

So very thankful to have the opportunity to do this hike 😊

Tonight has been spent playing pool and then teaching French and Spanish how to play ‘Cheat’ card game. So much laughter 🥰