Day 115: Highest point of the Wild Atlantic Way

Day 115 - Monday, July 30th 2018: Aughacasla to Dingle 27 km / Total 2370 km, 15°C, cloudy

Put the rain cover or take it off? It's been the major question on my first hours of walk that morning. Quick shower, let's put it. And of course, as soon as I wore it, the rain stopped and the sun was back. I just had time to get the rain cover wet. Finally, I decided to keep wearing it and also my sunglasses. Sometimes Irish weather is not four seasons in one day, it's actually in one hour. Sun: too hot. A cloud? I get cold. And it can be rainy and sunny at the same time. I was ready to face all the situations. 

The problem when I know I'll have a long day of the walk is that I start earlier. But I can't start too early either or the only place where I can find lunch won't be open when I'll reach it (some pubs serving food all day, only start at 1 pm). And that's what happened. I arrived at the pub at 11:45 am, but fortunately, it opened at 12:00 pm. The chief, however, wasn't there yet. At least I got my Irish Breakfast which is still the best fuel for walking. With tea. Always. 

In the afternoon, I left the beautiful beach on the west side of Castlegregory Peninsula along Brandon Bay, where most of the traffic was going and started to get into the inside of Dingle Peninsula. In the beginning, it climbed slowly. But 5 km before Connor Pass, it was a 7% ascension. The road got very narrow (that's why it's forbidden to busses, truck, etc., which I was happy with), and it was very high, and very empty on my right side. Not suitable if you suffer from vertigo. 

When I finally reached the summit, I was almost going to cry as it's been very intense physically, with the sun burning me. I went directly to buy a fresh drink at the food truck and sat to enjoy the view, talking to a French couple on holidays. Looking to the North, I could see this big empty green glacier valley, then Brandon Bay, Castlegregory, Kerry Head and Loop Head where I was ten days ago. To the south, I could see the Ring of Kerry and Skellig Michael Island where was filmed the last Star Wars. I learnt that Connor Pass is the highest point crossed by the Wild Atlantic Way. And then it was only the way getting down to Dingle. With the wind on my face on that side, I had to put on my jacket to avoid getting cold. And I could see in the long-distance the rain coming from Skellig Michael Island. Half an hour later, it was on me. I was hoping the next shower of the day would be hot, with soap and in a bathroom. Suddenly, on the side of the road, I saw a bicycle. And few meters aside, laying in the grass, its owner. I feared he fell down. No. In fact, he was doing the "sheep technic to get protected from the rain": hiding under a bush. In Ireland, every solution is good to avoid getting wet!