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Day 12: Mourne mountains

  • Writer: Pauline Bouras
    Pauline Bouras
  • Apr 8, 2018
  • 2 min read

Updated: Mar 30, 2021


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Day 12 - Friday, March 30th 2018: Kilkeel to Newcastle 21 km / Total 253 km, 6°C, rainy


20 years ago were signed the Good Friday agreements, which started the end of the Troubles.

For me, it was just a rainy day along the coastline. Heather dropped me in Kilkeel and then I just had to follow the Coastal Mourne road. It's a big road, there's not always a footpath, and from time to time I had to change from left side to right side. But the view was nice, and the mountains really reminded me of the Highlands of Scotland, especially with the falls at Blood Bridge. The landscapes turned from brambles walls between each field, into stones walls (which is better because I think there are too many brambles in this country, especially when I have to jump in along the road, to avoid cars). When I arrived in Newcastle I realized there was still snow on the top of the mountains. The place is great and attracts a lot of tourists, especially because Game of Thrones is filmed in the area.

At the hostel, I've been welcomed by Stef. She is a very dynamic woman and has to, as she has to manage all the 72 rooms of the hostel. Thanks to her, I could wash my clothes, and there was a super drying room for it. It was great to have my clothes clean, smelling good, and dried in the morning. Stef told me she met a guy, some days before, who is also walking around Ireland, but he's doing it for charity (for the homeless) and he'll walk 1000 miles in 40 days. I don't know how it's possible to walk 25 miles per day, for me it'll be too much. And apparently, here, people do such a thing for charity. It explains why a girl came out of her house in the morning to ask me if I was collecting something. So I feel ashamed and selfish now because I just walk for my own (sadistic) pleasure. Before I left the hostel, Stef saw on my backpack the ribbons green, white and orange I got from St Patrick's day, and she told me I should better remove them because it could offend some Unionists (protestants who want to remain parts of the United Kingdom), as I can't know when I cross a village if it's protestant or catholic.

 
 
 

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