BSW3A 1. Glacial deposit
Nov 05, 2021, 10:08 AM
Directions
After the old ruined cottage, following this track for approx. 2km gives the walker fine views across Donegal Bay on a clear day. Young plantations of conifers are fast becoming the prominent landscape feature of this ares.
A right turn through a gate at the bottom of this track leads you north again toward the mountains. On climbing this track you enter an area of traditional peat extraction on an area of lowland blanket bog, much of which lies derelict, but some turf banks are clearly visible and still worked today. After a further one kilometre, the walk goes across country and follows the waymarkers over the bogland. Care must be taken to follow the chosen route as this area can become very wet in some seasons and it is not advised to deviate from the marked pathways.
This area is also a working upland sheep farm and is in private ownership. Care must be taken to leave all gates as they are found unless signs indicate their closure and only cross fences using the stiles provided for this purpose.
Towards Donegal – John Boyd
The halo of sun now hldes the hills
Of Donegal, while here I stand
Watching the gathering cloud that falls
Over those hills nightly, like a fan
Unfolded in an orient tale.
I have never known those lost hills
Nor their people; nor the soft tongue
Spoken there; nor the silence that falls
With soldered sun; nor valleys along
The crackling coast now bare of sail
Or smoke of ship; Yet I can tell
My children legends woven there
In winter’s woe; and telling feel
The spell in the wondering stare
Of candid eyes captured by the living tale.
Our audio piece has John telling us how the valley we have come through is in fact the result of glacial deposit.
After the old ruined cottage, following this track for approx. 2km gives the walker fine views across Donegal Bay on a clear day. Young plantations of conifers are fast becoming the prominent landscape feature of this ares.
A right turn through a gate at the bottom of this track leads you north again toward the mountains. On climbing this track you enter an area of traditional peat extraction on an area of lowland blanket bog, much of which lies derelict, but some turf banks are clearly visible and still worked today. After a further one kilometre, the walk goes across country and follows the waymarkers over the bogland. Care must be taken to follow the chosen route as this area can become very wet in some seasons and it is not advised to deviate from the marked pathways.
This area is also a working upland sheep farm and is in private ownership. Care must be taken to leave all gates as they are found unless signs indicate their closure and only cross fences using the stiles provided for this purpose.
Towards Donegal – John Boyd
The halo of sun now hldes the hills
Of Donegal, while here I stand
Watching the gathering cloud that falls
Over those hills nightly, like a fan
Unfolded in an orient tale.
I have never known those lost hills
Nor their people; nor the soft tongue
Spoken there; nor the silence that falls
With soldered sun; nor valleys along
The crackling coast now bare of sail
Or smoke of ship; Yet I can tell
My children legends woven there
In winter’s woe; and telling feel
The spell in the wondering stare
Of candid eyes captured by the living tale.
Our audio piece has John telling us how the valley we have come through is in fact the result of glacial deposit.