Coming off Cove, heading manfully towards Commedagh or ‘tother way off the Pad into her dusty skirt tails, you could just about miss her. A couple of steps and you’re on her “summit”. I wandered her three or four times in treacle mist before I learned what you could get yourself into - or downto.
I stood at the top of the Coachroad gully as the mirk cleared and felt my breakfast shift.
Two or three runs later and a parched summer day circa 96 and big shot here instead of respectfully tipping his hat to eternity en passant, took a lep over the lip and down through ghost-like granite and increasing inclines to a world of ripped knees, torns fingers and a terror the temperature of dead meat.
ricky k astutely describes this bat’s nest as “as a quick descent to the valley”.
Like all these idiot circumstances we get ourselves into, it’s the fear that’ll kill us quicker than gravity - although of course, one can lead to the other.
Any thoughts of vistas and such, vanish into each blade-clear crack as it clicks and whispers under your weight.
Suddenly you’re on the valley and the Annalong track - too suddenly is bad. You will look back up and shout “I did that - wow!” and repeat it several times before you shake yourself out of the trauma.
And of course you must do it again - that was 96 and this is 2004.
tsunami’s characteristic and entertaining style of self-effacement in his view of 09.10.04 describes his experience: “thinking better of it I scrambled back to the top and took a few photos from the safety of solid ground” Good man tsunami - hope you got plenty of pics of eedjits plummeting to their vainglorious deaths. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/297/comment/1262/