Two months since the last blogpost Jan 12th...two months to my flight to Dublin May 12th to walk the Kerry Way and my good friend/golfing partner Ken turns 85 years young today March 12th! Happy Birthday Ken 🎂🥳!
Unlike other blogposts this one will meander a bit 😂...but NO graphs!
The Way, My Way Movie
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| Canadian tour stops Ottawa, Toronto & Vancouver |
I really enjoyed this special screening in Toronto. Bill Bennett, his wife Jennifer and the famous Camino veteran Johnny Walker of Santiago de Compostela were in attendance and answered questions. They are on a whirlwind tour of the United States and Canada to introduce the movie hoping to establish a much wider movie distribution. To that end they have succeeded in a few centres...In Toronto two one week screenings Cineplex Eglinton March 7 - 13, Fox Theatre March 14 - 20. Winnipeg Cineplex Northgate March 7 - 13.
Bill also published a book entitled The Way, My Way which makes for great reading.
I learned of this screening in a post on Ivar’s Camino Forum which is THE place to go in terms of Camino interest and education. Great post comments...some folks are clearly much more knowledgeable than I am talking about plot, character development, acting skills etc. etc. My simplistic contribution to the Forum discussion was...
"Just saw The Way, My Way in Toronto. I absolutely loved and recommend this movie. It’s difficult to explain to others what all this Camino walking is about. Watch the movie…it felt real and authentic to me!”
A few tense moments
Ok another little saga...
Feb 10th - Saw the good Dr. about let’s say what seemed like an ever expanding “pot belly”. In office initial diagnosis X...cripes that would lead to surgery...unknown timing...recovery period. No significant lifting of any kind...Dr’s orders.
Yes I went to the dark side... 2024 flashback to missed adventures…however I recovered reasonably soon and simply started to do stuff...
Feb 11th - Sent a note to John my Kerry Way walking partner in Ireland 🇮🇪 ...his response was classy as expected. Sent an email to our contact at Hill Walking Tours to ensure I fully understood our cancellation and rebooking policies.
End result we can cancel up to 15 days prior to walking with a full refund less the 50 Euros special insurance premium. Interestingly we can rebook the entire walk on a one time basis at no additional cost.
Focused on booking an Ultrasound test...managed after a multiple tries to snag a cancellation the next day.
Feb 12th - Ultrasound completed...the technician seemed extremely knowledgeable. A few words here and there left me convinced that diagnosis X was accurate
Feb 13th - First significant snowstorm hit’s Toronto
Feb 15th - Second snowstorm blast overwhelms Toronto. In total 55 cms or just under 2 feet of snow in 3 days. Massive amount of snow for any city however Toronto isn’t like Montreal or Winnipeg who basically have solid plans, equipment and knowledge on how to deal with snow dumps. I started to wonder if Toronto should call in the Army to help as it famously did years ago…
Adding to my woes I could not help shoveling... pitching in and clearing after a snowstorm is what I do. It’s very hard physically but so much fun...however I was on the sidelines...felt like a smuck and not in the least enjoying watching my son in law Steven and daughter Lise battle it out. 🥲
Feb 16th - Sitting idly by watching others shovel...option thinking went into overdrive and I masterminded a long term “what if” plan. Surgery takes place in next few months...then recovery...now it's September 2025. Maybe John could walk then...walking with Paulo is still very a September plan.
Hmmm 🤔 mid September start...
- Fly (using Westjet credit bank $) to Dublin and walk the Kerry Way as planned with John
- Hustle back to Dublin and fly on a cheapo airline to destination A meeting Paulo and then walk B route as per revised plan
- Hustle back from Santiago de Compostela to destination A and fly on cheapo airline back to Dublin and then voila on my way back to Toronto
I worked and reworked this plan to slim down travel days to an absolute minimum. An overnight bus trip from destination A to our walk starting point was a distinct possibility...would have to discuss this option carefully with Paulo. I had alreadydiscounted the ridiculous overnighter back to Gatwick after Greg and I completed the UK Wainwright Coast to Coast walk in 2023. Here is how I described that adventure 😰 https://caminolongwalk.blogspot.com/2023/10/
No one was exposed to this crazy plan...I did it to boost my spirits in anticipation of my Dr.’s visit.
Feb 18th - Saw the good Dr. who told me that it was not Diagnosis X but Y. Diagnosis Y has no lifting restrictions...isn’t considered serious...losing some weight and physiotherapy will help. 2024 abdominal surgery is certainly a possible cause for Diagnosis Y. In the end a great relief.😮💨 Back to planning.
Planning Ongoing
As with any long walk pre-trip planning is required…clearly booking with Hill Walking tours eliminates significant planning however...
- Bus booking with JJ Kavanagh from Dublin Airport to Roscrea near John’s home town ✅
- Train from John’s home to Killarney...start of the Kerry Way ✅ Thanks John for booking!
- Train from Killarney back to John’s home; Dublin for me after the walk ✅ Thanks John for booking!
- UK government new ETA certificate requirement for UK ✅
- Euros ordered small bills ✅
- Pre-paid SIM card ✅ Remove Bell sim card and replace with SimCorner sim card in Dublin airport. Guy you can do this! This iPhone is unlocked unlike the 2018 Camino Portuguese when it was not unlocked...OIE that was fun 😳
- Gifts for 3 grandchildren ordered, shipped from Blarney Woollen Mills to John’s home...already received by John ✅ Great Forum suggestion. Note I reserve the right to buy “little” things along the way in a no pressure situation ☺️
- Accommodation in Dublin ✅...Dublin is a very expensive city. How to find something within walking distance to central Dublin AND not totally break the bank. Well after much searching on Booking.com I found what looks like a good match... DCU Rooms All Hallows. Online comments refer to it as a Harry Potter Hogwarts type place. A few pictures...
- Cliff Bars purchased ✅ Snicker bars TBD
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| 8 Days walking...seems like the right number @16. If not to John’s liking I can double up 😂 - Safety whistle…I had never given this any thought until I read someone’s challenging experience on the Camino Forum. So why not get a whistle? Coincidentally Ivar's Camino Forum Shop indicated he now had safety whistles for sale …John and Paulo lucky 2025 walking friends will each get a whistle 😀  |
I invested in a rather unique Chinese made UK extension bar which should make my gear decisions much easier.
Purchase of which opens up all kinds of possibilities 😉
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| Vitamix Blender, Instant Pot, Kettle, Kobo reader, FitBit, Mag phone charger and Hearing Aids |
The only item I am having second thoughts on are the hearing aids. They cost 25X what my former Apple AirPods did ..former as I lost one AirPod on the last day...on the last 500 meters of my 700+km 2024 PEI Island Walk. Well it fell out and I did not notice this! 😡. My moderate hearing loss is at higher sound frequencies...John most likely operates at a lower frequency so do I really need them? Hmmm...need to think this through a bit more.
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| The brand new North Face Duffel bag...it even has shoulder straps to carry as a backpack 😳. Should be no problem to fit all items above although unsure if there will be room for the hearing aids? |
Hill Walk Tours Information Pack
Holy Smokes what a detailed package we have received! The PDF is 78 pages long comprised of the following sections:
- Welcome Letter...always a nice way to start ☺️
- Luggage Tag Information...John should have this in the printed package...I hope!
- Accommodation Overview...already been a change as a provider can no longer accommodate
- Personalized Itinerary...everything concisely detailed including how to get to accommodations
- Route Notes...Ok I must pause here...39 pages of detailed notes😳 More details below
- Safety Information & The Country Code...very good to know
- Recommended Equipment List...all TBD...a work in progress
- Evening Meal Suggestions...now that is simply fantastic stuff!
- History & Local Attractions...will take in where time permits...good to know options
- Archaeology of Ireland...see my Day in Dublin comments below 😀
"Local stories tell of a girl in white clothing who is haunting the area around Derrycunihy Church. A young girl was said to have died in the 1950s after being knocked off her bike near the church on her way home and, according to local lore, she is still trying to make her way home. Reports claim that the “girl in white” appears inside passing cars going to and from Killarney with only the driver able to see her when he or she looks into the rear-view mirror. Backseat passengers are oblivious to her presence, and she disappears very shortly after, to return once again to Derrycunihy Church"
The waymarking and signposting on the Kerry Way is excellent.
We recommend that, as a rule, you simply follow those signs and markers.
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| Kerry Way Signage |
- Kumano Kodo, Japan - 5 days 1,521 Total meters per day
- Kerry Way, Ireland - 8 days 1,490 Total meters per day (day 5 Inland route)
- Kerry Way, Ireland - 8 days 1,357 Total meters per day (day 5 Coastal route)
- Camino Primitivo & San Salvador, Spain - 17 days 1,295 Total meters per day
"When you must walk on roads, walk on the right-hand side (facing oncoming traffic). However, if the road is turning right and oncoming traffic won't see you, you may want to change to the left-hand side.”
- Been there done that...not always easy to remember after a lifetime of cars driving on the right hand side of the road...you know the correct side to drive on. 🤔 Interestingly according to Statista website 65% of the world’s population drives on the right hand side of the road so....just saying
"After 150, and 75m before you come to an old building with a rusty-coloured roof, bear right through a gate. Then make a sharp right turn 60m further on, just as you are directly above the building.”
- Sure...I will listen for Wikiloc app beeping...”lost the trail dummy"
"After 350m, the track starts to rise gently away from the stream. After another 550m, keep right, downhill at a fork in the track then and pass underneath some farm buildings 350m further along."
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| The canal |
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| The result after the slip and turtle in canal 😢 |
"Ignore some steps on your right, after 320m, leading away from the sea. Continue for 50m and then carefully make your way down some irregular steps that have been cut into an outcrop of bedrock and which lead down to a little cove (unless it is very wet you might find this easier than it looks at first).”
- I sure hope I find it easier than how this explanation reads! 🤣
"Coming from the Blind Piper, carefully cross over the main road onto the road signposted for ‘Coomnahorna/Com na hEorna’ where you can also see a sign for the ‘Walk of the Planets’ and a scale model of our sun on the left.”
"Follow the road to a junction, where it continues downhill to the right towards a graveyard. You continue straight on along the other road. You soon pass Pluto, the final planet on the ‘Walk of the Planets’, just before another, older graveyard on your left.”
- My favourites...this Walk of the Planets should be fun.
Day 6
Option 1 is the shorter Coastal Route (13-16km) Elevation Gain/Loss meters 359/(413), with an optional coast walk at Derrynane (1B)
Overview: After several days of hiking, your feet may just decide that this short walk is exactly what you need. With the Atlantic Ocean to your right and Lough Currane to the left, this is one of Ireland’s most beautiful hikes. From the top of Coomakista Pass you can enjoy spectacular coastal panoramas of the Kenmare River, Derrynane Bay and the surrounding islands. If you choose to follow the Derrynane Mass Path from there, you can even dip your toes into the sea at one of the beautiful beaches along the way.
Within Option 1 there are two options at a certain point:
Option 1A (4km remaining) follows the original Kerry Way route above Derrynane through fields and over minor roads with lovely views of the bay and its islands.
Option 1B (7km remaining) follows the old Derrynane Mass Path which brings you down to the sea and then follows the coast along secluded paths, through hidden coves, across sand dunes and past Derrynane House and some beautiful beaches.
We recommend Option 1B, which, although longer, offers a more varied and interesting walk. The Mass Path route is also one of only two places where the Kerry Way visits a sandy beach (the other is Rossbeigh Beach near Glenbeigh).
Option 2 is the longer and more remote Inland Route around Lough Currane and across Eagles Hill (28km) Elevation Gain/Loss meters 889/(937). You can shorten Option 2 by 9km if you take a taxi to Dromod.
Overview: This challenging hike will both test your resolve and fully repay your efforts. The first part of the route retraces the last section of yesterday’s hike along Termons Ridge. From Dromod, the walk along the eastern edge of Lough Currane can be rugged and wet, until you meet a small country lane and cross the Capall River. You now follow country roads past Isknagahiny Lough and into a remote valley. The trail then leaves the road and climbs the side of Eagles Hill where you reach one of the highest points of the Kerry Way at Windy Gap. A long, gentle descent into Caherdaniel gives you ample time to enjoy the spectacular sceneryNote to self: If we choose Inland Route I do not have any intention of taking a taxi...if I do then I will fib in writing the day’s blogpost i.e we walked the whole way!
“Golf Course View B&B is located 1.4km outside of Kenmare. If you are too tired to walk, please call your host Maureen and she will collect you from the Tourist Information Office in Kenmare. “ Considering this is a 32km day maybe the last 1.4km boost might be required...given this 1.4km is not official Kerry Way walking this is ok in my books....we shall see. |
My 9th Camino Route?
A reply to my Camino Forum "Day in Dublin" posting referred to below included a link to the Irish Camino Society. Once on their website I decided to support the Society and became a member (20 Euros).
Just look at the amazing benefits that I will have 😊🤣 Ok clearly I won’t get full benefits 😉
As part of my membership I will receive a complimentary credential for collecting stamps…I decided to add a second Celtic credential. John will get one…now which one should he get?
I was most interested in learning there are a number of Celtic Camino routes which with changing Camino Pilgrim office rules can be combined with a Camino Route such as the English Way in Spain to earn a Compostela…100 km+ walk on Camino route ending in Santiago de Compostela.
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| No not John and me! |
Celtic Camino route #4 Sli ar Sinsear at 29 kms in length is part of the Kerry Way!!!
So do I count this as my 9th Camino Route…as short as it is? No question whatsoever a resounding Yes my 9th Camino route!
Day in Dublin
After completing the Kerry Way I have a full day in Dublin. Googling led me to an article “10 Best things to do in Dublin” I picked out a few and included them in a posting titled “What to do with a full day in Dublin?” on the Camino Forum. My top 3 in no particular order were:
Dublin Book of Kells, Castle and Molly Malone Statue Guided Tour - 2.5 hours
- Highlights: Book of Kells, Molly Malone statue, Trinity College Library, Dublin Castle
- Inclusions: historian guide, entry to Book of Kells, exterior tour of Dublin Castle
Dublin Jameson Distillery and Guinness Storehouse Guided Tour - 4 hours
- Highlights: touring the Jameson distillery, visiting the Guinness Storehouse, drinking whiskey and Guinness, skipping the queues, photo stop at Ireland’s oldest pub
- Inclusions: skip-the-line entry to both museums, one pint of Guinness, one whiskey, whiskey samples
Full Day outside Dublin
Dublin to Belfast Black Cab, Dunluce Castle and Giant's Causeway - 13 hours
- Highlights: seeing the murals in Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle
- Inclusions: round trip transport, entrance fees, guided tour of Belfast, professional guide
“None of the above. I would suggest a visit to the ancient archaeological site of Newgrange and the Boyne Valley.”
A number of Forum members agreed with this...a little research led to a decision to book a small 20 person 8 hour tour. Seems like my kind of adventure.
Hilltoptreks is the tour operator and this is a subset of their tour description…I am very intrigued as this promises to be a unique Irish experience.
"The tour’s main attraction, Newgrange, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back over 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest structures in the world. Built during the Neolithic period, this passage tomb is famous for its intricate stone carvings and ingenious design, which aligns with the winter solstice. As you enter the ancient passage, you’ll feel the weight of history and marvel at how its builders captured the winter sunlight so precisely. It’s an experience that’s both humbling and awe-inspiring, providing a rare glimpse into Ireland’s distant past and the lives of those who came before us.”
A second strong Camino Forum recommendation received was the Kilmainham Goal and Museum in Dublin. On Trip Advisor it is the #1 thing to do in Dublin. Once again I have never heard of it however this is a famous building.
"Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 as the new County Gaol for Dublin. While most of the prisoners were common criminals, it also held political prisoners involved in Ireland’s struggle for independence. Included amongst those held here were Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, the Fenians, Charles Stewart Parnell, Countess Markievicz and the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, 14 of whom were executed by firing squad in the Stonebreaker’s yard.”
I will certainly consider this however it does require some planning. On May 23rd I should arrive at Dublin Heuston station around 1:00pm. From there a 20 minute walk to the Goal. These tours last an hour and then 30-45 minutes in the museum. The tickets are not expensive however the trick is to get one! Booking opens up 28 days in advance of the potential date and they sell quickly! 28 days = April 25th.
Tickets are released at midnight (Irish time) so that would mean 6:00 pm EST on April 24th in Toronto. Hey while in Dublin why not...will give a try and see what is possible. I have contacted the Goal and there is an area where I can leave my prized Duffle bag...of course I will have an additional small daypack to keep all valuables...and yes I can walk in the Goal with a small daypack...I asked ☺️
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| Kilmainham Gaol |
Well the thrice postponed 2024 walk is still very much alive for mid September 2025. Paulo received some good news about his knee injury in that no surgery was required. He is however undergoing ongoing physiotherapy which is progressing well.
We have set a Go/No Go checkpoint decision for May. In my Jan 12th 2025 blogpost I made the following comment
"Meanwhile I had completed a TON of very detailed prep work on the Via Francigena Lucca to Rome walk and high level prep work on other route options B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J as alternates (I am not joking...10 current options)."
The walking options under consideration at that time...well under consideration by me as Paulo had not been exposed to my planning horror show are shown in the table below.
Happy to report the final decision is a slimmed down 12 day walk...and it’s none of the above ☺️. Assuming a go decision I will outline the route in a future blogpost.
And springlike weather has arrived…time to swap out old Bondi 8’s for more colourful new Bondi 8’s 😊
Well that’s it for now...as my good friend Ken would say “I live in hope”...as my good friend Paulo would say “Let’s do this!” Combined these make for very inspiring thinking!