Irish Independent – WALK OF THE WEEK – Christopher Somerville
5 June 2010
61. Westmeath Way, near Mullingar, Westmeath
Heavy cloud moved across the flat lake country of Westmeath, shot through by sun and stirred by wind. Kayaks and rubber ribs lay piled against the climbing wall at the Lilliput Adventure Centre, and beyond on the shores of Lough Ennell a group of children whooped and called, delighted to be let out of the classroom to orienteer through head-high reeds and grass. The soft yellow-grey catkins of the willows were alive with bees crazy for nectar, their bumbly bodies dusted yellow with pollen grains as they staggered half-drunk from tree to tree.
Westmeath seems a county made for early summer – something about its thick black soil, somnolent cows and broad, low-lying pastures. The fields lie rumpled into ridges by the underlying gravel heaps called eskers, left behind when the glaciers packed up and went north ten thousand years ago. The Westmeath Way followed an old avenue of beech trees away from the lough, a green lane into the heart of a wide swath of bog where cattle stood chin-deep in lush grass under scrub birches loud with wrens.
Turf banks, tin turf huts, and a bog farm way out in the wild. If you were looking for a place to sit easy with sandwiches and flask, this could be the spot – or maybe a mile further along on the banks of the eel-brown Dysart River, where in a watery dell under hazel trees Jane and I found a pair of gateposts leading to a poignant group of ruins. Someone once loved and cared for this nameless farmstead, shaping the barn lintel into a pleasing bow, building a concrete porch whose front door now opens into nothing. Ivy and fern, those infinitely slow but sure invaders, are capturing the place. ‘Isn’t there a lovely sense of calm here?’ Jane mused as she fingered the mossy stones. ‘They had fuel, water, shelter – everything they needed. I wonder if they got rich enough to go off and buy a modern bungalow, and were they happier there?’
The Westmeath Way led off beside the gravel-bedded Dysart through sedgy fields where the brown water came squirting up at every step, making us thankful for gaiters and proper leather boots – not those cloth-topped nonsenses that the outdoor shops try to flog poor innocent walkers. I’ve tried ‘em, and chucked ‘em. You might as well go out shod with sponges.
At Dysart three donkeys looked over their paddock hedge, and a fierce little tyke of a dog mounted guard at his front gate with a brave show of soprano yapping. Beyond by the ruins of Dysart church we caught a gleam of Lough Ennell, lying low at the foot of the slope. Held tight in the circle of a wildly overgrown graveyard, the ivy-smothered church stood knee-deep in bluebells. St Coleman founded a monastery here above the lake; Cromwell’s men smashed up the place, stories say.
In the fields on the way back to Lough Ennell we disturbed a partridge shivering in ecstasy as she gave herself a dust bath, scooping floury drifts of powdered mud over her back with stubby wings. We were still looking for that special picnic spot, and found it at last on the footbridge over the Keoltown stream. Here we lay, cheese and brown bread in hand, staring down through gin-clear water at tendrils of lazily waving water weed, brilliantly green, trailing long strings of oxygen bubbles. If there’s a dreamier spectacle to soothe a weary walker, I can’t think what it might be.
WAY TO GO
MAP: OS of Ireland 1:50,000 Discovery 48; downloadable map/instructions (highly recommended) at www.discoverireland.ie/walking.
TRAVEL:
Rail (www.irishrail.ie) or bus (www.buseireann.ie) to Mullingar; then Mullingar Taxis (1800-600-800) or Ace Taxis (044-934-3333).
Road (2 cars): Follow brown ‘Lough Ennell/Ladestown’ signs from R391 Mullingar-Clara; leave one car at Ladestown car park. Return in second car to R391; left towards Clara; follow brown ‘Lilliput’ signs to Lilliput car park.
WALK DIRECTIONS: At lake shore, left along track (yellow man/YM waymark) for ⅓ mile, through gate to road. Right for ⅔ mile; left (YM and Westmeath Way/WW fingerpost) along green lane which becomes gravel bog road. After almost a mile, bear right on bend, off road through gate; very muddy track. At ruined settlement, right across field; cross Dysart River; left along far bank (stiles, YM) to road. Right (WW – take care!); in ½ mile, right (‘Lilliput’); on first right bend, left across bridge (WW). Follow lane past Dysart church, on past farm buildings. Follow YM along right edge of garden; then down across fields (very boggy!) with hedge on right. Aim for left corner of wood ahead. Cross stream (YM); right to wood; left along its edge; in 100 yards, right (YM), following YMs through Keoltown Woods, then along farm track, then lakeside drive to Ladestown car park.
LENGTH: 7 miles: allow 3-4 hours
GRADE: Easy
CONDITIONS: Fields can be wet, muddy; boots/gaiters recommended.
RATINGS: 3 buggies (beside lake), 3 wellies, 1 binoculars, 0 mountain slopes
DON’T MISS … !
• views over Lough Ennell
• poignant farmstead ruins near Dysart River
• peaceful graveyard of Dysart Church
REFRESHMENTS: Picnic by Dysart River
ACCOMMODATION: Annebrook House Hotel, Austin Friar Street, Mullingar (044-935-3300; www.annebrook.ie) – very comfortable, central; couldn’t be more helpful
GUIDE BOOKS/LEAFLETS: Westmeath Way booklet (enquire at TIC)
WALKING in IRELAND: Walking tour operators, local walks including Discover Ireland’s National Loop Walks, walking festivals throughout Ireland: www.discoverireland.ie/walking.
Askamore Walking Festival, Co Wexford, 5-6 June: contact obrien.sean3@gmail.com (087-254-5739)
Tourist Office: Market Square, Mullingar (044-934-8650); www.discoverireland.ie/eastcoast
csomerville@independent.ie