Zoë Bowyer

Zoe: Wake up!
D: Wha?!!
Zoe: Wake up, let’s go to the mountains for a ramble. I’ve made the sandwiches, packed the water and emergency chocolate, let’s go!

D, rather unusually, managed to drag his weary arse out of the bed and drive me to the Mountains (Mourne).

Our plan was to go for a small walk and then a longer walk - we are not super fit so 2 1/2 hours seemed like a good estimate for the longer jaunt. Firstly, we went to the Silent Valley and had a bit of a dander. The reservoir looked a bit empty. Then we drove to Spelga Dam and down to Rostrevor.

Rostrevor Forest Park was the destination for our longer walk. We started at the lowest car park, walked through Rostrevor Oakwood Nature Reserve up to the Cloghmore Stone - reputed to have been thrown by Finn McCool at an enemy; in reality it was deposited there during the ice age. At this point I was already exhausted as most of the path had been very steep. I could see the summit of Slievemartin - our destination - and it was very far away. I am quite stubborn and wouldn’t allow myself to quit, so, onwards and upwards.

The first thing to hurt had been my lungs but regular breaks allowed them the chance to feel a bit better. Then my legs started to feel like they couldn’t possibly carry me another step and the regular breaks weren’t helping, they were just making me want to be airlifted down the mountain. But I carried on and eventually the path levelled off and the journey didn’t feel quite as hard as it had. I realised that I could make it to the top, and I did - the photo to prove this shows me as being totally radish faced. Slievemartin is 485 metres which is probably the highest I’ve ever climbed (Mount Olympus can’t be counted as the car park is quite high up the Mountain).

D drove us all the way home, via Belfast for a curry, and when home I just slept. Today I ache. I’m sure D is quite sore too - yet he has gone diving. I guess that bones don’t hurt in the water.

Tomorrow, I plan to shop, and on Tuesday we plan to go for another long walk. This time by the sea, so it shall be level. I just hope that I will heal in time.