Kamila Kobiera | 23 Oct 2018, 12:00 pm
While few in numbers but brave of heart, we set off at 8 pm. from the Arklow Bay Hotel heading along the beautiful and scenic Coast Road for Brittas Bay, the sun was up, the birds were singing and the banter started early.
Our first stop was made at 10.30 at a small Cafe just past Brittas Bay Car Park North. Hot Coffee and sausage sandwiches were the order of the day, devoured with great enthusiasm in blistering sunshine.
Onwards to Wicklow Town with only one pair of feet needing attention due to lumpy socks.
20 Mins down the road and a long black saloon pulled gingerly up beside us, the drivers window was on its way down, slowly, and a 100euro note started to emerge with the encouraging words ‘ it’s a great cause lads keep it up’ a round of applause followed as the car disappeared into the distance. The anticipation when the next car came around the corner was short-lived…
Nearly 5 hrs into the walk and we arrive in Wicklow Town, the feet are beginning to suffer a little and ‘lumpy sock guy’ now have boot issues, so has to look for a shoe shop. After buying a new pair of walking shoes and leaving his old boots in the shoe shop, we head off for a well-earned lunch in a local pub hoping to watch some of the Munster game, but the Satellite is down… ahhh!
We are joined in Wicklow by a few more walkers and feet having been massaged and plasters strategically placed, head off at 2.30 along the coast towards Greystones, but we are in no doubt the final 4 hrs will be a challenge.
Shortly after leaving Wicklow the phrase ‘how much further’ began to be used with a degree of urgency and the normal banter was in short supply.
The weather was our saving grace, with the sun and a slight breeze on our backs we navigated our way through narrow paths, sand and shrub line tracks to Kilcoole, where we consumed our last supplies, made repairs and continued on our final push towards Greystones.
This was the most difficult part of the walk as the bones began to grind and the hips ached with every step. It was the vision of a sumptuous bowl of chuck wings and a pint in Dann’s that drove everybody to complete the walk, breaking through pain barriers and with total disregard for personal safety we pushed on … the Eagle Landed at 6.30 pm in Greystones.
We give great thanks to all those who went on the walk, those who donated before, during and after the walk, for without you the funds raised would not have been possible
Amount raised will be 4,500 – 5k. All the funds will go directly into our projects: bringing a water supply to a hospital, installing toilets & sinks and building classrooms in a school.
