Ireland day 1224. Monday 03 February 2025- Lie In

Today’s summary	Didn’t get up until 8:30, which was a real treat. Had a video call with Val first thing then another call with a friend in Kent, UK, at 10:30 which lasted a full 2 hours. Did some domestic admin and had lunch and in the afternoon went on a short walk round the Demesne and Malahide secret hill. More admin and another call with Val in the evening.
Today’s weather	Overcast with occasional brighter periods. Moderate to strong southerly wind. Appx 10c.

Today’s overview location (The green mark shows the location of my route)		Close-up location (The orange line shows where I walked) (Click button below to download GPX of today’s walk as recorded, or see interactive map at bottom with elevations corrected): Lazy afternoon walk

Commentary

Looking back, I realise that I’ve been getting up unnaturally (for me) early most mornings for the last week or so. Firstly in Oslo, with my determination to make the most of the spa, and then an early flight back to Dublin, and then secondly, with Club walks needing an early start on both Saturday and Sunday.

So today, I was able to get up in a more relaxed manner, which meant that I didn’t wake up until 8:30 this morning. Plus the fact that it’s a bank holiday in Ireland today (“Imbolc”, or St Brigid’s Day) so the trains started later than normal, meaning there were no diesels and DARTs hanging around noisily in the station first thing.

Once I had emerged from torpor and had a “proper” cup of tea, I had a quick video call to check in with Val, then joined another Zoom call, this time with a friend in Kent, UK. This second call lasted a full two hours, as there was plenty of world-putting-to-rights to be done.

Next, I had tackle some admin issues, and get some lunch. I had a light meal of soup and toast – just enough to keep me going

After a morning spent mostly looking at computer screens, I felt in need of some fresh air. So I headed off into the Demesne and did my favourite circular walk, but tacked on Malahide’s secret hill at the end, just to make it a bit more interesting. I was pleased to see that the Demesne opening hours have been extended by fully an hour now – to 5:45pm. A real sign that spring is in its way (and appropriate for today, really, as the Imbolc holiday celebrates the official start of the Irish spring, which is 1 February).

I called in at the shops on my way back, then heated up yet another pop pop meal for dinner (boeuf bourgignon this time), did some more admin, and had another video call with Val later in the day. So all in all, a nice relaxed time, with a bit less packed in than in recent days.

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


An extra hour’s playtime in the demesne! Hurrah for the spring!	Still some evidence of Storm Éowyn’s passing. But to be fair to the council, the chainsaws and chippers have been out and most of the debris has been cleared up now

Lights coming on alongside the road to the caste, as the Demesne closes for the evening	The shredded evidence of the demise of the fallen tree on the “secret” hill

View from the top of the secret hill, with Lambay Island the bump on the horizon	Part of the verge and pathway alongside the Coast Road has been closed off and some extensive digging has been going on. I’m not sure what’s happening, but I did wonder if it was preparatory work for the new cycle path that will eventually link Portmarnock to the under-construction Broadmeadow greenway crossing

New life springing from the old treestump. Whether saprophytically or genetically, I couldn’t tell