Day 6.   Tuesday Aug 12.

Mullingar (Co Westmeath) to Kilcock (Co Kildare)

Distance (km):  55

Cycling Time: (hrs:min)  2:43

Average Speed (km/hr)   21

Total Ascent (m):   34

Average Heart Rate (bpm):   85

Cumulative Distance: 344 km

Cumulative Ascent:   1157 m

Punctures so far:  0

 

I had overnighted in Athlone and on the drive down to Mullingar I had very very heavy fog on the motorway, much heavier than yesterday morning. I trusted that it would burn off as the sun rose higher in the sky.

At 8:30 I was ready to push off from the point on the canal by the railway station where I had stopped yesterday. The Royal curves around the northern side of Mullingar and provides a nice walking amenity for the town although along here the bottom is littered with empty drink cans. Canal depth is around 4 feet at most but rubbish dumped there can cause serious problems for those cruising.

At the most northerly point on this curve around Mullingar is the bridge over the water input canal from Lough Owel but it appears most supply now comes from elsewhere. So along here we are at the highest part of the canal and all locks from here on will entail a drop down as I progress.

At Pipers Bohreen shortly afterwards is a harbour and it features a commemoration marker erected in 2006 to mark 200 years since the canal reached Mullingar in 1806.

As I move on the canal moves through a cutting in the landscape (with some rock included). As I cycled on the return leg to Mullingar I came across one of the very few craft in motion in this particular cutting.

There were few locks over the first 20 km out of Mullingar till I came near to the Hill of Down then quite a number in quick succession.

Strangely enough I came across some lock-type structures that baffled me but I'm sure there is a clear explanation. At the Hill of Down was a single set of lock gates and further on a very short lock with a unique bridge.

By this stage the day had warmed up and my jacket was off. Signs all along yesterday and today describe my route as the National Famine Way. During the famine 1490 starving 'inconvenient'  tenants of  Denis Mahon, Strokestown House, Roscommon were evicted and left with stark choices. Weakened with starvation they walked along here by the Royal Canal to Dublin availing of Mahons ‘benevolent’ offer of assisted passage to Canada. Ironically they were put onto cargo ships loaded with grain from Ireland. It’s estimated that half of them died en route before reaching Grosse Ile in Canada. Signs and sculptures recall  their trek along the canal and an annual walk along the canal commemorates those events.

Like yesterday there was no traffic on the canal as I cycled on apart from the scheduled dredging. On my return journey I did see two barges, a cruiser and a gent quietly exploring the canal in his canoe. I hope the canal as a waterway will be utilised more and avail of the good work of Waterways Ireland.

Shortly after the Hill of Down the canal passes high over the River Boyne on an aqueduct and again water supply in the canal is replenished by pump here at the far end of the aqueduct.

Tillage started to appear on either side with the signs of harvest. And the farming community utilised novel ways of watering the cattle courtesy of the Royal.

The Greenway got somewhat busier as I approached Enfield (now approaching 11am) with Enfield Harbour having the look of a shaded oasis. From Enfield to Kilcock (10km) I met more people walking, running and cycling than on any other section.

Just short of Kilcock (as I would be entering Co Kildare) I halted after dropping 20m and will leave the next section (from lock 17 onwards) for another time when restrictions will be lifted.

Still just 11:30 and it was time to turn and head back the same 55 km to Mullingar. So today in total I cycled 109 km in 5:24 with average heart rate of 101 bpm

Another enjoyable day.

 

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.