Ajax Orienteering & Hill Running Club

On Saturday next (10th Jan) at 11:00 I'm organising the first run in Howth. The course consists of two loops, the first is 35-40 minutes long, the second takes 60-65 minutes. This will facilitate anyone who wants a shorter run. The route includes the picturesque cliff path, is mainly stony ground and is quite hilly. Suggested footwear is road training shoes. The area is exposed in places so hat and cagoule may be necessary.

Meeting point is the car park on Howth Summit - 200m uphill from the Summit Inn. If taking public transport buses 31 and 31B pass the inn.
ITM coords of the car-park is N 7294 E 7374.

Training starts at 11 am sharp. Please aim to arrive 5-10 minutes early to stretch / warm-up. We will run at the pace of the slowest runner. No-one will be left behind.

Great if you can make it - no problem if you cannot. If you need a lift let me know.

regards,  Aonghus

Dads Army Christmas Walk 28th Dec

It must have been Dad's Army on the tele over Christmas, but the traditional Christmas walk hosted by Setanta had a distinct military air.  Bussed to a unspecified location in East Wicklow, Setanta refused to disclose the planned route.   Stepping out of the bus we found ourselves standing in a military firing range.   Ajax go along on this walk to make sure Setanta don't get lost or get themselves into trouble but there is always a bit of tension between the tribes and now suspicions rose quickly.   Were they going to turn on us and do us in once and for all.    The first part of the script was alarming.
Chief Ajax Pirate Gargan: " Why are we going down the track not across the hill.?"
Captain Dave Weston[abruptly]: "Who's leading this walk.?"
Silence.

Not until the first hill after Kilpedder did Squadron Leader Phillip Brennan disclose the plan, a sort of under the radar, job.  "This will be a low level mission, from here we drop down into the Glen of the Downs, up through Kindlestown wood, out onto the little Sugar Loaf and onto Bray Head."
So that was it.
Tripping over fences on the saddle we get to the ECO Warriors wood and wend our way across and down through the steep oak.   Close to the dual carriageway a single tree house remains, 15-20m up a big oak, intact, the rope ladder still swinging against the tree trunk.
A short walk gets us to the underpass, into Kindlestown and 20 mins later we're munching at the folly, high in the wood.   A quick photo and we're out onto the road to the little Sugar Loaf, a signposted agreed access route takes us up a rocky track to the top.   Looking West the sun is dropping, bunches of people are silhouetted on the Sugar Loaf, and it casts a dark blanket on the Kilmacanogue houses.

We stumble down off the rocky top and head across to Bray Head.    Up ahead Captain Weston is in trouble, the Lady of the Manor has accosted him.   She tells him he's unlicensed and despite his best efforts she's more impressed by her friend than the Captain and he has to conjure up a new plan.  Around we go.
Ten minutes later on the road, it's twilight, the cliff walk is forsaken, we go straight over Bray head top.    The troop fractures, some take the trig. point, Jane and Graham Porter, confronted by a bull, take to the gorse, all end up tripping over the roots in the dark off the hill.   Waves thumping on the seafront finish the walk.

Peter Kernan