THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
We drove 30 minutes to Lough Hyne and decided to climb a steep trail along the side of the Lough Hyne Marine Nature Preserve.
The trail follows the ridge of a high hill and is narrow. It was darkened by dense foliage and a grey sky. We kept Saffi on the leash as per Fiona’s instruction. She said Saffi might fall off the edge… she gets curious and forgets what she’s doing, warned Fiona. I felt sorry for Saffi when other, more thoughtful dogs, went scampering by…lead-less.
The air threatened of rain and was thick with moisture. The ancient trees were twisted from age and to hold onto the steeply slanting ground. The earth smelled wet and was spongy under foot. A sense of mysteriousness pervaded these thick, dark woods. At certain spots, though, light entered, and a panorama spread before our eyes.
Winded from the climb, we reached the top and crossed the rocky, nearly barren hilltop. We could see a storm blowing in from the sea, the clouds rolling like steam from a teapot, the sky darkening. The air was humid and we ran back across the rocks to find shelter in a clump of trees. The rain arrived just as we again entered the dense forest and began our descent to Lough Hyne.
