Day 4 Moyne to Glenmalure

Breakfast was delicious with a large choice and a beautiful fruit selection, as well as porridge.

Into the rain once more we quickly got back on the trail and started climbing early. Today's route took us through a lot of conifer woodland and we had some very steep climbs. The tracks were well made and one had been very recently banked up. We saw several deer in the woods, including one faun and also met up with a German who was having boot problems; unfortunately he had to finish his walk that day. 

Soon after turning onto the military road for the first time I nearly missed a small signpost which takes you on a very narrow track parallel with the road before turning left down to the wood. We had only walked on wide forest and farm tracks and roads up to this point so were not expecting such a dramatic change. 

On one section of the Way, climbing through the woods, a board walk had been created. We thought that this was to help walkers in boggy sections but, actually, it is part of a group of measures being put in, mostly by volunteers, to protect the land from tramping feet. This day was also when we encountered our muddiest section when the path and stream seems to follow the same route in Glenmalure Forest. 

Glenmalure Lodge is set by the river in a very historic area; the Battle of Glenmalure of 1580 is commemorated in the song 'Follow me up to Carlow' and the ruined barracks of 

Drumgoff remind you of the area's unsettled past. After starting the day in rain it was great to finish it in sun and sit outside the pub with a well-earned drink. This was our first inn overnight and it seemed very odd to see so many people when we'd hardly seen a soul up to this point! Our room looked out to the river and hills opposite and the shower was amazing! We had a nice, very filling meal in the pub and sat and played cards. We also met the dog who went for a clip and ended up with a shave.