When I first visited beautiful Inishturk in April 2013, a cold and hazy east wind had been blowing for weeks. It had "cut off" the island, with ocean and haze merging just offshore under a strange, weak sun. For me that day, there was just the island, up close and personal – no views or vistas would draw my eye from its own wild beauty as I wandered its hills and shores.
This time, in late November, a gentler east wind was keeping a thin layer of cloud well clear of the island and its neighbourhood; it gifted me the clearest of air – a most gorgeous day, perfect for a slow meandering exploration.The island is well served for such a venture, with two overlapping loop walks that will take you across the high centre of the island to its west coast and then back through its heart and along its south coast. My return sailing was 3.30pm, and I left the comfort of the Heaney family’s warm and welcoming Tranaun Beach House bed and breakfast at 9.30am, giving me ample time to enjoy the island’s walks.
The loop walks start in the sheltered little harbour area, at the panel setting out a clear map and choice of route. As I walked from there on up the little boreen to the west, the really beautiful vista behind me of Caher Island, the sandy south Mayo coast and my favourite mountain, Mweelrea, constantly made me turn my head and step. Away off to my right, the huddled cluster of the 12 Bens completed a picture of real perfection. Then it was through a gate out on to the "Mountain Common" walk, a gateway to a different world.
Soon, a new vista, this time north to Achill Island, opened with the best-positioned bench seat in Ireland in situ to enjoy it! I detoured off the track, up a hint of an old access path, to the nearby ruined Napoleonic-era watch tower. This is a perfect high vantage point to savour the next feast for the eyes – the long line of Inishboffin and its islets. A clear sky beyond the cloud edge to the south told of sunshine over Galway Bay, reflecting beautifully for me on to the undersides of the adjacent cloud.
After a lovely relaxing hang-out there, I followed the posts and standing stones of the loop across rock-ribbed heath to the west coast; I lingered there as well, safely behind the fence, taking in the most elemental of wild shattered sea-cliffs and scary drops.
Then it was back through the heart of the island to the harbour. On the way, Caher Island lit up, and old lazy beds cast their shadows in newly emerging sunlight. Later, as I walked up from the mainland pier in Roonagh to my car, I felt good for having been to a special and beautiful place.
'MOUNTAIN COMMON' LOOP WALK, INISHTURK, CO MAYO
Map: As on panel in pier area
Start and finish: Pier area
Effort: 8kms, 175m of climbing, about three hours (excluding the Watch Tower)
Suitability: Easy, but route-finding skills needed in low visibility. (Important: west coast cliffs are abrupt and dangerous.)
