Madam, – I wish to dispel any despair over our current spate of Irish weather.
On July 11th I was asked by family friends from San Francisco, who were on a first visit to Ireland, to organise a hike for the complete family of husband, wife and two daughters of 14 and 24 years, with a view to having a family bonding time (none having hiked before).
Close by Kenmare we have a wonderful facility Gleninchaquin Park, which includes a 400ft waterfall. With the way the weather was in the morning I felt sure I would be asked to cancel the event which was to celebrate their mum’s birthday, but not a bit of it.
We succeeded in making the one-and-a-half-hour trek over the waterfall in light mist and rain, interspersed with short, bright sunny spells.
The family had just come from the stifling heat of central Paris. Although almost two inches of rain fell on the day, they thoroughly enjoyed the experience of both the walk and the mighty flow of the Gleninchaquin waterfall, to such an extent that they declared that it was the woman’s “best birthday yet”. I know that the experience has done wonders for the pores in my own skin and for the sheen in my hair.
So take heart and get outside and simply don’t be afraid of a “soft day”. – Yours, etc,