Exactly one year has passed since my previous stage. I am very excited to go back to Ireland to continue my E8. The excitement was so huge that I could not decide where to book a place for the night at the end of my first stage, wherever it would turn out to be. After arriving at Cork Airport in the morning, and being dropped off by the bus in Millstreet (around lunch time) I take a taxi that drives me to the middle of nowhere, where I left off one year ago. It’s great to be back, the weather is great, the knee is fully recovered of the overstretched medial band and I have a some days available to make long hiking days.

I start at 13.33 by following the very good signs of the Duhallow Way, which is the host of the E8 in this part of Ireland. The landscape has nice, gentle hills. There is a high number of (modern) windmills that decorate the horizon.

one of many

During the first kilometers the Trail crosses fields, which are easy to do. Just before the village of Bweeng the signs start following the paved roads, which continues for the rest of this stage.

great to be here!

During my crossing of Bweeng there is a little rain shower. I was hoping to find a place to stay for the night here, or at least a place to have dinner, but I have to continue my way without either of the two. Also after sunset the roads are easy to follow, but I get tired after this long day; I have used eight hours to travel from home to my starting point, and it took me ten hours to cover the 42 kilometers, until I find a bivouac spot, east from the city of Mallow, just before midnight.

August in Ireland