Lost Luggala

I set foot out the door of the B n B into the dawning day, bright eyed and excited for the adventure ahead. I had a rucksack filled with all the essentials for a day out running in the hills, I was prepared and ready to explore the Wicklow mountains.

Kippure was my first ascent at 757 metres I tread along a road for several miles before arriving at the base of Kippure. I glanced up at the mountain as I neared her featureless sloping sides. She was green and pastured gentle and soft. gradually I rose up her northeast flank passing two corrie lakes.

“WOW! Look at that fresh cold water. Oh, I really want to plunge straight into it. How good would that feel right now. I have a right sweat on. No, I have to keep climbing I have 10 more mountains to get up, jeez I must be mad”.

I chuckled to myself feeling lavish with enthusiasm and awe.

“I’m not mad I Live to do this; I feel such direction and focus. My energy is drawn from a deep righteous anger. Hill running is my expression, my release, my therapy”.

Seefingan and Seefin are my next two peaks they reside next to each other surrounded by bog with grassy tops, I’m happy it’s not raining. There is a warning sign for a military zone ahead accompanied by extensive views to the west of the mountains.

“Hmm I wonder which of those tops I’ll be climbing later today”?

I feel like I glide over Carrigleitrim which is technically not a mountain at 460 metres and arrive at Sorrel hill. Sorrel hill is another mound of bland grass, easy to climb, which means I could focus my attention to the distant landscapes.

“I’m about halfway round I’m doing well legs feel strong snacks are holding out, wet feet but that’s a guarantee when delving into bog land”.

The next few mountains all blurred into a continuous struggle along a boggy ridge, Black Hill, Moanbane, Mullaghcleevaun and Luggala. At the top of Luggala down its steep eastern granite cliffs was Lough Tay. A beautiful body of sparking water, an enticing lure of relief from heat and exhaustion. “I have two more summits to climb and only 10 km I’m going for it” I descended Luggala taking a detour towards Lough Tay. I stripped to my pants and submerged myself in the clear caressing liquid, soaking up and savouring the feelings of pure blissful relief, as my tired hot body buoyantly accepted the lakes embrace. Feeling energised I skipped off to conquer the final two mountains and make my way back to the horse and crown for a well-deserved pie and pint. After 30 minutes or so of running I realised I was heading in the wrong direction. I must have got muddled up taking the detour. I took out my map and compass to realign myself with the directions and get back on track.

I didn’t feel panicked I had run in the hills at night and found the darkness holds a strange sort of solitude that builds character and resilience and Like I always tell myself-

“My comfort zone is beautiful, but nothing ever grows there”.

I was back on track and managed to climb the last two mountains, war hill and Tonduff, by this point the sun had settled down below the hills and the stars had started to pin prick the darkened sky. I was running down off the slope relived, tired and hungry.

I arrived at undulating green fields.

“Just a few more Kilometres and I will be at the road”.

As I crossed the first field, I saw a black shadow dash across the corner of my eye. I froze.

“What the hell was that, was it an animal?”

I glanced around trying to calm my breath and deminer, I ran on.

“I’m just tired and seeing things now I just need to get back to the pub”.

I ran and I ran, and I ran, it felt like time had stood still I looked at my phone and three hours had past it, was 1am.

“How did that happen I could be anywhere, and I can’t see a thing”.

I had 15% battery on my phone and no signal, no idea where I was and no idea where the time had gone.

I ran until eventually I came to a wall with a fence, I saw the faint outline of a building.

“Yes, it’s a bothy I will stay here the night until sunrise then maybe it will make more sense If I can orient myself from the mountains. I mean at least I will be able to see what’s ahead of me”.

I drifted in and out of consciousness, curled up in the corner of this stone building, waiting impatiently for dawn. I suddenly woke startled I looked out to the door and there stood a black shadow. No, it was a dog I could just make out the outline against the gloom. He stood there neither aggressive nor passive and the only part of him that wasn’t black was the white of his teeth which gleamed against his almost incomprehensible darkness. His eyes were even black, completely black.

I felt no compulsion to run or scream I actually felt no fear at all, I was almost transfixed, I felt lightheaded and the next thing I remember was a bright flash of light, I opened my eyes, and it was dawn. I left the bothy to find I was just a field away from the pub and felt completely annoyed, had I been running around in circles, who knows, who cares I just needed nourishment and a warm bed.

That afternoon I went down to the bar to have that well deserved pie and pint. I was chatting to one of the locals about what had happened.

“You don’t want to be going into that field over there at night-time its dangerous I’m surprised you made it out alive. I heard storeys about men going missing at night in those fields. Apparently, it’s the fairy’s you see they don’t like us folk. They take the form of animals like the dog you saw, and they can change into any form. They are neither human nor animal, they are fallen angels from heaven that reside in our world. If you enter their territory at night, you may not come out, you girl are lucky to be alive”

I couldn’t really believe what I was hearing and feeling dismantled, I sank my pint and headed to bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow but was awakened by a low growling noise. I sharply bolted awake to find I was back in the bothy. The dog was stood in front of me staring directly at me. His eyes were so dark they could have been black holes sucking me in. As I stared into his eyes, I felt woozy again…