The Day we Went to Ballincollig (twice)

 It was going to be another warm one,  but it was Saturday, and Saturday means parkrun. Normally I would say that beginning at 9:30am was more civilised than our 8am time slot back home, but not in this heat - an earlier start would have been preferable. 

Wallsy and I had decided to share ourselves around and visit a different parkrun event today, this time at Ballincollig, to the west of Cork City and a fifteen minute bus ride from our neck of the woods. 

We set out to walk to the Victoria Cross Bus Stop at 8 am and found ourselves in the clean and bright suburb soon after 8:30. We navigated our way to a coffee van before walking to the Regional Park which was the home of the local parkrun. 

It was already hot. Although the weather app said it was only 20 degrees, the humidity here makes it feel much hotter. I could have sworn it was already at the forecast 29. 

The run director gave us a warm welcome at the briefing and as there was another family there from Newcastle, NSW, Wallsy took the opportunity to explain the pronunciation of Castlemaine as opposed to Newcastle. (He never misses an opportunity!)

It was a beautiful two-lap parkrun, shady and varied, along the river, through open grassland and wooded areas, and around sporting fields, with only small undulations and one narrow bridge. We ran a bit and walked a bit and came in at 245th out of a field of 250!  Needless to say there were not many walkers at this event. 






The other great thing about this particular parkrun was the coffee/crepes van at the finish line. It would have been rude not to stay for brunch!  


We walked the kilometre back to the bus stop, all our good work undone by iced coffee and delicious crepes. Oh well, there is always next week. 

Julie and Mark had been on a Cork Harbour Cruise while we were gone, and then stayed in the City to watch the Lee Swim, an annual 2km point to point swimming race through the centre of Cork City in the Lee River. In the meantime, Wallsy and I returned home to shower, rest and refresh before walking down to the University College Cork campus via the Shaky Bridge, where we watched some brave boys jumping into the river far below, and Fitzgerald Park, the shady lawns dotted with people trying to keep cool. 



We all met up again and after a look at the display of ancient Ogham stones housed there, and a stroll through the UCC grounds, we all caught the 220 bus back out to Ballincollig for dinner at the White Horse Gastropub. 






It was a great evening with fine food and friendly staff, the owner being an expat Aussie who was very amiable and made us feel welcome. 

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