Failure? Whatever it was, it was a fabulous adventure

Three of us set out yesterday for Djouce

(725 metres) in the Wicklow Hills. 

There were blue skies over Dublin in the morning and no sign of any rain. The forecast was for rain clearing and temperatures to drop, wind too was suggested.

We headed out from the car park, which is approximately a 20-minute drive from Kilmacanoge. The car park is near the Dargle River.

Underfoot it was wet. An hour into our walk and at close to 550 metres the wind was rising. Every few metres meant a significant increase in wind speeds, then the darkening skies and a torrential shower of hailstones. Those stones hit hard against the face and all the while the wind was getting stronger and stronger. It became difficult to stand upright. 

We made a decision to abort, head back down into the valley and make for the car park. One of the first times ever on a mountain walk that we decided to turn back. Failure? Maybe. But whatever one might call it it was a fabulous Saturday afternoon.

On the way down we took shelter beside a stone wall, ate bread and cheese, and drank water. At this stage the sky had cleared. Beautiful scenes, we could see out over to Dalkey.

A fabulous Saturday afternoon.