Explore the path of history in Deerpark
INSIDE STORY: Shake out your anorak, stomp the hardened muck off your boots, this week sees the return of the popular Cavan Walking festival. Avid trekker ULTAN SHERRY set off to explore one of this year’s walks - Deerpark Forest, under the guiance of some VIRGINIA RAMBLERS ...
Nestled along the shores of Lough Ramor in Virginia lies an enchanted forest, unspoiled and untouched for centuries, which is set to come centre stage as part of this year's Cavan Walking Festival. Deerpark Forest is a tranquil land of history stretching five kilometres along the majestic Lough Ramor's shoreline and venturing inland. It's Golden Way Walk will be hosted by the Virginia Ramblers.
Only established last June, but the walking group already has 53 paid-up Ramblers and the number is growing all the time. It came about simply due to demand from the many keen walkers in the area.
'We walk on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings,' explained the group's PRO Sheila Courtney. 'On Sunday mornings we can walk anywhere from Deerpark Forest to Lislea Bog, Mullaghmeen Hill to Lough Crew. We could walk with the club in Cootehill or Bailieborough. Then on Wednesday evenings during the winter months, we had been going down through the town.
'We have our AGM now in June and we also work in conjunction with other bodies, particularly the historical society of which I am a member. We all link up together, the Historical Society, the Men's Shed, the Virginia Ramblers and we have events together,' Sheila continues.
They have a busy May planned as in addition to their Walking Festival event, the Ramblers have also a Dawn Chorus walk to look froward to on May 7, followed by an environmental walk on May 10. Finally, on May 22 they will host an evening walk with bats, where participants will venture into the forest hoping to observe the Leislers and pipistrelles in their natural habitat.
Setting off from Virginia
Showgrounds on an overcast but mercifully dry Thursday afternoon, we're soon admiring the glistening surface of Lough Ramor - an immediate pay-off with only an investment of a few minutes' dander.
The pathway starts off gravelly, but it increasingly turns leafy as one trundles deeper into the realms of this vast woodland. All along there are lines of trees on either side, and they rise as high as the walls of water in the Isrealites' escape from Egypt.
After a short while Virginia Golf Club emerges to the right. This vast, sweeping plain of lush, mown grass forms the perfect backdrop for walkers and golfers alike, with the lake and the woodlands making the golf course feel like an Irish Augusta.
'This forest was the brainchild of the second Lord Headfort, Thomas Taylor in the early 1800s,' Sheila explained. 'When he saw a lot of land was jutting out into the lake, he decided to set up a forest there. He had paved walkways constructed and then he imported trees from many parts of the world including Californian Redwoods, and some of those trees are still surviving now.'
As you continue on the trail, you will soon be greeted by a series of boathouses, one of which is still mostly intact today with a tiled roof. They housed boats which formed part of a ferry system between Virginia and Munterconnaught at a time when travel by water was the order of the day, in the 1600s.
The most significant of these is now in ruins, but as you stand on the shoreline along the lake, you'll get a bird's eye view of the Lakeside Manor Hotel on the Dublin Road way out in the distance. The winds of history can be felt from this vantage point spot, and imagine our ancestors navigating the lake.
Bluebells
The trail then meanders inwards, where the scenery turns increasingly colourful. Beech trees, some hundreds of years old, rise high into the Virginia sky.
A ceaseless chorus of birds provided a stirring soundtrack as we were greeted by an ocean of bluebells flooding far and wide across the forest floor. Sunlight pierced through the trees foliage creating heavenly rays and I awaited God's booming voice, but alas He remained silent on this day. As we marvelled at the spectacle my walking companions noted that they weren't even at full bloom. By the time Monday's walk comes round, you will surely be dazzled by these waves of blue at their height.
Cottage
Up the steep leafy path and you'll soon be met with a set of foundations decorated with broken bricks and deciduous leaves.
Trees laced in moss form an archway at its summit. The foundations mark where Lady Taylor's cottage once stood.
'This was the Lady's place where she got away from it all. It was a one-roomed rustic wooden structure with thatch on it, and in the middle of the floor there was a brick chimney stack which accommodated a fire,' Sheila stated.
When the building was intact, it was covered with tree bark externally with moss inserted into the openings and the interior walls were covered with inter-woven sally rods. It also served as a canteen and meeting point for the gentry whenever the regatta took place on Lough Ramor during the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries.
Further along the trail we come upon a mound situated on top of a hill.
When you walk up the staircase, the appearance of this monument may be akin to the passage grave at Newgrange, depending on your point of view. It's known as the Ice House, and the interior of it is mostly a 12 foot underground pit covered by stones on the top, as well as colourful strands of moss and even a couple of twig sycamores growing on top.
'This is where the ice was stored when it was taken in off the lake in the wintertime, and it could last up to half the year. It was then taken up to the Lodge for parties and whatever else (depending on the need),' Sheila remarked.
There are many others glorious treats could be described here, but to do so would give the game away. This deserves to be admired first hand, and no better time than on Bank Holiday Monday evening.
Making our way back, Sheila gives her pitch for why trekkers should try this particular walk, citing is richness in both built and natural heritage.
'There's just so much to be seen on this particular walk, as opposed to the other walks. The other walks are beautiful too, but they don't have the both built and natural heritage, and that's why we selected this area for the Golden Way,' Sheila acclaimed.
To enjoy the Golden Way Walk in Virginia's Deerpark, attend the Virginia Show Centre for 7pm on Bank Holiday Monday, May 1.
* The Cavan Walking Festival continues from April 28-May 5. See www.thisiscavan.ie for list of walks
Walk the walks
In all, 17 walks are being hosted by heritage groups and walking clubs all over Cavan, from Blacklion down to Virginia.
The routes and the dates on which they are being hosted are as follows:
SUNDAY APRIL 30
Cormeen/Clinty Slieve Rushen - Bawnboy. 6km length, organised by Heritage Office. Meet at 3pm at Mountain View Garden Centre, Bawnboy.
The Boat Road - Munterconnaught. 5km length, organised by Munterconnaught Heritage Society. Meet at 2pm at Knocktemple NS.
Rock and Flowers - Blacklion. Garvagh Lough looped walk, organised by GeoPark Walk. Meet at 2pm at Gowlan Church, Blacklion.
MONDAY MAY 1
Killeshandra to Killykeen - Killeshandra. 10km length, organised by Killeshandra Leaguers GFC. Meet at 11.30am at KCC Centre, Killeshandra.
Deerpark Forest Walk - Virginia. 5km length, organised by Virginia Ramblers. Meet at 7pm in Virginia Show Centre.
TUESDAY MAY 2
DUN-A-RÍ - Kingscourt. 5km length, organised by Bailieborough Walking Group. Meet at 7pm in Cabra Central School.
Jampa Ling - Bawnboy. Golden Way, 3km length. Organised by Jampa Ling/Heritage Office. Meet at 7pm in Owendoon House, Bawnboy.
WEDNESDAY MAY 3
Forest Walk - Cootehill. 5km length, organised by Happy Feet group. Meet at 7pm at St Micheal's Hall, Cootehill.
Forest Walk - Cootehill. 10km length, organised by Happy Feet. Meet at 7pm at St Micheal's Hall, Cootehill.
THURSDAY MAY 4
Lough an Leagh - Bailieborough. 10km length, organised by Bailieborough Walking Group. Meet at 7pm at Picnic Area, Lough an Leagh.
Hollow Lane Golden Way - Crossreagh. 3km length, Organised by Arts and Heritage Office. Meet at 7pm at Cross Church.
Cloverhill/Keaney Walk - Cloverhill. 5km length, organised by Cavan Strollers. Meet at 7pm at Olde Post Inn, Cloverhill.
FRIDAY MAY 5
Castle Saunderson and Geo Park - Castlesaunderson. 6km length, organised by GeoPark Walk. Meet at 7pm at Castle car park, Castlesaunderson.
Brankill Golden Way - Arvagh. 6km length. Organised by Arvagh Trotters and Heritage Office. Meet at 7pm at Arvagh Hall.