Lough Avoonane

First blog that is not from a video. Not even sure if people read these blogs but I wanted to put up these pics not on social media and more for myself.

Decide to head out on a bank holiday weekend which is something i’d not usually do, but just wanted to get out as weather has been so bad for so long now, ever since the Mas Camping video it’s been complete cat.. I digress…
I had initially visited Fermoyle Strand, Cappagh Beach and Teer (i’d been held thinking of doing Más), but the two beaches were packed so said i’d chance here, hoping it would be quiet, and it was…. perfect.

I did mention this Lough at the start of the Paternoster Lakes Video heading up towards Brandon, but didn’t show any clips of it. I stumbled over this name as well, in Irish it’s Loch a Mhónáin’ , I don’t know the meaning of it.

It’s a lake nestled underneath Brandon Peak and Gearhane.
I called in here last year and thought it was really nice. At that time on the way in, I did meet a few others who ended up going to the back of the valley, so I didn’t go fully into the valley.
Now though, I had the place to myself. On my way up the track I met the same farmer I had met on the Paternoster Video, We had a really nice chat for a while.
The waterfall at the back of the valley only really shows up after a lot of rainfall, the last time I was here it was only. trickle.

The walk up is short and on green/old farm road and is in good enough condition. You are really walking into the mountains here for very little effort.

One of the Locals

has to be the worst horn design of any animal

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Tried to line up the waterfall at the back with a cascade on the way up. You’d never think that there was a lake between the cascade and the waterfall at the back.

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Was delighted to see this with the heather in bloom. When I was here last time the heather was dead so.. a year in the making,
I’m Sure it could be better, such as going into the lake, but I wasn’t feeling great so took it from the bank instead. I will return over time, a bit of fog in the valley would really help with it.

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CPL Off

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CPL On

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Liked the shapes in this

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See the Ash Tree at the Back

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Looking back out the valley

This is taken from the Ash tree that is just at the bottom of the falls..

Ash Falls

did a sky replacement here just to see what it was like, I dont do this as a rule usually but the sky was just pure white.

Wear and Tear

this was on the other side of the valley, you can see the wear, it must be impressive when its in full flow to do that.

Little Hawk

This little guy was flying around the back of the valley when I got there. Didn’t seem to be too bothered by me to be honest, and just went about its business.

Tree Framing

Spent an age with this. The ground around it wasn’t great with a bit of a ledge just to the back left corner, but it was good fun trying to frame it right. I feel it would have been nicer to get the water more central, however, I was as low as I could go here without falling off the bit of a ledge behind me.

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At this stage I was wet enough and decided to call it a day. It had been raining on and off when I was at the back of the valley
I was also not feeling great, which has been something that’s be going on for some time, so a day like this was a really nice break.

Anyway, in case someone reads this, thanks for taking the time.

I hope maybe to do a few more of these, not video related posts.

Ed