“If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines within… Since a price will be exacted from us for everything we do or leave undone, we should pluck up the courage to win, to win back our finer and kinder and healthier selves. There is no failure as long as you learn from your experience, continue to work, and continue to press on for success.”
(Maya Angelou)
We humans are more than what the outward eye can see. It is on the inside where the most significant battles are waged. In a world that rewards the individual who soars to the greatest heights, it takes real courage to stare down your own limitations and find happiness in your achievements no matter how humble. When the odds are stacked against us, we find out who we truly are.
There is a spark within each of us that tends to kick in when the pressure is on. We see it every day in the stoic courage of ordinary people dealing with crushing blows in life who somehow find the strength to hang in there when they’d have every reason to give up. It can be easier to drift into the slipstream of doubt than to take those decisive steps towards making new goals happen. The formula is simple; find out what you truly love to do – then direct all your energies into those very pursuits that make this possible. Our ‘Cycle of Life’ gives you the breathing space to do just that!
Timeout off the beaten track is good for mind, body and soul. It’s strangely liberating to leave civilisation as we know it behind and abandon ourselves to the power of the great outdoors. The rush of energy you feel as you navigate the old railway line by bike is unreal. There’s a life force at play here, something primordial, elemental even, that carries you along. The more we align our lives with the power of the universe, the more likely we are to gravitate towards what really matters in life. The world you return to may not have changed, but, somehow, you have, and in changing a whole new world is born.
“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future… Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us… A day away acts as a spring tonic. It can dispel rancour, transform indecision, and renew the spirit.” (Maya Angelou)
Over the past few months, we’ve been creating a unique Waterford Greenway “day away” that we’ll be rolling out in the coming weeks. We’ve secured bookings with tour operators from the States and mainland Europe, but we want to make what we offer more readily available for people closer to home. Many have asked how they can experience one of our days without necessarily staying overnight. We’re trying to price it in such a way that we cover our costs, put a value on what we do, yet make it possible for more people to come away for a unique ‘time-out’ with us.
The ‘Cycle of Life’ on the Waterford Greenway.
See our Waterford Camino cycle route; https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/2115063388
We look after the whole experience from start to finish. You simply show up and leave the planning to us. Our very own Greenway Man, Garvan Cummins, will have your bike and helmet waiting for you, lunch is pre-booked, and you’d be surprised what you can withstand with padded saddles to cushion you on your way. Once you have a moderate level of fitness, trust us to pace the cycle so that everyone can enjoy the experience. It’s not the destination that matters and the speed at which we travel, it’s all that happens in between.
We start out from Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford, ready to make our way down the 46km route to Dungarvan. Our cycle is leisurely, pausing for refreshments, mindful moments, a little history and a few photos at the most scenic points along the route. We’ll enjoy a wee snack with Waterford and Suir Valley Railway in Kilmeaden 10km down the line, light snack then beneath the Viaduct in Kilmacthomas at the halfway point supplied by Kiersey’s Bar and Tearoom, a wee breather in O’ Mahony’s, Durrow before completing the 10km final leg of the journey into Dungarvan. The key is to start early. We meet at 8am at the bus station on the quays in Waterford and arrive in Dungarvan for lunch at 3pm.
Early morning by the river lulls us unknowingly beyond the fretful stir of the city. Here, 6 kilometers down the Waterford Greenway, the cadence slows down in unspoken harmony with the tranquil stillness of the River Suir. All around you can see signs of what has gone before… the old railway line, Viking ruins shielded beneath its grassy vault, the graceful foliage of Mount Congreve Gardens 300 years on, the desolate ruins of an old watch tower desecrated by Cromwell and his troops in times past. Voices form a bygone age can be heard as you peddle on by.
There is something so refreshingly positive about the Waterford Greenway experience. The buzz of excitement in Kilmeaden as children feverishly boarded the train onto the Waterford and Suir Valley Railway, the infectious smiles from passers-by you had never met before, the relaxed chatter of cyclists as they meander their way en route to their next coffee break… people move to a different rhythm on the Greenway.
As you cycle, you leave the world as you know it and are transported to a different space, a sphere beyond our normal consciousness. Adjusting to the radiant hues as we leave the dimmed enchantment of Durrow Tunnel behind, surveying the panoramic vista that awaits us as we free wheel towards Clonea… you feel exhilarated to be part of it all.
When we arrive in Dungarvan, we hand back the bikes to Garvan, have lunch in 360 Cookhouse and you have the option of staying on and unwinding over a cuppa or something stronger against the stunning backdrop of the Bay before getting the return bus to Waterford. Buses leave on the hour, so you are free to stay in Dungarvan for as long as you wish. You’ll know somewhere deep down, long after the exertions are over, that this was more than just a 46km cycle down the Waterford Greenway. Once you connect to the life force within, you begin to see more clearly.
“As you look back your happiness will be defined by the mountains you surmounted, the valleys you climbed out of, and the life and/or career that you forged for yourself.”
(Maya Angelou)
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Dr. Phil Brennan and his wife Elaine are rolling out exciting new One Day Experiences over the coming months for visitors and locals alike. Our ‘Cycle of Life’ on the Waterford Greenway comes in at 95 euro per person inclusive of bike hire, helmets, bus return, ‘compass points’ on the journey led by Dr. Phil and Elaine, light snack in Kilmeaden and Kilmacthomas and lunch in Dungarvan.
You can check our Eventbrite Link for available dates; Saturday 13th July (On sale) and Saturday 27th July (To be released). With dates in the month of August to be announced in due course. Find out more about our signature experiences on our website www.waterfordcamino.com
Our Dunmore East ‘time-out’ inclusive of cliff walk and boat trip will be up and running too from this July on selected Sundays. Midweek breaks inclusive of both days and an overnight in the Tower Hotel, Waterford are also available – ideal for groups, sports clubs, staff days or corporate events. Every day can be tailored to suit each group. Contact Phil and Elaine on info@waterfordcamino.com if you require further information.