East of Ireland Walks – On River and Canal by Lenny Antonelli

Author:Lenny Antonelli [Antonelli, Lenny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Collins Press

Elderberries on the trail

Further on there was fresh pine marten scat on the trail. Slieve Bloom was a stronghold for pine marten even when the species was struggling in Ireland, before it got legal protection in 1970. It may be no coincidence pine marten and red squirrels both thrive here, even though invasive grey squirrels have pushed reds out elsewhere. New research suggests that greys avoid forests where pine marten are plentiful, as the marten find it easier to catch the bigger, slower greys. The red squirrel seems to have found an unwitting predatory ally.

The trail follows the edge of a field, then passes a weir and a bridge for farm vehicles. It crosses a small footbridge and follows the river down wooded lanes full with alder and willow. I picked elderberries, hazelnuts, blackberries and blackthorn sloes, and was dazzled by one hawthorn with leaves decaying from green to psychedelic yellows, oranges, purples and reds.

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