A trickle and a thumping.

Sunday, July 22nd

Remember that wonderful view of the Navara Forest park. Well on route to that back on the 18th, we happened to see a sign for a waterfall walk. Those that follow this blog know of our obsession with waterfalls so this for us was a must do. Off we goes back to the forest.

Parked in the huge car park, completely empty, and looked at the notice boards. Oh..it was a 6.5-mile circular walk, which should take roughly 3 hours. Hmmm...I think not....No....absolutly not Ian... too far in my opinion so a 'there and back' was what yours truly we decided on. It was still nearly three miles return but most pleasant though the pine forests. At one point we heard Deer calling but like those allusive red squirrels didn't see them. Then the sound of flowing water, 20 steps to climb and there it was..... not the raging torrent we had expected but more like a gentle cascade. Quite disappointing!

So once back at the Beast it was head off for an NT working watermill that used to manufacture linen. A place called Cookstown, County Tyrone.  What the watermill did was to power the wooden hammers for finishing off the linen cloth. The hammering tightened the weave and gave the cloth a smooth feel. During the tour, the waterwheel was allowed to rotate and showed how the Beetling job was done The noise was just about bearable! Only three machines were running not the 5 they had on display. Apparently to run them all the noise levels would be too great and health and safety would have had something to say! How those weavers worked in those conditions for hour upon hour is beyond me. Click here for an explanation from WiKi.

Taking the tour with Aine she was a marvellous guide giving weaving demonstrations and explained how the flax was turned into thread. I have found a site to explain the process

The start of the mill race fed from the River Ballinderry

The linen drying

Linen roll.

Wanting water again....where does it all go??? In boat mode all the time yet it disappears faster than pouring tea through a strainer!  Anyway, a place was found at Battery Harbour near to the lifeboat station which had a convenient tap. We filled the tank, both had showers and filled again. That should see as through hopefully for a few more days!