The weather over the last week has been nothing short of spectacular. And, in such conditions, a voice in my head said "bike ride......bike ride!". How could one ignore it, everything was in place to make for an epic and enjoyable journey on any bike. So it seemed fitting that I undertake the run I have wanted to do for some time, and when I last set out on it, was unable to do due to traffic and road works on the main arterial route. Nendrum is a monastic site situated on Mahee Island, accessed by a causeway, the island juts out into Strangford Lough and is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been too.
I remember coming to this site as a student, being famous also for the excavation of a tidal mill, one of the few examples in the world from the Early Christian period. I also excavated at the nearby Mahee Castle when I was in Queen's. I have fond memories, rose-tinted of course, of long hot days with sunshine and good banter. Those halcyon days when possibilities were endless and the only thing limiting you was your imagination! Long gone now, of course. The ride down was better than I had remembered too, the long and winding country roads were agreeably empty, in fact on the video I have uploaded to YouTube, one biker friend commented on how deserted the roads were. I had tried to head up in the early afternoon, but the temperatures soared, to the mid 20's and I just couldn't stick in in my leathers. So my journey took place in the early evening. Perfect, as it turned out. There was still a distinct warmth, but the cool air rushing into the vents in my helmet was pleasant! The lanes follow, more or less, the shoreline from just outside Comber, the birds darting out from the hedgerows that widened my eyes from time to time, as I thought I was going to hit one or two. I flowed on the bike, seeming to ride in a "zone" which I find hard to describe, it was very strange, but I was definitely riding on an unconscious level, everything was clicking and the bike felt a part of me. It feels, I know this sounds strange, like a companion on journeys, rather than simply a mechanical tool.
You can see the revetment wall on the picture, the bike engine ticking itself cool after I pulled up. There were some other cars there, people picnicking no doubt, and why not? You couldn't ask for more perfect conditions! I rambled up the hill to the main site itself, passing through three outer walls. The site, as far as I can remember, is heavily rebuilt, and the round tower stump is not original, although he proportions and stone probably is. On the top the remains of the church are upstanding, as well as stone graves and coffin lids. The views are spectacular over the Lough, and all around you can see towerhouses and other sites of interest. You can see why the site was chosen, every approach can be seen in panoramic detail. I took some time at the top to sit, contemplate and generally think about things, sometimes a large sigh escaping before I knew it had arrived. But such cleansing moments are good for the soul. Things don't always go the way we want them to, that is life, but I have never been very good at dealing with this. I know I am a lucky sod....but I do wish some things had turned out differently. I think that such excursions are good for me though, as I tend to work through things whenever I arrive at whatever destination I am going to. I don't tend to think about things when I'm actually on the bike, I tend to be in a certain state of consciousness that would render any attempt to do so futile. I have found that my recent tendency to be quite reflective is heightened by these mini trips. So God knows what I will be like when, in a few years time, the epic trip takes place halfway round the world! I think I have pinned a lot on it, some sort of journey where I will "find myself" - but certainly anyone who has written about such journeys have all said that this does happen. Here's hoping it will for me too!
