A walk in the park!
Now it’s December, it’s Christmas time and nobody wants to go out for a long walk. The inhibition threshold is higher. For me, too. Either it is too cold, or it is too grey, or it is rainy or it might start raining. If you want, you’ll find an excuse.
However, an hour or at least half an hour being outside can make a huge impact and give you a relief from all that trouble around.
Let’s dress warm and walk at least in the parks. Of course, not every park is a replacement for a nature trail, but some of the parks are a mixture. Half tarred surface, half natural path. In my opinion: Better than nothing at all.
There are a few parks in and around Cork you can easily reach by bus. A few parks which are good for a short or a longer walk.
Glen River Park
Glen River Park is one suggestion, similar to Ballincollig Regional Park, but without a playground and an open-air museum. There are a few ruins to see in the eastern part of the park.
Dog walkers seem to love that park. If you are single, that might be the ultimate chance to have at least a chat with another human being than your flatmate or your colleague. 🙂 Overall, this park looks a bit neglected, but that might be related the time of the year.
This park was bigger in the past, but it is still a green belt in Cork. And it has a valuable, nice side: It is located in a kind of basin and is protected against the noise of the nearby North Ring. Birds love the small lakes and I’m sure, you will love Glen’s sound, as well.
Directions
You can reach the park by bus and here are the timetables:
When you want to go by car, there is a parking area in Ballyhooly Road, next to the bus station. When coming up the hill from City Center, the car park is on the left-hand side. Another tiny car park is at North Ring Road. There are a few other entrances and you can choose where to start:
And you can combine your shopping tour with a walk in the park:
Park your car at Dunnes’ car park, do your shopping, cross the street and now take a deep breath and relax for a few minutes, half an hour or more. Enjoy!