Days 223-225, 21-23 January 2015, 'The Still' Swans Experience and a CarNic en route to Ferns for coffee and a cookie and then exploration of a 12th century abbey and the ruins of the first Ferns cathedral. (*"CarNic" - new word from moi for picnic held in car because bottom would get wet sitting anywhere else.)
Miserable day weather-wise (23rd - Can you believe it, 11 shopping months til Christmas). Drizzly. Gray. Cold. Breezy. Finally getting a bit of cabin-fever over the last couple of days however and decided to magic up some hot roast pork, gravy & rocket rolls, a thermos of coffee and some chocolate digestives and jumped into the car to head to the corner where we normally turn left to go into town. And usually make noises about what a scenic spot it is. So today we actually pulled over and had lunch whilst enjoying the scenery. We've always been impressed with the two glorious white and stately swans that mooch about the area. They're either very friendly... or phenomenally territorial however. As we crossed the road to have a stroll along the shore, one started crossing towards us and then started menacing me on the banks of the pond. Seriously. Do you know how big a swan actually is? Massive. Huge. Beak the size of an adult's hand. Wing span similar to an A380. We're in the right country for it so it was a big case of Holy Mary. James was very helpful from a few metres away. "Don't show fear," he says. "Just relax and hold your ground," he says. He was obviously thinking "Theoretically" - but didn't say it. Luckily the theory panned out and I am here to tell the tale. Surely no-one's ever died from a swan attack. OK. Having just googled and fact-checked it turns out a man died in a Chicago pond after he fell out of a kayak and an aggressive swan got him. Further, another aggressive swan was held in custody after attacking and killing a dog on a tow-path. Be that a lesson... when menaced by menacing swans 1) they can kill you but 2) if you hold your ground and take deep calm breaths... they should leave you alone. Theoretically.