Owl’s about this then?

First up, Borris’ boozers are fun places. The Step House where I stayed was a touch of luxury with classy bar but when there’s footy to be watched and stout research to be undertaken then you need places like Joyce’s and O’Shea’s. Along with Osbournes of Clonegal they’re the sort of bar that not oonly serves beer, wine and spirits…

As I was taking the pic some young uns were laughing and telling me how their ‘Da’ used to volunteer to pop out to buy the custard powder or tea bags or … and of course be back 3 hours later …. I did point out to the young chaps that the apple doesn’t seem to fall far from the tree

Anyway after a strangely quiet night on the football front where nothing of consequence really occurred luckily tonight the soul of continental footy returns with the Europa League. Who knows fur once away goals may come into it.

Back on the SLW there was a strange optical illusion, see if you can spot it

Weird isn’t it. Yep, sunlight, who’d have thought it. Means I can now use words like dappled. It was a game of two halves really as this was the first and then it was a choice of either going off-piste and taking a shorter straighter flatter alternative along a minor road or sticking to trail and slogging up a 1700 footer and meandering around.

Only an idiot would choose the latter of course. But the views from the top were pretty cool

However the highlight (which is normally finishing and having first pint) was something completely unexpected. Meet Otto

For the avoidance of doubt Otto is the bird.

The lady looks after barn (and other) owls not as a profession but out of passion, wants to educate people about them and other birds of prey (“it’s ok mr farmer they are not going to fly off with your sheep …. now, go back to Game of Thrones”).

Really neat and took my mind off of trying to work out how to pronounce Inistioge

Stroll ?on