Kerry Head Loop

So, back to the Ireland bike rides.  The last few days there, we stayed at Ballybunion, because, apparently, that's one of the courses golfers dream about playing.  I understand the courses were VERY challenging - links courses with really rough, steep, rough.  (If you are a golfer, you know what that means).



What to do?  This area of Ireland is bypassed by both my cycling Ireland books.  One book suggested just riding straight through on the National road from whatever town is to the south (off my map) to Kilrush, and not detouring by the quieter coast road.  Why, I don't know.



For my first ride, I thought I'd ride out to and around Kerry Head, and then back up the coast.  I followed the R551 all the way to Ballyheige, took the road around Kerry Head, then back up the coast on the "Coast Route" road, back to R551, and then back to Ballybunion.  All in all, about 40 miles.



It was really pretty!  There were some hilly, windy bits before Ballyheige, where I stopped to get some provisions at a convenience store.  I love the Irish convenience stores.  They've got Cadbury chocolate bars and rice pudding and...






I could see the Dingle peninsula to the south over the water.  Lots of dairy cows in fields.







Got out to the point, turned north and then west, and picked up a tailwind and a delightful descent.  Eventually I ran out of Coast Road and was back on R551, then retracing to the start.







I beat the golfers back this day.

Cycling the Burren

The Burren is a major karst landscape formation in County Clare, Ireland. One of my cycling books proposed a loop ride from Doolin, where we were staying.



So, after a substantial full Irish breakfast, off I went. First there was the climb out of Doolin, a slight miss of Lisdoonvarna, and into Kilfenora and the Burren centre.



Then I made a wrong turn, and about four miles later found myself at the wrong intersection entirely. So, back to Kilfenora and the getting of the correct directions!

The guidebook said I'd find Leahmaneh Castle, which I did. Basically a big house (Ruins, naturally) with cows grazing around it. Not worth stopping. On to Caran, and the heart of the Burren. Limestone hills everywhere; rolling countryside. Sunny day, too.







Continued north from Caran to the intersection with N67 (a national road) and Galway Bay.



From there I elected to head west, into Ballyvaughn for lunch (I'd been subsisting on chocolate bars and Nuun). Riding N67 wasn't that bad; Irish drivers are courteous. But the big buses and trucks on those skinny roads can be a bit intimidating. So, Ballyvaughn and the soda shop. I had a crepe and a salad and pink lemonade. And applied sunscreen (!) A nice pause.



From Ballyvaughn I took the coast road.  The Burren extends right out to the Atlantic Ocean.  The scenery was amazing.  There was a headwind, so I didn't make particularly good time (the same can be said about all my riding in Ireland).  More time to enjoy the view!







Then finally I had to turn inland and up.



The sign said Doolin to the right, and I kept thinking I'd be there.  2km more.  Then 2km more....  Then 2km more....  If it had been flat or back downhill, it wouldn't have been quite so annoying.  But I did get there, and treated myself to an ice cream cone before walking back up to the B&B.



All the pics here.
A nice 63 mile loop.

Inishbofin bike ride

If nothing else, I should write about the bike rides. Friend Cecil was wondering where I would be riding. Since Week Two of the Ireland trip was to be the Irish Golf Pilgrimage for Fitz, his brother Mark, and Fitz's golf buddies Ethan and Rich, my cycling was necessarily to be around whichever Renowned Golf Course we were at that day.

Our first stop was Clifden. "Excellent!" said Cecil. "Ride over to Cleggan, take the ferry to Inishbofin and spend the day there. It is the most beautiful place in the world!"



That was easy. I reassembled Sweetpea when we arrived at Mallmore House (recommended!). Rich was fascinated. Checked the ferry schedule ("at half eleven" said our host Alan), and I was set. It did not depart Inishbofin until 5, so Fitz thought he'd pick me up after, so we could eat dinner at a reasonable hour.

Rode over to the ferry after a traditional Irish breakfast (passing on the black pudding). Easy, peaceful ride. Hardly any traffic, so I could acclimate to riding on the opposite side of the road with little stress. Made it to Cleggan in good time, bought my ferry ticket (€20 plus €5 for the bicycle). Pricey ferry.



After a bouncy ride over, I hopped on the bike and started riding. I am not entirely sure where I rode, but I was aiming for some of the off road hiking trails. I'd follow one until I couldn't ride it anymore, and then I'd turn back.



It was raining. After a couple of hours of that, I took refuge in the Doonmore Hotel bar, ordered a pot of tea and seafood chowder, commandeered the fireplace, and did not leave for an hour.



The bar started filling up; big Gaelic football match was coming on. I was now relatively dry, so set out for more exploration. Lots of sheep, free range chickens, horses and the occasional cow. Possibly some people, but they were all probably inside watching the match. The rain had stopped.

I found the east part of the island, and wandered around there for awhile, then found another hiking path, which eventually connected up with a spot I'd been by in the morning. Found a place to sit, and ate some chocolate.









Then, back to the ferry dock. Some people walking around asked if I had hired the bike on the island. No, it was my own bike. "But surely you didn't bring it all the way from America!" :-)

The ferry pulled in. I was witness to some effortless and skilled pitching of short cases of Budweiser up to someone waiting on the dock. Provisions for the week, no doubt.



A less bouncy ride back, and Fitz was there to collect me.

About 23 miles.