Ireland Mizen to Malin Tour Report

[Trickedem]

Day 1
I've just completed a tour of Ireland starting from Cork and travelling North to Malin Head via Mizen Head

It's been a fabulous adventure with fantastic scenery and lovely people.
I started off on Sunday 1st Sept flying to Cork with Ryanair. I used a bike cardboard box I got from a local bike shop. I padded this out with some extra cardboard and cut some holes in the box and indicated that handling staff could confirm that the tyres were deflated. Glad to report that the bike arrived safely and was soon ready to go. Although the flight cost me £17, the bike box cost £60, which I suppose is a reflection on Ryanair not wanting to do anything extra without getting paid.

It took me about 30 minutes to get the bike ready and I was soon cycling South away from the airport. First impressions of Ireland were very good. Roads were in good condition, hardly any litter and drivers were patient. I was heading for Skibereen which was about 60 miles away.
A lot of the route was along quiet roads along the coast and was reminsicent of cycling in Cornwall or Devon. Altough it was overcast, the rain held off.

I hadn't booked any accomodation as I expected Skibereen would be empty. Little did I know that two local had won Olympic Gold Medals. The town was buzzing and apparently over 10,000 people had descended for the homecoming celebrations. After being told in the first two hotels I tried that there weren't any rooms available I finally struck lucky at a local B&B.

The B&B was something else. Every room was full of strange ephemera, but the bed was comfy and it didn't cost too much.
This was my private bathroom.

Mileage for the day was 59 miles with 2,730 feet of climb.
https://www.strava.com/activities/12300455750

 

[Emanresu]

Great to hear about your tour. A much underrated route through the quiet roads of Ireland. Did it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Might go back again. Never seems to rain in Ireland.

 

[Trickedem]

Day 2
I left Skibereen on Mon 2nd and headed West to Mizen Head. It was a bit chilly, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Mizen Head was a bit of a disppointment, much like Lands End. It isn't the most Southerly point of Ireland, but it is always the acknowledged as the start of an Ireland end to end. However the scenery out on the Peninsula is amazing. Beautiful sandy beaches and quiet hedle lined roads. Ater the obligatory stop I then headed North to Bantry.

The coastal road to Bantry was unbelivably quiet and I also had a bit of a tail wind. After a short climb the view towards Bantry and beyond was breathtaking.

As it was such a warm day I had to stop a few miles outside Bantry for refreshment.

Total mileage fot the day was 59.5 miles, but a bit hillier than the day before with 3,100 feet of climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12308080381

 

[Oldhippy]

I love the mad bathroom design.

 

[Trickedem]

Day 3
Bantry to Tralee
This was always going to be the toughest day with 4 big climbs on the route.
The road out of Bantry was fairly quiet with lovely views of the coast and the mountains ahead.

But the climbing soon started with Priests Leap one of the highest road passes in Ireland (1500 ft). It was a tough climb and I don't mind admitting that I had to walk a couple of sections.

As is often the case in the mountains I had to put my waterproof jacket on as it started to rain heavily.

The descent was just as tough as the road was so slippery and had very tight bends. But before long I was climbing again up Moll's Gap which was on a more main road, although there wasn't much traffic. It was very remote looking, but there was a pleasant surprise of a nice cafe on the other side of the pass.

After a coffee and cake I then descended down to the Black Valley and on towards the Dunloe Gap. This was a tiny road and I saw hardly anyone. It also started raining again. Nothing you can do though, other than keep going. The area was becoming much more mountainous as I was heading towards the highest mountains of Ireland; MacGillycuddy's Reeks.

After cresting the Dunloe Gap I had a long downhill section and then what felt like a long slog to Tralee. I hadn't really considered the last hill before Tralee, but it ended up feeling tougher as I was getting tired. Not really suprising as I had done 59.3 miles for the day, with 5,000 feet of climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12317438809

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Lovely pics

 

[Emanresu]

Did you pass through Killarney?

 

[Trickedem]

Did you pass through Killarney?

No, I was to the West in the Black Valley and Dunloe Gap.

 

[Trickedem]

Day 4.
Tralee to Ennis
I stayed the night before at the Grand Hotel Tralee. I had been expecting a rather tired old coaching hotel in need of renovation. But it was absolutely fabulous. Great room and a wonderful breakfast. Here is my bike in the entrance hall.

It was a grey drizzly day when I set off and the hotel manager didn't fill me with much hope as he said it would be a boring ride up to the ferry across the Shannon. He was right; it was a slog into a headwind and the scenery was fairly uninteresting, but sometimes you just have to dig in and get it done. The weather improved as I approached the ferry and there was a nice descent for the last couple of miles.
I love ferry crossings and this was no exception, a bargain at 6 euros. The actual boat was very similar to the Woolwich Ferry and it even had a little café, where I bought a coffee and some fruit cake. With the strong Northerly wind it was quite rough and I had to wait until all the vehicles had driven off before I was able to walk up the ramp off the ferry.

After the ferry the going was a bit easier as the wind was more at my side rather than head on. The scenery was also nicer with views of the river and some nice quiet roads.
I stopped at the 50 mile mark for refreshment ( Guinness and Tayto crisps.) and had a great chat with the barman, who was a keen cyclist.

I had just pulled in for a loo stop down a small turning off when the heavens opened. Perfect timing for me and I was able to shelter for about 15 mins until the heavy rain had stopped. A final push into the headwind and I finished for the day. There was an Aldi a short walk from my b&b, so I had a picnic for dinner with some beer of course. Funnily enough Ireland seems to be a complete desert for decent beer with very little real ales or IPAs available in pubs. But most supermarkets seemed to have a great selection.
63.5 miles for the day with 3000 feet of climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12325318310

 

[Emanresu]

Are you stopping at Galway. If so try Tig Choili in the Latin Quarter. Very busy early evening but it quietens down once the initial wave of tourists leave.

 

[HLaB]

Never seems to rain in Ireland.

I think most times Ive visited its been nice but having worked there it seemed to rain there every week and on the west coast it could rain for a week. Dublin on the east coast was just as wet as the east coast of Scotland where I was brought up and the west coast (Galway) was wetter. You could get nice warm summers though, particularly down in West Cork and Kerry.

 

[Trickedem]

Are you stopping at Galway. If so try Tig Choili in the Latin Quarter. Very busy early evening but it quietens down once the initial wave of tourists leave.

Sorry, I am writing this up after the event. I did the ride a couple of weeks ago, but never got round to doing a write up.

 

[Trickedem]

Day 5
Ennis to Claremorris.
Lovely quiet roads through the Burren National Park. Which is the most amazing limestone terrain, I managed to pick a route that avoided the worst of the hills as well.

The weather was great as well, although the headwind was still there. I rode through the outskirts of Galway and stopped for lunch. I love the Irish soda bread.

I then had another 35 miles of rolling countryside to the town of Claremorris and managed to avoid any villages or towns that had any shops. Amazing to be able to travel so far and hardly see anybody or any traffic. Although I did have a brief conversation with an old farmer who had been cutting and stacking his peat for the winter. He told me that he was about 3 months late doing this, due to the bad summer and was worried it wouldn't dry out in time.

Stats for the day 72 miles, but only 1900 ft of climb. But the headwind was brutal.
My reward on arrival. Guinness and Taytos. A perfect combination.

 

[Gillstay]

Your making me hungry for soda bread. Also the bread with the sea weed in it is smashing. Your doing some good distances on hilly terrain. Well done.

 

[Emanresu]

The Guinness looks a bit odd in the last pic. Was the barman in a rush to pour it - or were you just thirsty?