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August 5-19, 2006
Our tandem tour started out of Shannon on the west coast of Ireland. Our first day's ride took us through County Clare following some of the very scenic minor roads that traverse the countryside. Turning north to follow the coast, our destination the first night was Lisdoonvarna, just on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. Day two took us on a spectacular loop tandem ride first to view the Cliffs of Moher and then following the stunning Burren coastline to Black Head and the southern shores of Galway Bay to the coastal village of Ballyvaughan. The Burren is a strange place with a lunar-like landscape, prehistoric dolmens and tombs that make it unique and other-worldly. |
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Our destination on day three was Inishmore, largest of the three Aran Islands. A 60-mile ride for 4 tandem teams took us to the ferry port, where we found we had missed the early afternoon sailing, but enjoyed a great ride nonetheless. An early morning ride on our fourth day led us to the pre-historic cliff top fort of Dun Aengus, perched high atop the isle of Inishmore. After a bit of shopping for the famous Aran Islands sweaters it was time to board the ferry back to the mainland and continue our journey. We cycled into Connemara, with stunning views of the Twelve Bens, as we headed to Ballynahinch Castle to end a very memorable day. |
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On day five we cycled around the coast to Clifden, unofficial capital of the Connemara region. A wonderful tandem ride out along the Sky Road found us marveling at the sublime coastal scenery to the west of town. On our return to Ballynahinch we cycled along the Atmospheric Bog Rod, where we encountered farmers cutting peat, many sheep, herds of cattle and donkeys.
A fond farewell to Ballynahinch and next day we headed to Letterfrack through the heart of the Connemara countryside.
Day seven found us riding through the beautiful Lough Inagh valley, with an early stop at Kylemore Abbey, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Connemara. From here we followed the coast road to Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord. Passing through the village of Leenane our route traveled north to Westport- a very lively town in county Mayo and our northernmost destination in Ireland. |
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On our day off the bikes in Westport several in our group opted to hike Croagh Patrick, or St. Patrick's mountain. Folklore has it that St. Patrick spent the 40 days of Lent atop this mountain and that it was from this point that St. Patrick confronted the devil and banished the snakes from Ireland.
This holiest of Ireland's mountains sees thousands hike it on the last Sunday in July each year. Many pilgrims make the journey barefoot. While we opted for shoes, the hike took its toll on us nonetheless. Despite hundreds of miles on the tandems, each and every one of us who hiked to the top were plagued with sore muscles over the next several days! The time to the summit was approximately 2 hours. Views of Clew Bay from the top are stunning. We had a great hike, with good company and beautiful weather. |
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Our ride from Westport started out as our wettest, but what would cycling in Ireland be without a bit of mist and rain? As the day progressed the clouds departed and we found ourselves in Cong, most noted for the movie "The Quiet Man."
A ferry ride across the Republic of Ireland's largest lake, Lough Corrib, provided incredible views of Ashford Castle and brought us to the island of Inchagoill, site of two ancient monasteries, one thought to have been built by the nephew of St. Patrick in the 5th century.
From Inchagoill, the ferry took us to Oughterard for the night, known as the "gateway to Connemara." |
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Leaving Oughterard the next morning, we had a short but scenic ride to Galway, the biggest city visited on our tour. Galway is alive with activity, and the atmosphere is fun and festive. Our night in Galway was spent dining on fresh fish and chips and attending a show featuring a young Irish band playing traditional instruments.
On to Ennis, a village maintaining its medieval flavor, and the main town of County Clare. Cycling past Kilmacduagh Monastery took us to our beautiful hotel, The Old Ground, dating from the 18th cenutry.
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Our final day's ride was short, taking us back to the hotel at Shannon airport to give us ample time to pack the tandems for the journey home. Yet in this short distance we passed by way of no less than 3 historical landmarks all pre-16th century: Quin Abbey and Knappogue and Bunratty castles. That night we were treated to a farewell banquet at the Bunratty Folk Park, where we drank Mead, dined on Irish stew, and of course, sang old Irish folk songs. It was a marvelous vacation, with wonderful tandem traveling companions, in a country filled with warm and welcoming people. In several places along the way, we saw the following old Irish Blessing, that seems to sum up the journey for cyclists so well: |
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"May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand." |
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Some Fun Facts:
Total Distance Ridden: 620 miles
Average Daily mileage: 56 miles per day
Cycling in Ireland:
Road surfaces, at least in the west where we rode, were
pretty rough compared to the States, so be prepared for less mileage as the bumpy surfaces slow you down. MANY country roads have no name and the locals don't need or use maps, so asking for directions is quite an experience. Prepare to make a few wrong turns along the way; this can be some of the most fun you'll have. The OSI (Ordinance Survey Ireland) maps of Ireland are very good, but it would cost a fortune to purchase all that you needed for a bike tour. The Irish are incredibly friendly, gracious and curious, especally about tandems (in fact, on the Aran Islands the local radio station was heard to discuss the visit by the cyclists on the tandem bicycles). And finally, it's TRUE, Guinness does taste better in Ireland, so drink up!
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