May 30th, Kenmare to Cahirciveen

Today was wet and dreary and started out really badly with me trying to find a replacement tire. The guys got off to an early start with a stop near the bed and breakfast where we stayed. Cromwell's Bridge just a bit down the street and dates back to the 11th century, built by Augustinian monks. Although the name is thought to be an association with Oliver Cromwell, it is more likely a corruption of the Irish word cromleach or sloping stone. Then they were off on the long journey to Cahirciveen.

I headed to the place that had been recommended only to find it closed. The guy next door was willing and very helpful, but he didn’t have the right size. He gave me directions to Kenmare Tyre but I couldn’t find it. 

 

On a bright note, I did find a chocolate shop that made their own chocolate. They actually had a workshop going but I couldn’t beg entry because of my tire issue. 

I finally found him, he had it and I was on my way sometime around 1!

The roads were awful but beautiful.  We went through 1 and 2 lane roads that were flanked by trees, flowering bushes, just creating an impression of being alone in a forest.

I followed the guys route which hasn't been real descriptive of where you should be going and this one was worst then most. It said you could take a side trip to the Staigua Fort. Not knowing what it was, I said why not. Not knowing meant that I didn't know it was 10-15 km from the main road over roads that were no wider than a small car! But it was beautiful and at one fork in the road, I saw this bridge.






I headed to the Staigua Fort which was way off the beaten track. Encountered some interesting scenery and some interesting situations with other cars. But the fort was impressive. They can't tell how old it is but they think it was built in the early AD's by a wealthy chieftains who had security issues. The fort was over 6 m high and the walls over 4 m thick.






There were steps built into the walls that you could go up to the top of the walls with.

And the surrounding area was beautiful although for the most part, only the sheep were there to appreciate it. It was also hard to appreciate and even harder to photograph because of the mist.

Waterville in the rain

It was hard to stop and take many more pictures because the weather was so bad. I don't know how the guys did it. I did stop in Waterville for tea and whiskey fruitcake, like the fruitcakes I used to make but with a LOT more booze in them. I enjoyed it in a cute café run by 2 very old men reading my book about 20th century witches and vampires in 16th century London (it is far better than it sound, really wonderful) until I got the message that the guys were about 20 minutes from out B&B and wanted their nice dry, warm clothes! I was just 16 km away, so I got in the car and headed to the B&B. One of the issues we have had this time with the biking company is that they haven't given us directions to where we are staying and addresses in Ireland are not the most specific. So they then had to text me how to get there. But I arrived about 10 minutes after them.

This B&B is one of the best we have stayed in. Our hostess is an American nurse who married an Irish guy. It has been a totally wonderful place to stay and I am glad it is one of the places we are at for 2 nights.
 

May 29th Bantry to Kenmare

Shop side of the Square with market vendors

It was market day in Bantry and through out the city, particularly in the square there were vendors of all kinds of things. Produce, food, clothes, machines, tools, plants and so much more. The square is where much of the activity centered but it did stretch down the main street as well. The square is sided on one side by churches and organizations, another with the court house and tourist office, another with all kinds of shops and lots of pubs and finally by the marina.

The main street

It actually a beautiful town but it is better to leave the car if you can because N71 runs right through it and the combination of town and thru traffic makes it interesting to navigate.














The Marina side of the Square

The N71 runs along the left side of the Marina heading out of town which we had followed yesterday.















Today we were headed over the Healy Pass on our way to Kenmare. First though we ran along the water of Bantry Bay through the town of Glengarriff with some neat tourist shops. It was then out through the Beara Peninsula again for a new adventure.










This trip has been to the western portion of the province of Munster which comprises the counties ofClare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tiperary and Waterford. Bantry is in Cork and we were headed to Kenmare in Kerry by way of the Healy Pass. While we didn't see much car traffic, cars are not the only ones on the roads.

On several occasions, both the guys and I encountered sheep who had decide this was their road. But like most slower travelers of Irish roads, they had the good manners to pull off to the side so the faster traffic could go by.

The Cork side of the Healy Pass is fairly desolate. It is a fairly steep uphill ride with very curvy. Once again, I was happy I was in a car, not a bike.




















Along the way, I encountered what I am calling the Doorway to No Where. There was a stone wall among the rocks. In the center, there was a doorway that you could walk through, but there was nothing on the other side.


When you reach the top, there is a gift shop with a tiny amount of parking so you could get out and take a picture of the valley you had just climbed and read a plaque that gave the history of the pass. It was built in 1847 during the famine to help prevent starvation. The politician who was responsible for it was Timothy Michael Healy and the pass was dedicated to him a month after he died in 1931.









As you walk to the other side of the pass, the change is remarkable. It is green and you see the waterways below you.





























I found the way down a bit scary since you are again on a one lane road but this time, we are going down a steep curving hill with a lot of vegetation so you can't see oncoming traffic in advance. And they are the ones who have to move over since the downhill side has nowhere to go, and very few guard rails.

The further down we went, the worst the roads got. I took a wrong turn and when I went to turn around I hit a rock. By the time I got to the right intersection, I realized something was wrong, and yep, I had a flat tire. This is becoming an unhappy ritual in Ireland. Every time I rent a car, I end up with a flat. I am learning I have a lot of company among the Irish in this although most tourists don't drive the roads I do following the bikes. Mike, being a normal brother, says it's the driver. Of course, the fact that I haven't had a flat in the states in 20 years, doesn't count. So this picture is Mike's, as are some of the above.

And anywhere we go, Scott is always on the outlook for Vets to trade notes with. So far this trip, he has only found ones that are not open during the hours we are there.

The guys did have some comments about a vet and dentist sharing an office.

May 28th, Gougane Barra to Bantry

It was a glorious day to head out on the next section of the trip. The guys did a loop around the lake first then headed off.

First stop was the ruins of a castle on what is referred to as the Beara Way which encompasses the Beara Peninsula and is named for the family who controlled most of the area during the 16th century which included this castle. While the castle is not restored, there has been some work done on it so people can see what it encompassed. It sits along a small water way that is very scenic.

The idea was to ride down one side of the peninsula and up the other side. The side down was beautiful, mostly running along the water. The end of the peninsula is Sheep's Head Bay. The guys discussed riding all the way to the end but opted not to because of time and not sure what the rest of the ride was like. That was a good thing.

At the Summit

The other side of the peninsula had a step up hill with narrow roads. It was called the Goat Path for a reason. It provided some unbelievable scenery but I was so happy I was in a car. From the top of the summit, you could see 3 different bays, Roaring Waters Bay in the distance, Dunmanus Bay in the forground and Bantry Bay behind us.

Bantry Bay

We did arrive in Bantry in time, in my case, to do laundry. In the guys case, to have a beer before the B&B. In this case, our hostess was a very friendly woman from the Netherlands who had been in Ireland for 30 years. It was an eclectic mix of painting, figurines and more, almost all of animals plus 2 live and very friendly dogs, one of whom always wanted to either play tug of war with his ball or have some one through it. In all, a very happy place.

For dinner, we ended up back at the place that the guys had had their beer because it was the place everyone suggested. Very small, tables made out of slices of trees and a good pub menu. The owner was cooking that night so we were able to finally get a rare burger. But it wasn't just a burger, it was 2 patties, each on a 'floury bap' with smoked bacon and cheese! with fries of course. Amazing.

May 27th, Killarney to Gougana Barra

Ross Castle

Well, we hit a bad day of weather. It got better as the day went on but I am very happy I was in a car, not riding. The guys got very wet. We are also fairly short on pictures for the day. We started in Killarney. I tried to go to Ross Castle and the Muckross House and Gardens but both places only did tours and I really didn't want to wait around an hour at either place. So hopefully, we will time them better on the trip back to Killarney on our way home and we will get to see them then.

Needless to say, we are lacking pictures on the day. The route took us off N71 and onto back roads through part of the Killarney National Park and towards Lough Guitane a beautiful lake that would  look better without the rain.

They climbed via back roads to this pub which unfortunately was not open since it would have been nice to get out of the rain, but we all met there and we were able to get this picture of them at the highest point in the Kilarney National Park.

From there it was off through the wilds. Our directions said to make sure took the fork to the left. I waited there for the guys because I wasn't sure it was made for a car! But the yield sign for cars going the other way said otherwise so off we went. It was like biking or driving through a woods. Further along, it widened out a bit and the foliage allowed better views.






The hotel that we were staying in was in the middle of nowhere in the Gougana Barra Forest. It was an old family run hotel which was wonderful. The hospitality could not have been more unbelievable.

The guys had rooms that looked over the lake, mine the mountain and sheep. And the rooms had bathtubs! Bed and Breakfasts through out Ireland have showers, usually tiny little showers and bathrooms. But when you find one with a bathtub, they are large enough to stretch out and soak! For me, finding rooms with a bathtub is a treat!

Because of the location, diner and breakfast were in the dining room. Excellent meal! While the hotel is a family business, Neill and Katie are the family that run it. Katie is the cook and we had an incredible dinner.

The garden had a sea monster overlooking the lake that Scott tamed.







The rain had finally ended in the afternoon so we all took walks, some longer than others. (Okay, when I am with the guys, I look like a real slacker!) It is a beautiful property around the lake including 2 homes of family members, a church and a grave yard.

This has definitely been one of my favorites from any of my Ireland trips.

May 26th - Dingle to Kilarney

The guys had only had the bikes in Dingle for one day. The had to return them and rent new ones in Killarny for the rest of the trip. So we had a car day and ended up being glorious weather. Unfortunately, it didn't start that way. We drove over the Connor Pass in total fog, losing all view. Then missed the road we were going to take east and did a bit of backtracking but in the process got to see more of the Dingle Peninsula. Finally getting to the N86, we headed for Killarney.


At this point, I should take a moment and explain the road system. First, Ireland like England drive on the left or 'other side of the road'. It isn't that bad if you remember that just as in the States, the driver faces the oncoming traffic. Also, most people drive manual transmissions and they are a lot cheaper to rent. Fortunately, both Mike and I can drive a manual. Then there are the roads. Nxx is a national road. A few are 4 lane divided highways with exits but most, like the N86 are 2 lanes and almost as wide as our 2 lane road but with no shoulders. The speed limit on the divided highways are 120 km/hr

Ladies View

while on the 2 lane they are 100 km/hr. or 62 miles an hour. I can rarely get up to that speed because the lack of shoulders freaks me a bit. Then there are the regional roads, Rxxx which are often similar to the national 2 lane roads but narrower, just barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass. I just can't do the speed limit of 100 km/hr, usually I am closer to 65. Then there are the Lxxxx or local roads. These are generally wide 1 lane roads where passing is always interesting and the speed limits are generally 80 km/hr except going through towns when they drop to 50. Finally there are the roads with no number. They tend to barely fit a car and often include hills and/or lots of vegetation along the side. Most tourists never drive these roads but when you are following a bike route, you find yourself in some interesting places. I have gotten very good at finding spots to pull over.

Mike lining up the perfect picture of Ladies View

We had a beautiful drive to Killarney but discovered once we got there, it isn't a fun place to drive. The wide roads are choked with busses and the in city ones are narrow and one way. There are also a lot of horse drawn buggies. We checked in at the bed and breakfast then went to get the bikes. We will be leaving from Killarney doing a wide circle of stops and finishing in Killarney. Once they got the bikes, it was off to explore the Killarney National Park.

Scott and Mike look at the view

There were places where we could not go with a car, you needed to walk, bike or buggy and there were a lot of buggies to choose from. We decided to skip these so we could see as much as possible. We drove out to the Ladies View and then headed back via scenic stops and hiking or walking trails. Ladies View is a panoramic view of the National Park. Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting visited here during the royal visit in 1861 and it was named for them. It really was an incredible view.

As we went to leave, our own leprechaun had to get his picture taken at a special spot.

 From there we just explored many of the trails that Scott's eagle eyes found. The guys definitely enjoyed it more than me but I got some great pictures although I am looking forward to seeing Mike's since he is the far superior photographer.

The following are a selection of pictures from the day finishing with the Torc waterfall. We ran out of time to see some of the other sites but will hopefully get to see them when we return to Killarney at the end of our trip.

We finished the day at the Killarney Brew House. Opened only a week and a half, Mike and Scott were very impressed with their beer, even I had one. It is also on the itinerary for our return to Killarney.

Torc Waterfall

May 25th - Dingle

We had a day to just explore the Dingle Peninsula. It is full of ancient site dating back to before the Norman and English invasions. It is also full of gorgeous scenery and scary roads.

The bike route took us around the southern tip of the peninsula, most of which is also cliffs.

My first stop was a beach just outside the town of Dingle. I am assuming that at some point it gets warm enough to swim here but it was certainly too cold during this trip. But people were out walking and lots of dogs having a great time.

Beyond the beaches, we started climbing. We could look out over long stretches of farmland and water. As we got further up, we were looking down at water and cliffs, The areas were covered in these tiny pink flowers that we had seen on the coast of Clare.











Along the way, we encountered 'bee hives'. These have nothing to do with  bees. They are ancient buildings from as long ago as the 7th and 8th century that were used as dwellings, primarily for religious practices. While some were totally rounded with roofs of stone, many had thatched roof. Mike and Scott too these pictures at one of the stops.

Again, I couldn't resist taking pictures of cliffs and water. It does give you an idea how high we were. The road had gotten down to one lane and twisting all along the side of the cliff. The fact that there were full size tour busses on this route was scary. The drivers must have nerves of steel. I was following one while he made a particularly tight turn. I wasn't sure he would make it.
When he made it around and I was able to follow, there was a great waterfall coming done the mountain and spilling across the road. The road had actually been worn off the asphalt, leaving the cobble stones behind. It was beautiful and I would love to have gotten a picture but there was NO WHERE to stop until way down the road. But the view was awesome.











I think this sculpture of the crucifixion was built by the people who finally made it to the top and wanted to say "thank you, I don't believe I made it here!"




















Back in the lowlands, we saw some more history at the Gallarus Oratory. Similar to the 'bee hives' the guys saw earlier, records show us that this was a church. They were situated inside ring forts, circular stone ringed spaces that were protection and holy sites. These buildings were built so that the stones formed an up ward slanting structure that allowed water to flow down it. The insides would stay totally dry. They had a window and a door situated to catch the morning and the evening light.










We made it back to Dingle via some more wonderful beaches.

This was followed by a great dinner at a local pub. We had been sent there for the previous evening but couldn't get in! It was wonderful, the only thing missing from the day before was the Irish music.

On our way back, we checked out some of the local stores and the marina. It was beautiful. But on a dare, the guys got me to take a couple of pictures with Fungi. :)