Cycling in Ireland
Cycling Feedback # 2
Three friends and I have spent two weeks on a bicycle
tour in Ireland from July 21 to August-3 1996 (Ring of Kerry / Dingle
Peninsula). During that time we've done approximately 550km and a
height-difference of about 6000 meters (according to our altimeters).
Here are some of our more general experiences:
One of the most outstanding features of Irish roads
was (at least for us Austrians) the fact that bends seem to be almost
unknown. On our last day we cycled from Castleisland to Killarney (over a
hill), the road went on dead straight for several kilometers. Another
example is the road descdending to Portmagee from the south.
The absence of admittance charges at many ruins of
castles, abbeys and forts is surprising, especially as some of these
buildings are very well preserved (i.e. Staigue Fort, Ballymalis Castle,
Cathergall Stonefort).
Dogs are less aggressive than here in Austria. Only
one time a dog tried to run after me, but he gave up when he realized we
were four. On the other hand we met several very friendly dogs on the road
(in the middle of nowhere) as well as at our B&B-houses.
Bed & Breakfast is great fun. There is no equivalent
to this special kind of accomodation here. We greatly enjoyed the
comfortable lounges, the afternoon tea (which we almost always got on our
arrival) and the rich breakfast. It was very interesting for us to see the
different types of Irish homes and having the chance to talk with the people
living there. One special memory for us will always remain our stay at Tom &
Eileens Farm in Castlemaine.
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The following remarks are more concerned with cycling
affairs:
The most popular cycling-tours offered by several
austrian travel-agencies in cooperation with local Irish organisations are
of course the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula. We (four Austrian women)
combined both tours. Our luggage was transported by car to our next
(pre-booked) B&B-House, so cycling was a lot easier. The rented
mountain-bikes (Raleigh-Stratos) were very reliable and comfortable to ride,
although no one in Austria would dare to go cycling with brakes like that
(the relatively small rubbers were halfway off the rim, on one bike almost
slipping off to the spokes).
I don't think that someone who never rides a bicycle
at home will really enjoy one of these tours. Kerry is not flat! Especially
on the Ring of Kerry we saw a lot of people who obviously had underestimated
the distance and the differences in height. We saw them struggling along,
always taking the shortest route possible, thus they were usually cycling on
the main roads.
Both tours together (with all the detours and
pub-visits in the evening) covered a distance of about 550 kilometers and an
accumulated height-difference of approximately 6000 meters (according to our
altimeters). This doesn't seem to be very much, but it was meant to be a
holiday, not a race.
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The Ring of Kerry (July 21 to July 26 1996)
Some guidebooks say that the Ring of Kerry should be
done counterclockwise in order to have all the tour-buses on the other side
of the road. We did it clockwise (as all tours with luggage-transport do).
As the roads are sometimes very narrow, the question of sides is more or
less philospohical. The Ring is very busy with traffic and in certain places
there is practically no choice of avoiding the main route, especially
between Killarney and Waterville. I had the impression that there might be a
little bit less motor-traffic before noon. A good map is necessary in order
to find your way if you want to leave the beaten track. The Holiday Map
(scale 1:250 000) is a good choice for cyclists (much better than an
ordinary road map, because it also contains information on heights).
Day 1: Killarney to Kenmare
At Ladies' View it began to rain. Luckily this was the
only day with really heavy rain during our holiday, we never got that wet
again.
Day 2: Kenmare to Sneem
Either we were blind or our guidebook was out of date:
two mentioned castles (Dunkerron and Dromoere) could not be seen or found.
Day 3: Sneem to Waterville
The visit of Staigue Fort should not be missed, the
road is not as steep as it looks like at the beginning. The absence of a
regular entrance fee (there is only an honesty box) is astonishing. >From
Derrynane House there is a narrow (old) road leading up to the main road,
thus avoiding traffic at least for a little while.
Day 4: Waterville to Caherciveen
On this day we did the Skellig Ring via Ballinskellig,
the Glen and St.Finan's Bay to Portmagee. This turned out to be the steepest
episode of our tour (much steeper than Connor-Pass), but it was well worth
the efforts. Cathergall Stonefort north of Caherciveen and the Barracks look
quite different than they did only a few years ago. Both are very well
maintained.
Day 5: Caherciveen to Glenbeigh
The "shortcut" through the sanddunes from one side of
Rossbeigh Beach to the other probably wasn't such a marvellous idea. Thanks
to the long grass it was impossible to push the bike, so I had to carry it.
The Kerry Bog Village Museum is worth a visit (good opportunity to
experience the smell of a peat-fire).
Day 6: Glenbeigh to Killarney
Along Lake Caragh and Lake Acoose we had a fine trip
with very little motor traffic. Unfortunately the Reeks were hiding in the
clouds again.
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The Gap of Dunloe (July 27 1996)
Between the two tours we had a day off in Killarney,
we used this day to cycle through the Gap of Dunloe. It was a rainy day, so
there weren't many people, jaunting cars or horses about. We took the
shorter route over Brandon's Cottage (as described in the 'Insiders Guide to
Kerry and Cork'). This is a beautiful tour, even with all the rain and mist,
but it should not be undertaken with a non-mountainbike. The stony path
along the Upper Lake is very bumpy and slippery. Traffic in Killarney is
hell! That is probably the reason why most people lock their bikes near the
Tourist Office.
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Dingle Peninsula (July 28 to August 2 1996)
On the whole there was less motor traffic on this tour
than on the Ring of Kerry.
Day 1: Killarney to Castlemaine
Today we had the typical Irish weather: rain and sun
in short intervals. Again we visited ruins (Ballymalis Castle and an old
abbey near Milltown) where there was no admittance charge. In Castlemaine we
drank the worst Irish Coffee I've ever had (very weak coffee, hardly any
cream).
Day 2: Castlemaine to Dingle
Today we paid the prize for not looking into our map
precisely enough. We missed the bifurcation to Acres Point, therefore we had
to descend to Minard Castle all the way from the main road. We began to have
halluzinations as an effect of too much cycling: the way up seemed to be
shorter than the way down! In lack of a detailed description and signposts
we did not find the wedge-grave which is supposed to be somewhere near the
castle. Later on we were luckier, because on our arrival at Dingle-Harbour
we saw the famous dolphin Fungi pretty close to the shore.
Day 3: Slea Head Circuit
The main attractions are signposted, but to find six
Ogham-Stones outside Dingle (on the grounds of a large estate) was a piece
of detective's work. On our tour round the western point of the Peninsula
many cars with bicycles on racks passed us by. All those people would do
much better to go by bike instead increasing car-traffic. This tour is not
so long that it couldn't be done as a day-trip from Dingle. And it is much
easier to stop for a photograph on the narrow coastal road with a bicycle. A
pleasant surprise: several sites (Dunbeg, Riasc, Gallarus Oratory,
Kilmakedar) were much closer to the main route than indicated on our map.
Day 4: Dingle to Castlegregory
Don't miss Mara Beo! Where else can You touch a ray
(if it is not sleeping)? The Connor Pass is usually described as very steep
and strenuous. When we finally came there (from Dingle) we were surprised to
find a rather moderate incline, so even our least-trained biker did not have
to push her bike (but maybe this was the training-effect of the Ring of
Kerry). The northern side of the pass seems to be steeper.
Day 5: Castlegregory to Tralee
No chance of avoiding the main road today. If anyone
is planning to visit Siamsa Tire in Tralee he should book in advance
(unfortunately we didn't).
Day 6: Tralee to Killarney via Castleisland
We made the detour via Castleisland in order to visit
Crag Cave. Motor traffic in and around Tralee is quite heavy, but there are
wonderful minor roads to be found north of the National Road. Here we had
the only puncture of our trip. From Currow to Killarney there is also a
beautiful minor road (partly unpaved) leading dead straight across a hill
towards Killarney.
-- Mag. Gabriele Rau (Rau@zamg.ac.at)
Cycling Feedback # 1 - diary of a
1,600 km trip around Ireland by Roberta Grapperhaus
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