Ireland in may. Sure, that sounds like a good idea. The grass has turned green, the trees have turned green and the animals are out in the fields. What I didn’t think too much about was that it could probably rain and rain a lot sometimes.
It always starts with Internet searches. Ridewithgps is a good start when I look at what roads are possible. In the end, about April, I decided which route to follow. Tripadviser to look for interesting spots to stop at.
I got help from F to get me to Arlanda. Came to the hotel in Dublin, checked in and explored Dublin. It was a bit of a panic in the afternoon because I had forgotten my charging cable to the phone. I found a small phone shop that was open late.
Day 1 Dublin – Camlough 107.4 km
Cycling in Dublin was a challenge. Lots of cars on narrow streets. Left-hand traffic was a challenge to watch. It got better every day. Even if there were some incidents. After 80 km came the first slopes. The first was 3.4 km with 4% average. It does not sound much but with full equipment and wrong cassette so it became tough.
. Pretty soon after the first came the next slope of 2.3 km and 7%. There I walked up to the top.
Lunch here in Stamullen.
It was late in afternoon when I came to Drogheda.
It was late when I arrived in Camlough. I was tired, in my head and legs. Almost outside the village I saw an opening to a field of grass. There I pulled up the bike 150 meters up from the road with a hope no one would see me. It was with some thought I bought a green #hilleberg and not a red one. That went well. No one came and I slept well that night.
Day 2 Camlough – Newtownabbey 107.6 km
Small nice roads without traffic,. I followed Newry towpath a few miles. Breakfast at five corners guest inn. There I alked to a lot of people.
Many people find it interesting to ride a bike in Ireland.
Until Lysburg good cycling. Then Lambeg towpath all the way to Belfast. My multi-fuel system was not working. In Lisburn I tried to find an outdoor shop but there was not. A bit of panic when I could not cook my noodle package for lunch. Stayed at a small fish & chips place, very bad.
Instead of the Titanic Museum, it was Decathlon Belfast. It was getting late and I I wanted to get out of town before it got dark. I cycled through industrial areas before I came to a cycling path north of Belfast.I Stoped in Newtownabbey, in a park. Lots of dog walkers in the evening. It was a warm evening and nice to sit in the shade rest my legs.
View from my tent
Day 3 Newtownabbey – countryside 82.5 km
After a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast, I was prepared to continue my journey. Lunch at Carnlough.
After lunch, a long climb. I followed the coastal road to Cushenall.
I left the coast and continued on a long climb. At the height there was headwind and haze. It would get worse later in the week. Passed Ballycastle, the northernmost point of the trip. From Ballycastle it was once again a relatively easy climb. Looking for a place for night camp after 10.5 km I saw a solution. An opening between two fields on Toberkeagh Rd
Dag 4 Toberkeagh Rd – Londonderry
With tailwind and with fairly fresh legs, the plan was to continue past Londonderry. The night was wet. It was damp in the tent so the phone did not charge. The lcharging contact was damp. Quick decision, I have to find a solution so I can charge phone and Garmin. Lunch at Roe Valley Park Limavady.
This was a strange road that Google thought fit for a touring bike. Passed a farm, A few hundred meters of gravel then this tractor road that ended at a small stream. Crossed the stream, up a small hill, pass another farm. Then up on asphalt road again.
As I approached Londonderry, I saw what I thought was a rugby match. I stayed to take a look. It was not rugby but Irish national sport Gaelic football.
I talked to some old men who explained the rules. Interesting. GAA Gaelic Athletic Association. I stayed at a B&B in Londonderry. Bild Legenderry B&B på 64 Williams st
Londonderry
Day 5 Londonderry – Donegal 87.7 miles
Not to far away from my B&B was the momorial park from the troubles in Londonderry. I stayed there, took some pictures.
An uneventful day between the UK and Ireland. I noticed in the shops. Sometimes Pounds, sometimes Euroo. I had booked a B&B in Donegal on River st. But when I got there, my booking was gone. It was quickly resolved by the owner. He sent me to the Atlantic B&B main street.
Day 6 Donegal – Riverstown 81.7 km
After a typical English breakfast, sausages, scrambled eggs, bacon, baked beans, fried or grilled tomato and mushrooms, and served with a piece of white toast, it was time for a long day on the bike. Got away late and even later it was when I stopped outside a bike shop in 40 minutes. My day can be described as long climbs. There were three climbs, the longest of which was close to 6 km. The weather started to get worse. There was rain in the air all day. In the afternoon the rain came.
I found an abandoned house where I stayed for 75 minutes.
I went through Riverstown. I started looking for a place to put up the tent. But difficult. Everywhere closed fields with gates or hawthorn sacks. It was this open place, from a big house. In fromt of the gate there was enpough place for my tent. It rained at night.
Dag 7 Riverstown – Longford 82,2 km
The rain on during night meant that my tent was wet. I started late. I waited out the rain and got off at ten o’clock. I was looking for a B&B and found one in Longford. Just 70 km away. Everything went eventless. Came to my B&B 16.30. But, no one was there. The door was open. Tried to call the owner but did not connect. Well, just sit waiting. After half an hour, the owner arrived. I got my room. Set up the tent in the bathroom. It has to dry. I rode to the center to eat.
Dag 8 Longford – Augkrim 82,2 km
A good day for cycling. Followed the Royal waterway for 20 km.
Lunch At Glasson.
It was a variety of roads. Everything from quiet solitary tollways to high-intensity traffic. Somewhere outside Augkrim I found an open gate and could stay. Very heavy traffic until midnight.
Day 9 Aukrim -Kilfenora 81.2 km
The day I got a chain break. In an uphill climb the chain went off. A little panic but my experience told me to take it easy. Sit down, think about my options. Googled bicycle store, found onw not to far away 4 km away in Loughrea, Oakley’s Bike Lab, which quickly gave me a new chain.
That evening I stayed by the roadside at a driveway to a farm. As I sat there with my book, a car with the family came up to his farm. They stopped and we talked about cyckling on Ireland. They asked a lot of questions. At the end he asked if I needed anything. A beer would be great I replied. It will come in a while, was the answer. He came with three bottles of beer. It was a good evening. The sun was going down and it was not rainy or cold.
I had my tent on the right side next to the pergola.
Day 10 Kilfenora – Broadford 91.6 km
Today was one of the tour’s, on advance, selected highlights Cliff of Mohar. I had read a lot about the place and seen a lot of pictures. My cycling to Cliff of Mohar was easy cycling with good tailwind. Cliff was just as amazing as it should be. A great experience. Well worth a to visit.
When I left Cliff, a light rain began. The longer the day went, the more rain. Some things I forget to take with me. It can usually be solved in other ways. But when I realized I forgot my gore-tex jacket for rain and wind, the situation became somewhat precarious. I took on what I had and it wasn’t much.
It was around here that I began to realize that my planned route would not be possible to follow. Stopped, googled and found Danny’s bar in Broadford which was at a reasonable distance. Garmin stopped working after 72 km.. Got to Dannys. Wet and cold. Came inside and took a hot shower. The room was above the local pub. I couldn’t believe it would be a live music show until 0200. Right under my room.
Day 11 Broadford – Thurles 76.2 km
I woke up early despite the music at night. It was karaoke at the end. I had to wait until 10 when the pub opened for breakfast. Some problems with the payment as their device did not work. Fortunately, I still had paper money. A little rain the first hour. Google Maps is good sometimes, sometimes bad. Like this day. Google showed one as I thought, way but it was an overgrown path.
To the right on this picture Googla wanted me go go. I had to walk 600 meters to a bigger road. Paused in a garage on an abandoned farm- rain again in the afternoon. With the wind in my back, I quickly came to Thurles.
Many cars were parked at the roadside. It was a football match in the Irish top league. I stayed at a pub before arriving at Hawthorn View Bed and Breakfast.
She had no food to offer. I went to the Horse and the Jockey for a great dinner.
Day 12 – Thurles – Paulstown 70.5 km
I left my B&B after a big breakfast and an interesting conversation with the owner. Tailwind and good speed from the beginning. I passed Urlingford and stayed in Freshford.
Something was wrong with the rear brake. But it was not the brake, there was a tear in the tires. With high risk tire would explode. A serious error that needs to be corrected immediately. I thought about the alternatives. I decided that the best thing was to get to Kilkenny shortest way and look for a bike shop. Only 15 km to get there, barely an hour- I got m,y tires. I had to change it myself because on the street, because the workshop was closedf. When I mounted the tire, I saw to my horror that an spoke was broken. The store could not help med. Well. only five days to Dublin and it was only a slight wobble. It should go. Lunch at McDonalds. I found an abandoned house where I stayed for the night.
Day 13 Paulstown – Blessington 71.6 km
It was on this day second spoke broken on back wheel. I removed the rear brake. From now on I had just one front brake to Dublin. It is now that I realized what have happened. Those who remember that cycling experiences of 2023 had to be interrupted after 6 days when the rear rim broke. When I got home, I was in a hurry to find a suitable rim. I had an old rim from a road bike with nine speed cassette. I put it on. But I had forgotten that when I was preparing for this journeay. So I had a cassette from a racerbike on a touring bike. No wonder it was hardship cycling on those hills.
New decisions had to be made. The planned route over Wicklow had to be scrapped and a new plan was developed. I decided to go over Blessington is better. Smaller hills and a little shorter. An uneventful day interrupted by a few calls along the road in some stores when I stopped for coffee or cola. Paused outside a church to charge the phone.
. Last night I stayed in this car park outside Blessington.
Day 14 Blessington – Dublin 48 km
The last effort to end Bike experiences 2024. Nothing fancy. A little bit of a bike lanes into Dublin. Light drizzle all day.
That was the end of Cycling Experiences 2024. Where will Cycling Experiences go in 2025? There are many plans. Caucasus again. To Yerevan and Baku. Or why not a simple one to Paris? The best way to find out is to check this page from time to time.