Cycle Touring in Eire

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CYCLE TOURING IN EIRE Clare Kempster he start of July was a popular time for Tongue and Meats to congregate in London. Iarrived home from work one dayto find Jo and Andrew sitting in the sun (yes, we get it sometimes in Pommie-land) on my doorstep. This was followed by a phone call from Mike and Suzie, staying with an aunt of Mike's in North London. For a Pom, turned Kiwi, turned Pom again, missing NZ, it was somewhat tantalizing. But this is really about a joint Kiwi - Pommie - Paddie cycle trip and WT&MC reunion round the south coast ofIreland. Wepeddled out of Rosslare Tongue & Meats reunited in Southern Ireland Clare Kempster at 5pm, soon realising that the smallest roads weren't marked on and thinking about where to pitch our preference to a haybarn, thinking it our rather large scale map. After tents, we observed a strange Irish would be safer with the MSR's. circling a few country lanes, wehad to summertime ritual. Despite the rain admit defeat and ask the way. A very andi itl being far from warm and sunny, The next morning was a grey one but friendly farmer pointed us in the right family after family drove down to the we kept to our planned early start. It direction. We found a campsite just river. Mum and Dad stayed in the car was a wet rideto Cashel. Andrew and as the clouds decided to burst, and whilst the kids emerged in their togs I managed to freeload in the slipafter juggling stoves, billies, and food and jumped into the river. When they stream of a lorry either being very supplies we let the effects of lack of were almost blue they rejoined their kind or just unable to go faster - sleep take over and retired to our parents -well, it was a Sunday after- bonus! We had lunch at the "Rock of tents. noon in the summer holidays! Cashel" and played the tourist. We were heading towards Cahir, but I AI lazy start the next day. We stopped The next day we reached Kilkenny at persuaded everyone to go via Tipperfor lunch in Ballyhack, on the edge of lunch-time and sprawled in the castle ary. We discovered that just because the Waterford.Harbour - right nextto gardens to consume our soda bread a song has been written about somea stall selling yummy strawberries. butties until the groundsman politely where, it doesn't mean that it's an Rather than paying to take the ferry asked us to get off the grass! Feeling exciting place definitely not worth across the estuary, we followed the ina tourist mood, webiked upt ther road the 20 km detour! rivernorth tothel bridge atl New Ross. to check out the Dunmore caves. Lots Fromhereit wasg gently along the side of stalagmites and stalactites to see We had all voted in favour of a ofthe River Nore until we reached the and a chance for those of us not SO shower and we certainly picked the village of Inistioge. Just as the inevi- used to life in the saddle to give our right campsite. It was on a farmjust table clouds rolled over and threat- cycling muscles a break. We then outside Cahir which also had pickened to burst, we spotted a perfect decided we'd gone far enough north your-own strawberries. The overcamp byaswimming hole in ther river. and took a turn to the east. Wei found night fee included a punnet of straw- As we sat sheltering from the shower a campsite in the corner ofa field in berries and needlessto say we ate as many as we could whilst filling it! After raining all night we awoke to upwards to Molls Gap but we were another sunny morning. Well stoked well rewarded with a big freewheel The following day saw us winding up on freshly baked soda bread, we down the other side and some lovely through country lanes to the coast followedther coast to Castletownshend, views. We had a belated elevenses in pastthel Knockmealdown "mountains" left our bikes at thet top ofthel hill, and the grounds of Muckross House and - all of 88m high! Jo & Andrew and walked down to the beach for lunch. then passed through Killarney and on Mike & Suzie tried out their puttingto Killorglin for lunch and a laze by a up-tents-in-the-rain techniques, butas That evening we camped just past river. Wethen made our way roundto Icouldn't put my fly up first, I merely Schull with yet another of Nuala's thes startofthe Dingle Peninsularwhere waited for the shower to pass over! relatives. They found us a very scenic we found a perfect campsite in the corner oftheir farm to camp in with a dunes behind Inch Beach. Nuala and The coastal views the next day were beautiful view out to Cape Clear, the I showed our British/Irish blood and somewhat hidden by mist SO whilst southern-most point of Ireland. We bravedi the: sea for a swim; we couldn't lunchinginaroadsdeparks in Youghal, were taken into Schull for the evening persuade the Kiwis to join us! we decided to find a campsite and cut to listen to an Irishj jazz/blues band in the day short mid afternoon at one of the pubs Spotted a wicked The next day the plan was to cycle Ballymacoda. As well as some wel- looking bakerytobuyscones: forbreak- round the Dingle Peninsular - reputcome time to relax, shower, wash fast the next day too! edly the prettiest ofthem all. Unfortuclothes, etc. we managed to phone nately the weather had clagged in and Nuala and arrange to meet her the The southwest corner of Ireland is after a good hour supping coffee and next day in Cork our multinational very beautiful with hilly peninsulas, munching lunch in a pub in Dingle, we team would then be complete. and luckily the weather had at last decided to skip the end ofthe peninsudecided to oblige. We cycled round lar, and most westerly point in Eu- Our route the next day took us past rope. We took the road over Connor several Potteries and after lunch it I we couldn't persuade Pass, windingup intothe fog, not even was a long, straight, busy road, riding the Kiwis to join us. I a flicker of a view, but as soon as we into a headwind all the way to Cork. were down on the other coast, the sun Nuala'strain arrivedand then we were began to break through. We followed six! After comparing notes on what the lowest peninsular and had lunch the coast back to Tralee: and then upto we'd all been doing since WT&MC and a lie in the sun this is the life! Ballyheige for another night by the days in Wellington, we cycled out of Then it was over the hills to Bantry beach. Theweather had iclearedenough the city to the coast at Crosshaven. and round Bantry Bay to the pretty to temptNuala andI for another swim Here wel had theluxury ofsleeping on fishing village of Glengariff. We in the sea. Mike and Andrew only a floor inside and use of a kitchen camped in the grounds of the Youth managed a hasty dip and. Jo and Suzie stove: as we weres staying with Nuala's Hostel, wandering down the road toa justap paddle. Whatab bunchofwussies! friend's family. We went to sample pub with traditional Irish music some pub life, but instead of tradi- guitar, mouth organ, and sing-along The next morning brought the time to tional Irish music, we found the local Irish tunes. part company after a fun couple of Friday night disco! weeks in the saddle. Mike and Suzie Thenextdaywebiked: roundi the Beara had a headwind back to Killarney to The next day was lovely and sunny as Peninsular, missing offthet tip by tak- return their hire bikes before hitching we left the Southeast to head into the ingthehill pass from Castletownshend overtol Dublin. Jo, Andrew, andNuala more scenic Southwest. Wei followed and heading back towards Kenmare. were continuing up the West Coast. I the coast through Kinsale towards We took a side road in searchofa lake attempted tol keep up with their crack- Rosscarbery. Wemanagedasuccess- we'd spotted on the map. Eventually ingp pace: along the Shannon Estuaryto ful roadside rendezvous with one of a potential spot was found, permis- Limerick where I bid my farewells Nuala's relations and followed their sion obtained from the farmer, and and took thel bus to Dublin to meet up car for what seemedi tol be miles along camp: sett tup. Ther ritual billy shuffling with Mike and Suzie for a last taste of farm tracks until we arrived at their followed to produce tea - events Ireland before returning to the Big beautifully located farmhouse. We slightly complicated by the fact that 2 Smoke and work and all that depresspitched our tents in the garden and ofthe 3 billies had to double as plates. ing stuff. The end of an excellent watched the COWS being milked before holiday! "borrowing" the kitchen to cook up The next peninsular up was the faour tea. A fun family evening fol- mous "Ring of Kerry" and the most Well, what can I say but I'm hooked! lowed as thel kids were keen to enter- heavily touristed, SO we decided to Cycle touring is a great way to cover tain us in exchange for a look round miss it out and take the hill pass a decent distance and yet still be "in our tents. instead. It began with a steady slog touch" with the countryside.