Why am I doing this?

As with LEJOG two years ago, I’m going to blame this on Larry. After we finished our epic trip the length of the United Kingdom, I said to Larry: “How about for our next adventure we do the Channel to the Med?” That’s a 870-mile ride beginning at the English Channel, heading southeast across France, over the French Alps, and ending in Nice. Fewer miles than LEJOG. OK, slightly more climbing, at 62,400 feet vs. 59,000 for LEJOG, but that’s minimal.

The always sensible Larry countered with, “How about Ireland?” So, here we are, eighteen days from our flight to Dublin and a bus to Cork. A massive heatwave in the eastern U.S. is curtailing our training, but Larry (or Legs, as I’ve started calling him) is ready to roll and I’m almost ready I think.

This will be my first trip to Ireland. I’m particularly excited about Day 6, when I’ll be cycling by the sheep farm owned by my future daughter-in-law’s family.

Here are some details from the Peak Tours website:

The Mizen Head to Malin Head cycle tour, or “Head to Head,” conjures up a variety of images, ancient hill passes, rolling green fields, fantastic pubs, the “Craic,” stunning scenery, a pint of the black stuff, and a sing-song at the end of the day. In devising this route we have heard on numerous occasions from our customers that “it’s only on our doorstep and I don’t really know much about it.” Well, now is as good a time as any to find out! This cracking tour arrives to Cork and then the following day we transfer by coach to the wildness of the Mizen Head lighthouse to begin our fun. The cycling straightaway is amazing. As we head up through the ridiculously picturesque county of Kerry you would be forgiven for thinking that you had seen all the spectacular stuff, but this is the tour that keeps on giving. Right the way up through county Galway and county Clare you are treated time and again to some of the best scenery this Island of Ireland has to offer. Pushing further north you will hear the accents change but the scenery doesn’t let up a bit, culminating in two challenging final days to reach our destination at rugged Malin Head.

Highlights
– The stunning ride through the Gap of Dunloe
– The brooding, atmospheric region of the Burren on the way to Galway
– Secluded white sand beaches and winding coastal roads
– The superb cycling in and around Connemara and the villages of Clifden and Westport
– The wild remoteness of Glenveagh national park
– The warmth of the Irish people and their stories and music!

Duration 10 nights / 9 days cycling

Total distance 570 miles / 917 km

Average daily elevation 3795 ft / 1157m

Day 0

We start pedaling tomorrow morning. Larry and I spent the day exploring Cork by foot, followed by a group dinner. We were hoping to take our rental bikes out for a test drive today, but they won’t be ready until the morning. Today’s weather was lovely, warm and sunny. A bit of a breeze from the NNE, which will be the case tomorrow as we head exactly in that direction. But, as my boys learned in elementary school, you get what you get and you don’t get upset.

This is the first Irishman we met, after arriving in Dublin Tuesday morning. He very kindly allowed us to change our bus ticket so we could take the first available bus to Cork after we got through Border Control.

Typical street in the old part of the city, with the Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Anne in the background.

Apparently, Cork was once the world’s largest producer of butter. Larry’s making a beeline for the museum so he can learn all about it.

Some essential nutrition before Day 1, with Larry and Craig, my roommate for the next 10 nights.

Day 1: Mizen Head to Glengarriff

We started Day 1 by boarding a motorcoach to drive us 80 miles (and nearly 3 hours) from Cork to Mizen Head, our starting point.

Our bikes had made the trip earlier that morning in a van, but when we arrived we needed to spend half an hour or so getting set up to ride.

After the group photo, we were off. It was glorious weather, sunny and warm, and, for the first half especially, a beautiful route through fields of wildflowers with vistas of the sea far below us.

The last twenty miles into Glengarriff were less interesting, but we were rewarded by a charming town, with a main street lined with pubs and small shops.

At 9 p.m., a quartet of musicians began a set of traditional Irish music, seated on the sidewalk in front of a pub.

Tomorrow is a more challenging day of riding, so everyone is off to bed early.

In addition to 18 or so Brits, the group includes 3 South Carolinians, a Floridian, a German, and me and Larry from New Jersey.

Day 2 and Beyond: Glengarriff to Malin Head

Dear readers, I had every intention of posting daily updates on my progress cycling across the island of Ireland. I have multiple (albeit lame) excuses for my failure to do so. First, there were the challenging long days in the saddle in difficult weather conditions. Then there was the fact that I was having too much fun, and I was too tired at the end of each day to open my laptop before conking out.

Having been home for a month now, I thought I would at least post some photos so you can get an idea of what the trip was like. Suffice it to say, we had real Irish weather, which meant lots of rain and wind and conditions that could change on a dime from wet and miserable to dry and gorgeous.

My photo gallery below begins on Day 2, as we head about 60 miles north from Glengarriff to Tralee in County Kerry.

That’s Glengarriff Harbour in the distance. We’re still in County Cork.

Two hours later, now in County Kerry.

I cycled past countless photogenic cows and sheep.

We had a bit of a climb before lunch to reach the top of the Gap of Dunloe, a well-known hiking route.

We’re now on Day 3, a cold 70 miles from Tralee to Spanish Point, featuring rain and sheep.

An attractive fixer-upper just south of Spanish Point, famous for being the site where two ships of the Spanish Armada wrecked off the coast in 1588. Hundreds of dead sailors washed ashore; those who didn’t drown were executed.

Was a bit too chilly for a swim.

Day 4, 70 miles north to Galway. Very strong wind from the west, threatening to push us into oncoming traffic.

Passed this sign as we climbed up to the Cliffs of Moher. I regret not stopping for a cup of Ireland’s best coffee.

The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

The body of water in the distance is the North Atlantic.

Day 5 had us do nearly 70 miles due east into a brutal wind and near-constant rain. It would have been a gorgeous ride through Connemara, from Galway to the town of Clifden, except we couldn’t see much.

Along a gravel path through a bog for a number of miles.

Day 6 took us north from Clifden to Westport. Beautiful vistas but low visibility with the hanging clouds.

This is the part of Ireland my daughter-in-law’s family is from. I need to make another visit so I can see it properly!

My comrades finishing a mile-plus climb of 7% to reach the brew van at mile 45.

Descending nice and easy in the mist and fog.

Weather cleared up a bit for Day 7, which had us head northeast 70 miles through fields and over rolling hills, from Westport to Sligo.

Good weather for Day 8 as well, as we rode east from Sligo to Portnoo, 76 miles away (and 4,600 feet of climbing, but at this point, who’s counting?).

Approaching our destination of Portnoo, on the North Atlantic.

These two were hanging out in the side yard of our night’s lodging, a comfortable 1970s ranch house surrounded by fields.

Day 9, 78 miles and 4,900 feet of climbing to go.

We’re heading through that gap.

Larry enjoying yet another climb.

The tower marks Mizen Head, our final destination. One last climb to the top.

We made it!

And that’s a wrap! Next up, from the English Channel to the Mediterranean, September 2027. Two weeks, 870 miles, 62,400 feet of climbing.