Sunday 7th - Monday 8th July

Sunday July 7th

Abbeyfeal - Tarbert - cross Shannon, Cooraclare- Clee- Quilty- Spanish Point - Lahinch - Liscanner. (Co. Clare)
It was cold all day but the rain held off until after we arrived. Like yesterday, we rode on minor roads through hilly farmland - sometimes the hills were harder than they looked. We stopped at a very friendly shop in Tarbert and then took the car ferry across the Shannon.
The village of Clee has a nice picnic area with tables - useful for our picnic.
The coast at Quilty is an attractive bay - then on to Spanish Point, which has good surf and many would-be surfers. There is too much holiday traffic in this area. On to Lahinch - a small resort where we stopped for warm drinks.
Finally we stopped at Liscannor and found a B & B close to the centre, with nice views over the bay. Liscannor is a small fishing village with coracles on the shore. Due to the rain, the landlady gave us a lift and we had a nice meal in Vaughan's Pub, then a wet walk back to the B & B.
We found throughout the trip that we were able to get excellent seafood everywhere that we went. The Irish Soda bread is great - many of the landladies gave us home made bread for breakfast. Even the packaged bread in the shops is very good.
We found that the B & Bs are all of a very good standard and we paid between €25 and €28 each.

B & B. Carraig House, 70 81260.
Distance 45 miles today

Monday July 8th

Liscannor - Cliffs of Moher - Doolin - Inisheer and Inishmore (Aran Islands)
We had a cold, dry start but the wind was very strong. We took the coast road via the cliffs of Moher to Doolin. The cliffs of Moher are amazingly high, with sea birds circling in front of them. We saw them only from the top, although boat trips from Liscannor are offered.
From Doolin, we took a small passenger ferry to Inisheer, where we stayed for 3 hours. Inisheer is an amazing island made of karst - by the shore, the rocks divide into large slabs like flag stones. The entire island is divided into small fields by dry stone walls. The fields further from the shore are grassy with wild flowers (e.g. geranium and orchid). We did the two main circuits on the bike, seeing an old wreck, the castle and an iron-age mound. We picnicked on the beach.
Then on to Inishmore by boat, passing Inishman on the way, The second boat (the Happy Hooker) was better than the first one because we could sit outside. (The first with a crowded cabin and rough sea was like a roller coaster and sick bags were being issued and used).
We tried several B & Bs and then found Costello's - an old house with a pleasant atmosphere.
We went to Ragus - a professional show in the village hall with Irish music, dancing and singing of a very high standard. (Their first team is now performing in Dublin).
Kilronan (the capital of Inishmore) is a collection of house by the bay with one pub (the American Bar) and one restaurant (the Fishermans Arms) as well as a tourist office, a post office, a Spar and several shops for Aran jumpers. The buildings are solid, old style and largish.
There were far too many tourists here (e.g. two large parties of American school children) and people had to wait for a table in the restaurant.

Cliffs of Moher	Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher	Doolin - Inisheer ferry
Inisheer beach	Inisheer beach
Karst rock fields at Inisheer	Karst rock at Inisheer
Wreck at Inisheer	Inisheer cottage

B & B: Costello's, Kilronan, Inishmore

Distance 16 miles today