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Leenane - Maam - Mamm Cross - Oughterard - Galway
A cold, but mostly fine day.
We set off for a ride up from Killary Harbour, between the mountains
to Maam. We rode over beautiful moorland: wide, green, sheep,
no walls, lakes, little islands, trees, mountains of various colours
- no longer the Bens, but similar.
We stopped to shelter from a shower at a community centre and
talked to two workers. One of them, a Dutch man came to Connemara
with his wife, 22 years ago, for a cycling holiday and decided
to stay.
The area between Leenane and Maam is called 'Joyce country' -
the Joyces came from Wales a long time ago - they were tall people,
but inheritance caused each of their shares of the land to become
smaller over the generations. But QE1 put a stop to this with
the eldest son inheriting.
We made a quick stop in Oughterard and then picnicked by Lough
Corrib (a large inland lake that flows into the sea at Galway).
Stopped for coffee in a bar at Moycullen to warm up.
We decided to go on to Galway for the night as there is not much
to do around Moycullen or Lough Corrib. We stopped at Galway Station
and booked the tandem on the 11 am tomorrow. (The time of 11.40
on the Irish Railways website was wrong - maybe we'd have missed
the train if we'd stayed outside town). We found a B & B at
the east of the town, near to Salthill.
We went into the centre to look around the town. It has a big
unused harbour. The river from Lough Corrib really rushes under
the bridge into the harbour. Galway has an extensive pedestrian
area with restaurants in Quay Street. This is very busy, bustling
with activity, including street performers. We had a good meal
(fish soup and ling) in McDonaghus seafood restaurant which is
very popular, with queues for both eat in and take away. Irish
whisky in a bar and then walked back during a spectacular sunset
- dark orange - lit clouds above (like a fire), bright lighting
on buildings, sea and hills opposite in Co. Clare.
Galway - Cork by train
Galway station has a single platform where you queue up for
the train. The train came in, discharged its passengers, went
out, put the engine on the other end and then came in again. We
loaded the tandem in an oily guard's van - at least they still
have guard's vans. We then struggled with the panniers to get
a seat.
We had to change at Portarlington, so we went down to the back
to get off near the guard's van, only to find that we were not
opposite the platform. The guard told us to go forward to the
platform (with our bags and baggage). The train then moved forward
and the guard unloaded the tandem.
Picnic on platform and one hour later we took the train to Cork,
eventually getting seats at the next station.
Cycled on a quiet road from Cork to Ringaskiddy and found the
pre-booked B & B off the main road. Good meal at the Bosun
by the water in Monkstown (2.5 miles by bike).
Distance today 25 miles.
Ringaskiddy - Swansea by ferry. Swansea- London by train
Breakfast at 7 am then down to the ferry. It was a beautiful
day and a very smooth sea with a punctual arrival at 7 pm in Swansea.
We spent some time talking with our biking friends from Ashford
who were on the same boat.
We took the 8.30 train and eventually arrived home at 12.45.
B & B. Dan and Anne O'Rahilly ,Ashdale House, Lower
Shanbally, Ringaskiddy. tel +353 (0) 21 4378681.
Total cycling distance for the trip 420 miles.
