Saturday 16 December 2017

2017 IN 60 SECONDS

My favourite journey in 2017 was cycling the Radnor Ring which is a circular route through the mountains in mid Wales
I enjoyed the remoteness and spectacular scenery.
Wales is a great place for the touring cyclist and in the evenings, I often find myself talking about farming, rugby and red kites.
I have also been to South West Ireland. This has superb coastal rides and there is still much to see of old Ireland. Castletownbere is an excellent centre where there is a thriving fishing industry and heroic lifeboat crews. There is also MacArthy's Bar where you can buy a tin of beans, a pint of Guinness and hear stories about Dr Aiden MacArthy, a true hero of the Second World War
My favourite place in Ireland is Westport in Co Mayo.  There is a ride passing Croagh Patrick to Mweelrea where the scenery is unbelievably beautiful.
After a day's bike ride from Westport, there is sometimes Irish Dancing to watch in its Theatre in the evening, always a joy for me.
Nearer home, I cycled the length of Cornwall meeting many visitors from Europe and a group from Australia.
My favourite ride locally is the Devon C2C from Plymouth to Ilfracombe but I usually stop at Barnstaple and catch the train home

Dartmoor with Burrator Lake and Sheepstor in the Background