I want to tell you why I am going to Ireland with my bike. It starts in April so I am on countdown. It is the Full Monte as I will be cycling around the entire coastline. I have been to Ireland several times ranging from Wexford to Dingle, Donegal, Derry and the Antrim Hills. This journey will connect these places up so I will be revisiting the North West Trail in Donegal and finding new places such as exploring the Copper Coast in Waterford.
Ireland has so many heads, or promontories, that I find it impossible to work out the distance. I am guessing that it will be about 3,000km. Ireland's climate will be interesting too. My friend, Colin from Donegal, talks about Irish mist and leads me to believe that it is a whisky. When I cycled the North West Trail 3 years ago, it was in glorious sunshine and Donegal Bay opened up as a spellbinding maritime vista. On Valencia Island last year, the wind was so strong that I could not make any forward headway at all.
I will start at Rosslare and my first destination will be Hook Head, then peddle up alongside Waterford Harbour and onwards towards the windswept Mizen Head. The journey north from Mizen will be dramatic and, I hope, enchanting along Ireland's Wild Atlantic coast. Malin Head will be the most northerly point, then the journey will turn east and south through Dublin back to the start at Rosslare.
Here are a few images from previous trips
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| The North West Trail, Sligo |
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The Cycle Route to Achill Island, Co Mayo
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High Street, Wexford
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| His latest purchase |
How long have I planned for the journey? My answer is that it will finish when it's over. I have allowed 6 weeks but, if I don't finish then, it is a good excuse to come back
