Southwest Ireland - Cliffs of Moher and Kenmare

Day 18 (June 22): Galway - Cliffs of Moher (90 km - 900 hm / Σ 1460 km - 13210 hm)

The first 10 kilometers out of Galway are quite busy with a lot of traffic and numerous traffic lights. The next 25 km to Kinvara are unremarkable; we either cycle on side roads or on a bike path along the main road. In Kinvara, we encounter the first bus groups heading to Dunguaire Castle, a so-called Tower House from the 16th century. We opt for coffee over visiting the castle. After Kinvara, we soon enter the Burren National Park, an impressive karst landscape with extensive rock formations. For us cyclists, the surroundings are challenging due to the inclines and increasing headwinds. Today's leg can be managed better, allowing us to take a second longer break with vegetable soup and tea for two. Now, it’s not far to the Cliffs of Moher, but we still anticipate some climbs. The last two kilometers before the Visitor's Center are particularly tough; the wind blows with tremendous strength from above, and we have to give it our all to make it to the top. Once we arrive, we enjoy the stunning view of the cliffs, which rise vertical over 200 m from the Atlantic Ocean and stretch over more than eight kilometers. The path along the cliffs is closed after three fatalities in 2024. We let ourselves roll down to our B&B. Since it is cool and rainy, the landlord drives us to the nearest restaurant - great service.

Day 19 (June 23): Cliffs of Moher - Tarbert - Ballybunion (85 km - 850 hm / Σ 1545 km - 14060 hm)

In the morning, we don't have to think about clothing - rain gear all the way, which remains on throughout the day. Drizzle - all day long. Dominique comments toward the end of the tour that today’s experience can be summed up briefly in the blog. And she’s right. It was a battle against rain and wind and the doubts that creep in along the way.....

Scenically, this is the least interesting leg of our tour; it mostly consists of green pastures with relatively many houses along the somewhat narrow roads. As on every day, we are constantly going uphill and downhill. We are getting frustrated with the constant pedaling on short inclines and the sometimes fierce headwind. But we must and want to continue. At a gas station, we grab a quick coffee while still in our wet rain gear. The gas station owner apologizes for the bad weather - he’s right. We take the ferry across the Shannon, which takes 20 minutes, and then cycle another 25 km to our B&B Seaview. And oh miracle - after a hot shower, we actually see the Atlantic Ocean. A reward for a hard day!

Today’s brief report gives the opportunity to shed light on our daily routine: After the morning wash, we have breakfast, usually at our accommodation. Even if you don’t opt for the big Scottish or Irish breakfast with sausage, bacon, eggs, and beans, there is a selection of various egg preparations, cereals, toast, and more. In any case, you can start the day energized. We check where and when there’s a café on the way. Ideally, our first stop is after 30 to 40 kilometers. Sometimes it’s already been more than 50 km because there was nothing in the lonely area. When we do find a café, there’s a great selection of cakes and sandwiches or affordable lunch offers. Almost everywhere, you’ll find 'soup of the day', a very popular dish. After the break, it always takes us some time to get our pedals moving smoothly again. Depending on the opportunity and length of the leg, we take a break for afternoon tea. This time we’re making long legs of about 90 km each day, with plenty of altitude gain. We’ve planned for a rest day but haven’t realized it yet. By the time we reach our accommodation, it is usually already 5 PM. Unpacking, refreshing ourselves, connecting with home, reflecting on the day, and looking forward to the next takes about an hour. Afterwards, we enjoy a well-deserved beer at a pub, mostly a Guinness here in Ireland. Then dinner at a pub or restaurant. Back at the accommodation, we plan for the next day or days. We’ve adjusted our plan to skip Southeast Ireland and instead take the ferry from Cork to Roscoff on Saturday and continue our tour in Brittany. We end the day with blog entries or reading, where we often end up falling asleep soon. The entire day revolves around cycling and the many impressions from the road.

Day 20 (June 24): Ballybunion - Kenmare (100 km - 1100 hm / Σ 1645 km - 15070 hm)

After 10 km, we need to put on our rain gear today as well, even though the weather forecast had predicted dry weather for the morning. But we have learned by now that there are significant regional differences, and rain can often accompany us. Garmin indicates eight inclines according to its categories, which demand a lot from us overall. Dominique’s remark after the last ascent to 265 m after 90 km sums it up aptly: 'I can’t go any further!' Fortunately, at that point, we only have 10 km of descent left to Kenmare. Part of the preceding 90 km has been challenging, specifically the last 25 km. After 38 relatively flat kilometers, we reach Tralee, perfect for a coffee break. Then it gets very steep, with inclines of up to 13%, just barely rideable. We cycle on side roads through a landscape that significantly differs from the north, with more settlements and cultivated land filled with meadows, pastures, and fields. And thus, there’s also a bit more traffic. However, we must commend the Irish drivers for their consideration; they stop at narrow spots and wait until we can pass or they can go. The second stop is in beautiful, lush surroundings at Hathy’s with a delicious soup of the day. Refueled, we tackle the last 30 km and two passes. On our way to the Gap of Dunloe, it’s sometimes too steep for us, so we better take a short push. At the mountain pass, a breathtaking view of a beautiful landscape opens up with Ireland’s highest mountains, all almost unreal in their greenness. It’s simply indescribable what primeval nature images we encounter, and we are continually overwhelmed. The frequent rains here are evident by the height of the ferns along the roadside. Along our route, idyllic streams flow, small waterfalls, or we gaze at wild mountainsides. We are now also battling drizzle and especially headwinds while climbing steeply. As mentioned before, we manage to make it to the top with our last strength and then descend to Kenmare. During dinner, we chat with an Irish couple who regularly cycle along river routes in Germany. Here it’s 'too hilly' for them. We end the evening at Murphy's with traditional Irish instrumental music and Guinness. Wonderful!