Ireland here we come!

[gumpt1oo]

The bike is all packed and ready, and at 9.00am, me and Ian set off from Cumbria heading south to Wales.
On the Welsh border we are meeting up with John, Graeme and Dave, then it is across the top of Wales to Anglesey to catch the ferry to Dublin. From Dublin we head south to Wexford to the hotel for the first night.
Thursday we ride west to Kenmare, stopping to kiss the blarney stone on the way.
Friday we ride the Ring of Kerry and head north to Galway, stopping in Leenane.
Saturday we head back across country to Dublin.
Sunday it is ferry back to Anglesey and head back north to Cumbria.

Camera is packed, and pictures will be posted when I get back next week!

 

[CarlS]

Enjoy your trip and ride safe. I hope the weather will be good. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Rocky]

Wow, that sounds wonderful
Have a great time and be safe.

 

[shanered6]

have a great trip and we want loads of pics, and just watch out for that blarney stone it might want you to put a ring on it

 

[DaveM]

Have a great and safe trip Steve will be looking out for the return report and pics

 

[Bonnie79D]

Havea great trip. Be safe.

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[hemibee]

Have a great, safe trip. Looking forward to the photos and stories.


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[Gromit]

Have a great trip!

 

[avion]

Yep enjoy! Have a think of me when you have your first Guinness pls.

got umbrella?

Really jealous, please post lots of pics.

...

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[gumpt1oo]

Well the trip started off very wet! We left Cumbria at 9.00am and it was torrential rain and 30mph winds for the 170 mile ride to Anglesey! There was so much rain and spray on the M6 that the traffic was only moving at 45 mph!
Needless to say I have not got any pictures of this part of the journey!
When we arrived at Holyhead to catch the ferry, the weather broke and the sun came out.
This is the MV Ulysses that we sailed on. When it was first built it was the biggest vehicle ferry in the world.
It is also too big to get in one picture!




Waiting to board the ferry


Bikes strapped down and ready for off


One of the lads I went with, Graeme, is the Chief Engineer on the Ulysses so we were treated to a guided tour of the ship.
Me in the Captains seat


Engine room


Leaving Wales behind


Arriving in Dublin


When we arrived in Dublin, so did the rain! It was torrential all the way to Wexford.
The sun came out as we arrived at the hotel in Wexford.


continued..............

 

[gumpt1oo]

Day 2
We set off from Wexford and went to New Ross and visited the Dunbrody famine ship that sailed the starving Irish to America at the time of the potato famine.




From New Ross we headed west to Cork and Blarney Castle.




The Blarney stone is right at the top of the castle. In the next picture the stone is between the 2 metal rails fixed to the wall. To kiss the stone you have to lay on your back with the your head tipped right back, then they lower you down to kiss the bottom of the stone. I have now got the 'gift of the gab'.


Queue to kiss the stone


View of the grounds from the top of the castle




Inside the castle is a murder hole directly above the front door. Any unwanted intruders had rocks and boiling oil dropped on them through the hole!

 

[gumpt1oo]

From Blarney we headed south to the coast and Kinsale Harbour


continuing west to Bantry Bay, where the weather caught up with us again!


From Bantry Bay we headed north through the Caha Moutains to Kenmare our overnight stop off.




By the time we had got to the hotel in Kenmare, the sun had come out again!


continued............

 

[gumpt1oo]

Day 3 was by far the best day. 270 miles of sunshine!
We started off from Kenmare, a very pretty little village.




We then headed around the ring of Kerry, the views are stunning




When we were at Blarney Castle, we bought a singing Leprechaun


as the sun was shining we decided to give him some fresh air, and taped him to the front of Dave's BMW!
When you press his stomach, he sings 'when Irish eyes are smiling'!


More ring of Kerry pics

 

[gumpt1oo]

From the ring of Kerry we headed to Killorglin, famous for the 'Puck fair'. The puck is the male goat.




King Puck himself!


From Killorglin we headed north to catch the ferry across the Shannon. The Shannon was alive with dolphins, unfortunately, I took lots of pics but never got a dolphin, they were just to quick!


Once we had crossed the Shannon we continued up the coast to Doonbeg Bay




continued...............

 

[gumpt1oo]

From Doonbeg we headed for the Cliffs of Moher, this is a stunning area!






From here we continued north through the Burren National Park. Some fantastic twisty roads here!




continuing on to our hotel in Leenaun


continued...............

 

[CarlS]

Lovely pics and beautiful scenery. Thanks for sharing these. I am

Those cliffs are something. Gorgeous!

 

[gumpt1oo]

Day 4 saw the rain return with a vengeance!
View from the hotel in Leenaun




Another storm brewing!


From Leenaun we headed up through the Partry Mountains, stopping off at a monument to the famine.







From here we headed north to Westport to the mountain of Croagh Patrick. Unfortunately we could not see the top. Legend has it that St Patrick fasted on top of Croagh Patrick and cast out all the snakes from Ireland. Must have worked as there are no snakes in Ireland!


The weather then turned horrendous for the rest of the journey to the hotel in Malahide north of Dublin.

continued...............

 

[gumpt1oo]

Home time!
We boarded the ship in Dublin, at 7.00am. The lads were feeling 'dog rough' after a night on the 'black stuff', so I thought they would be better of in here!


When we arrived back in Wales, the weather was fantastic, so we decided to take the long way home through Snowdonia.
This is Shane's territory!
Lynn Ogwen


Looking back towards the Devil's Kitchen


This mountain is the Tryfan


The boys getting ready for off.


We continued through Snowdonia and on through the rolling hills of Denbyshire




We pulled in a lay-by for a rest and met one of the locals!


Then it was a blast up the M6 back to Cumbria.
A brilliant trip with good mates, 1200 miles in total.
It will now take me a week to clean my bike!

 

[CarlS]

I does look like you are going to have some cleaning to do. Glad you had a good time and are home safely. Thanks for a great ride report.

 

[DaveM]

Fantastic photo and you sure had some stunning roads to ride. Real shame about all the rain but I suppose you guys are used to that type of weather

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