Ireland June 2024

[HGS]

After the small trip in May came the bigger trip.
Full group of 8 booked, then down to 7 after one crashed his bike 6 weeks before set off
Broken arm and a bit sore but much more pained to not be going

We had discussed the Wild Atlantic Way last year. Northern Ireland need to be in the trip so decided half of the WAW and N I, see how it went and to do the other half of the WAW in a couple of years. France already booked for June 2025

We didn't want to follow the WAW to a 'T', but get the best bits we could within the time frame

Bit of a bitch getting 4 rooms for 8 originally spaced out well enough along the route of 985 miles

Nice and easy set off Wrexham to Birkenhead - less than 40 minutes for me
No rain



10.30 sailing from Birkenhead - Bit grim. The weather.......



Thought we had struck lucky as the weather turned glorious for the crossing



Clouds building up over the hills but still no rain





Must mention Nutt Travel based in Coleraine - Done multiple bookings over the last couple of months. Dealt with by Kelly. Was able to do the flexi price for less than the standard ticket with Stena (Which came in useful for the broken arm one) and changing dates for our Isle of Man participant the day before his sailing

https://nutttravel.com/

Landed at 6.30pm so chose the Premier Inn at Carrickfergus. Easy, you know what you are getting, pub with somewhere with food attached (And a 25% off food code )



Ready for the proper start.........

 

[HGS]

Day 2

Carrickfergus to Derry - 137 miles



Cloudy and dull, but again, no rain

The Larne Road is lovely once you clear the built up area

The A2 Coastal Road is stunning. We didn't stop until we got to Cushendun - Some weak bladders amongst us



Took a detour off the Coastal Route to go via Torr. Lovely views

Onto Ballycastle for bladder refills





Then south towards Armoy

One place that was all of lists to visit was Ballymoney....glad I've been









Whiskey...want to like but just can't
Off next to Bushmills for some of the group who have fireproof throats




After a short tour it was off north to the coast for Portrush and Portstewart. Was good to see what the NW200 riders travel through, a lot faster than us. Not a lot of room for error

So we had ice creams and coffee at a sedate pace







Off through Coleraine trying to stay close to Lough Foyle and into Derry
Picked a hotel about a mile from the city

https://www.evergladeshotelderry.com/

Was very nice, not sure what they thought when 7 bikes rolled onto the car park past reception. Booking nicer hotels very early gets some good deals and as a group, a decision made long ago was no roughing it (but don't go friggin mad)

Maximum images reached....so will continue......

 

[HGS]

Day 2 continued

Ate in the hotel. Very nice, refined but not snobby






The restaurant had some lovely looking food...opted for the Chicken Supreme....and it was



For all the real ale & Guinness lovers that I know are on here...I was on the lager for the rest of the week
Very nice it was, despite any cries of gassy piss etc....

 

[HGS]

Day 3 - Derry to Annagary - 150 miles + Ferry





Good start to the day and it is dry again



Off along the shore of Lough Foyle and onto Malin Head.
Great roads

'If this is the most northerly part of Ireland.....what the fu*% is that bit?' was the question heard through the cardo








Press onto the Mamore Gap...more great roads



Down to Buncranna for the ferry over Lough Swilly



Doesn't look it but was a bit choppy out in the middle



Had nearly an hour to kill so went to Tank & Skinnys cafe by the harbour pier....very nice coffee....food looked good too but still full of breakfast

Had to keep a hold on the bike.....more that the ferry wasn't very stable in the slight swell



Off at Rathmullan then keeping close to the shore to Annagary. Fantastic roads again

Our hotel - Caisleáin Óir Hotel

https://www.donegalhotel.ie/

Was a really good hotel in a beautiful location
Staff sorted parking for the 7 bikes at the rear



Max images reached

Continued next post......

 

[HGS]

Day 3 continued......

View from room









The hotel has it's own micro brewery. Errigal Brewing Company
Was good beer



Due to much food and drinking, I had to take reduction measures....bring out the vodka

 

[HGS]

Day 4 - Annagary to Bundoran - 112 miles




Another fine start to the day
Small breakfast and the the sky is blue



We stop for fuel in Adara but the coffee place is shut, which as fate would have it, was a good omen



Onto the R230 and the Glengash Gap....brilliant road, brilliant weather

Stopped at Mels Coffee van
Great coffee, too early for cakes but they looked good
Small and busy lay-by parking....got lucky with spaces as it filled up and more cars were trying to get in







Onto Malin Beg

Dead end road but worth the double back







After a soak in the sun we cracked on to Killybegs



Coffee and cake in the sunshine and a long chat with an old guy who had worked on the trawlers years back. The port was full of trawlers, some of them very expensive looking things.
He told us they would stay in harbour now until the winter as quotas had been reached and due to EU regs the industry was fucked as Euro boats would still come fish the local areas.
Not sure how this keeps the boat owners and crews going and he wasn't very complimentary about the fishing rules but had some good stories from ago

Our hotel was in Bundorran. The Allingham Arms - 45 euros PP per night including breakfast. Turned out to be the bargain of the week
Nice hotel with lovely staff. It's a seaside resort town so I think they get busy in season
Entertainment on each night...mainly country music, lots of weekend events etc
Clean, comfy, good breakfast and good parking

https://www.allinghamarmshotel.ie/





Maximum images...to be continued......

 

[HGS]

Day 4 continued......

No food pictures it seems...still on short rations

 

[HGS]

Day 5 - Bundoran to Newfield - 169 miles




Weather is dry, cool and cloudy




First stop is Mullaghmore Head and Kilkilloge






Nice run down to Sligo and a right turn onto the R292 for a detour to nowhere really, just a loop for the hell of it. Goes near Sligo Airport and has some stunning views

Get onto the N59 to Dromore West then onto the R297 and a round a bout way to Ballina and off onto the R314
Stop at Glenulra after some great roads



And it starts to spit

Off to Achill Island stopping in Malleranny or Mulranny where we stop for a coffee and a weather discussion
The wind is getting quite strong but the rain is holding off off. The clouds are low



Seeing as it may be along time until we get here again, if ever, off we go

All is well until we go over the sound. The wind gets up the cloud cover lowers and it starts to rain. We have been lucky for 4 and a half days

Get as far as the Glencoe Cemetary as one of the group has a relative buried there and had never visited

He didn't know the plot number, so 3 go up and down the paths until they find it. Thought 7 might look to be a tad overkill and have the locals after us



Visit done - Make for the hotel

Staying at Nevins Newfield Inn

https://www.nevinsinn.com/

Nice place, good food
I didn't see the hotel rooms as 3 of us were given the apartment. A 2 bedroom, 2 storey new build next door but one. What a lovely place. Kitchen, Lounge, both rooms ensuite and a downstairs toilet.
The others said the hotel rooms were small, but that was after seeing our place









To be continued......

 

[HGS]

Day 5 continued

It's got a nice bar area, interesting characters

Food at Nevins was good, thought I was about ready for some red meat.

Steak sandwich was really good




Service was unusual

And it blew and rained all night...outside I mean

 

[HGS]

Day 6 Newfield to Galway - 151 miles



Breakfast at Nevins was great, weather was shite...still blowing...still pissing it down



Off to Newport for fuel and then onto Westport

Right turn onto R355, fantastic road
The rain kept coming





And coming



Beautiful road, would have loved to have done it in the dry

Onto the N59 past Leenaun...roads just get better

Kylemore Abbey...in the rain





Carried on through Clifden

Stopped at Derrigimlagh, at Coral Strand on the R341
So peaceful and quiet....apart from the wind





The route was then over moorland. Slowly the rain eased
Got to Costello, Derrynea via the R340 and R336
Stunning scenery, very quiet roads





To be continued.........

 

[Old Codger]

Thanks for posting this report I’m over in September for the Leenane meeting and doing a large chunk of your northern route .Most helpful.

 

[HGS]

Day 6 continued.....

Weather slowly got better to the point I had to stop and take the water proofs off as I was getting too hot

Allaphreaghaun





Got the hotel about 4.45pm

When booking this trip, fate had it that we were in Galway for a Friday night
Galway is bloody expensive for anything in the centre on a Friday / Saturday and getting 4 rooms was problematic
Last night away so treated them one about 6 miles out with a pool and spa

Oranmore Lodge Hotel

https://www.oranmorelodge.ie/

Options were either get an Uber into the city, eat at hotel or go out somewhere else
As it happened, there was a wedding on at the hotel and a large influx of a coach of travellers from Las Vegas
The Irish wedding was going great guns, musicians, lots of drunk people and the bar was rammed
Spoke to the young barman and he recommended the indian restaurant a 10 minute walk away

What a great little suburb village Oranmore is. Food, pubs, even a Tesco

The Oran Tandoori

https://www.orantandoori.com/

Great food, got us sat down really quickly for a Friday night as the place was nearly full and more came to be turned away for later after us







When we got back to the Hotel at about 10.30pm, the wedding was going strong and louder. We looked in and saw a vision of debauchery, so got drinks in the reception and off to bed

 

[HGS]

Thanks for posting this report I’m over in September for the Leenane meeting and doing a large chunk of your northern route .Most helpful.

Hope you get the good weather

 

[HGS]

Last day - Galway to Dublin Port - 132 miles



Motorway to catch the early afternoon ferry to Holyhead

Weather was pretty good. Went back home via the A5 again, through the mountains. Stuff the A55




The pink tour was enroute to Liverpool or somewhere after doing Dublin. A dozen or more of the most luxurious coaches and a couple of dozen of 'Fly by Night' tour artics waiting to load onto our ferry
Apparently Pink and the dancers etc fly over

Weather on approach to Holyhead






As before. beautiful country, warm and friendly people
I will be going over again, so much more to see

 

[drimcong]

Day 6 continued.....

Weather slowly got better to the point I had to stop and take the water proofs off as I was getting too hot

Allaphreaghaun

View attachment 337126

View attachment 337127

Got the hotel about 4.45pm

When booking this trip, fate had it that we were in Galway for a Friday night
Galway is bloody expensive for anything in the centre on a Friday / Saturday and getting 4 rooms was problematic
Last night away so treated them one about 6 miles out with a pool and spa

Oranmore Lodge Hotel

https://www.oranmorelodge.ie/

Options were either get an Uber into the city, eat at hotel or go out somewhere else
As it happened, there was a wedding on at the hotel and a large influx of a coach of travellers from Las Vegas
The Irish wedding was going great guns, musicians, lots of drunk people and the bar was rammed
Spoke to the young barman and he recommended the indian restaurant a 10 minute walk away

What a great little suburb village Oranmore is. Food, pubs, even a Tesco

The Oran Tandoori

https://www.orantandoori.com/

Great food, got us sat down really quickly for a Friday night as the place was nearly full and more came to be turned away for later after us

View attachment 337128


View attachment 337129


When we got back to the Hotel at about 10.30pm, the wedding was going strong and louder. We looked in and saw a vision of debauchery, so got drinks in the reception and off to bed

another hotel, the oranmore lodge, coach house
aldi and lidl,
mc donagh, old brewery pub, etc
a handful of restaurants
last bus is @ half eleven from Galway Eyre Sq.
also train station

 

[Mzokk]

Enjoyed that write up. We are blessed with great motorcycling Country in this part of the world.

 

[HGS]

Enjoyed that write up. We are blessed with great motorcycling Country in this part of the world.

I am 15 minutes out of the North Wales Mountains, so a bit spoilt
But with the ferry cost so reasonable I will definitely be coming back

 

[Mzokk]

My first ever touring holiday on a motorcycle was to Wales in 1981. I rode to Droitwich to pick up my English girlfriend and Stayed in Tenby, Aberdovey, Harlech and Betws-y-Coed. We stayed in a B&B in Tenby and camped the rest of the time.......Two up on a Honda 250 Superdream. Great memories at the ripe old age of 20

​

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Thank you for the write up, it really is a lovely part of the world.