Southern Ireland in August

Arch Stanton · Aug 19, 2019

A few pics and stuff from my recent jaunt around the south of Ireland, from Rosslare to Galway, over five nights, with my 15 year old son, who is rapidly falling in love with motorcycle touring, this being our second trip this year. We're travelling two up on a K1600GT

Day 1 was a leisurely ride from Oxford over to Fishguard for the 1.15pm ferry to Rosslare.
I booked cabins both ways,mainly so we could kick off the bike gear and have somewhere to leave it all but it turned out great to grab a few hours sleep, I think the cabins added about £50.
Destination for the night was Dungarvan, where we found a good pub for dinner (Merry's Bar) there's a little bit to see around the town, mainly the castle and harbour, it's about 90mins from Rosslare and was a good stop. I booked a room through Air BnB in a private house that turned out to be very comfortable & good value at £55

Arch Stanton · Aug 19, 2019

Day 2

First full day in Ireland and the weather was looking good, loaded up and ready to roll to the nearest Maccy Ds for a quick breakfast and then off on our way, via Cork and the N71 through Bandon & Clonakilty, a minor detour to the Drombeg Stone Circle and continuing on through Bantry to Glengariff, then heading over to the Healy Pass, onto the Ring of Kerry, stopping off over night in Cahersiveen at the Sive Hostal.

Arch Stanton · Aug 19, 2019

day2 cont

Sive Hostal was great, clean ensuite room with great view and access to a rooftop terrace, simple breakfast, bike parked in the back yard. cost 60Euros, decent selection of bars and restaurants in the town/village, whatever it is.
A decent dinner down the road at Ferthas kept us happy and a couple of beers (cola for the lad of course..) on the roof garden afterwards ended a day of excellent riding, weather and views.
only 160 miles but on the road from 10ish til 6ish today.

Arch Stanton · Aug 19, 2019

day3

Day 3: Cahersiveen to Kilkee.
The weather is looking a bit ropey, we retrace our steps a little from yesterday to take in the Skellig loop (Star Wars fans will know it) rejoining the Ring of Kerry in a anti-clockwise direction (which is the 'official' way round that tour buses follow to keep traffic flowing) stopping at the cafe at Molls Gap...hugh portions in there! on into Killarney National Park and onto the Dingle Peninsular and up the Conor Pass where the visibility was poor due to the low clouds...I'm sure it's lovely up there in good weather! Making our way up to Tarbert and the ferry over the Shannon Estuary towards our digs at Myles Creek guesthouse in Kilkee

Traffic893 · Aug 19, 2019

enjoying so far.

DeanoBeano · Aug 19, 2019

Looks great and is certainly on my 'to do' list

Ogmios · Aug 19, 2019

enjoying this. :thumb2

Hatcho · Aug 19, 2019

Great read - keep it coming! :thumb2

PAL55 · Aug 20, 2019

Enjoying your trip report, keep it coming. I did the Wild Atlantic way back in May with 2 of my mates, we had really good weather, which just added to a fantastic trip.

frosti · Aug 20, 2019

Good report.
Looks like you had a fine trip.

I used to eat in Merry's in Dungarvan once a week, a long time ago.
Before it became more gastro and when the soup used to be in a small stainless steel bowl and did not cost much.

It is still a fine place to eat though.

Arch Stanton · Aug 20, 2019

Day 4

Day 4: Kilkee to Galway

Myles Creek Guesthouse was a step up in price from the previous two nights accommodation, costing 99Euros, unfortuately the step up in price didn't really equate with a step up in quality. Our room was at the back of the building with no view to speak of, the wifi didn't extend there and we heard the nightclub next door til 2am (earplugs helped greatly with that!) Bike parked on the street for the night but no issues
The town itself felt a little flat, I expected a bit more as it's a beachside place but I saw a sign saying swimming was not advised due to water pollution for the next five days so that may be the reason, still one night only and the food was good including the full Irish breakfast....with chips, black & white puddings!
We woke to grey skies but no rain.

Sorry for the sideways pics, I can't figure out how to change 'em :nenau

de crowe · Aug 20, 2019

plenty of heavy rain showers here in Galway, hopefully it will clear up for you. pm me if you have any issues. safe riding.

Davel · Aug 20, 2019

Looks really lovely.

Another must do trip...

Arch Stanton · Aug 20, 2019

de crowe said:
plenty of heavy rain showers here in Galway, hopefully it will clear up for you. pm me if you have any issues. safe riding.

Thank you, although we're home now, I'm writing this report as & when I get a bit of time after our return last Friday

Arch Stanton · Aug 20, 2019

Day 4 cont

Leaving Kilkee behing we head northbound via Donald Trumps cosy little gaff with associated golf course and on up to Cliffs of Moher, the weather closed in as we turned out of Lahinch and as we approached the tourist trap of the Moher cliffs visibility was low & fairly heavy rain so we skipped the 8 Euro per person car park and walk to the cliffs and pressed on hoping for the weather to clear which it eventually did after we left the Burren walk spot on the R477.
Stopping for coffee in Ballyvaughan we headed inland to Father Teds house via some very narrow roads with grass in the middle, some great views over the rocky landscape of the Burren National Park, the weather brightening all the time.

Arch Stanton · Aug 20, 2019

D4: Teds to Galway

It was great to see Father Teds house, I loved the program back in the day, you can book to go inside for Tea & Cake, we didn't as I'd read it's not like whats seen on the telly so a few photos & onwards out of the middle of nowhere towards Galway for our stay at Ocean Crest in Salthill, arriving around 4pm

Galway was nice and had a good feel about it, we wandered about just following our noses, had a nice cuppa in the Jungle Cafe, bought some tourist tat, watched the street musicians in the old town, mooched around Eyre Square and went down the road from the B&B to O' Connors which is a pub crammed full of old stuff like copper kettles, bicycles, lamps and all sorts of things, it makes an interesting look around, dimly lit, sewing machine tables & sawdust on the floor kinda place.

Arch Stanton · Aug 20, 2019

more Galway pics

some more photos around Galway, Ocean Crest and O'Connors

Arch Stanton · Aug 21, 2019

Day 5: galway to Rosslare

Last full day in Ireland and in lazy mode I simply set the nav to avoid tolls and we take a leisurely ride across to Rosslare and our accommodation at the Port Lodge only 800m from the ferry terminal. The weather is fine and dry and we make steady progress, stopping off at Circle K's and Applegreens for lunch and coffee, these were great stops on the road where most had a sandwich bar with hot food options too, got into Rosslare at 5ish. The evening is warm (24 C) and we wander down to the port, grabbing a takeaway chippy from Tuskers, and onto the beach watching the ferries come and go.
The Port Lodge suits our needs perfectly, cost about 70 Euros with simple continental breakfast, it's got an area set aside for bike parking, it's on gravel, the only other bike was a German plated GS12 complete with spare tyre on the back.

Arch Stanton · Aug 21, 2019

Run for home

Friday 16 Aug: Last day and the weather is the worst of the whole trip, heavy rain, good job it's only 800 metres to the ferry!
Following advice from the hotel receptionist, we're at the terminal for 7am (ferry leaves at 8) and ride straight on, bike secured and we're up in the cabin soon after.

We dock at Fishguard and the weather is no better, the traffic and road conditions are pretty bad the whole way, the ride home took 5 hours in some of the worst conditions I've ever ridden in, going over the Severn bridge was even a bit scarey!
All home safe and well tho'
Did just under 1200 miles door to door, the K16 was faultless and did everything well (even the small tracks to Teds!) The only casualty of the trip being one Scala headset that took on water.
Looking into the next leg, from Galway up north :thumb2

Flyingdutchman · Aug 21, 2019

Let me know when you are doing the next leg up North West, make sure you do Donegal properly!!

Southern Ireland in August

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