Our destination on this trip, the West coast of Ireland, via the racing at the North West 200, this is just one of the many spectacular views along the coastline, blessed with great weather for May with only one real day of rain to spoil the fun.
This could be the last visit to the North West, perhaps. Our favoured spectating spot at Metropol is no longer open to the public. The railway embankment overlooking the exit and down to Church has been shut, someone fell on uneven ground and put a claim in against the railway! There’s only a stand with limited seats and space now. Shame, as it had great views, a large screen to keep up with what was going on around the circuit and all the facilities needed.
This year we settled on the Tides restaurant between Black Hill and Juniper, a decent spot to be fair, good views and we were blessed with great weather. We watched some racing rode round a bit, took in the sights then got on with the main part of the trip, down the West Coast.
Leaving Bushmills on the Sunday morning we skirted Coleraine and Derry, filling up at Letterkenney before tackling the fabulous R250 to Glenties, then over the Glengesh pass, like a mini Bealach na Ba and squiggly roads to Malin Beg. Scenery from postcards and calendars, a basking shark @ 12ft a 100m off shore in one of the small bays the highlight. Stunning roads, well surfaced, mostly, or like off roading, one or the other. Rain forecast tomorrow, boooo!
Day two of riding, one word, Rain. From our overnight at Fanaghan, Inver just up the coast from Killybegs to just outside Westport, we spend the evening drying out!!.
Tuesday dawns dry and the weather improves as we ride out to Clifden on the N59.
From Clifden we ride to Doolin, past the caves, full of stalactites, the tour guide asked me not to crack one off, I didn’t, I mean, she wasn’t even that pretty! We spend the evening In Gus O’Connors Doolin, eating good food and drinking Guinness, perfect. Put Connemara on your list of places to visit, as Arny said, I’ll be back.
From Doolin we ride to Killorglin, taking in the Dingle peninsula and the Connor pass along the way, a must do.
The Ring of Kerry, big scenery is the order of the day.
Ring of Kerry / Skellig Ring this morning and coast to coast this afternoon, @230 miles. The ride out to Waterville is OK, along the northern coast, but, from Waterville to Kenmare, on the lower ring, oooer, what a road, mostly smoooooth surfaced, altho I am still waiting for my testicles to drop back down from my mid torso after a couple of particularly big bumps in the road.
The afternoon ride is a ride of miles, to get from one side of the country to the other, west to east. Our last day is spent mooching up the east coast to overnight south of Dublin before the early morning thrash to the ferry
Home. 1757 miles over the course of the trip, not bad for a bike bought as a winter hack for 600 tokens. I have to admit putting the exhaust on it at nearly half the cost of the bike hurt!!!