Category: End to Ends

Our plan to go to the Aran Islands was stymied by the wind: ferries weren’t running. They were more, kind of, lurching up and down and side to side in the harbour. So our Plan B, a recommendation of our top-man hostel warden Karl, was a day cycling round the strange wasteland of the Burren….

A short day in prospect today, as we headed for the trad-music hub of Doolin. A lively session of folk fiddle, flute, guitar and accordion, with Guinness as accompanist: it doesn’t get more Irish than that. Well, unless it rains. Which it did, as soon as we set off from our accomm of Crotty’s pub…

Excitement in the morning. A slow-talking Irish bloke came in to the hostel to ask uncertainly for help. He was camping in the hostel garden, but some campers’ tents had been invaded by drunks who wouldn’t leave. Of course I volunteered to help out immediately. I put the kettle on and started making some tea…

The world is split into two types: those who can be put into one of two types, and those who can’t. Well, we split into two groups this morning. I cycled with Si 40-odd miles to the hostel at Dingle to check in, and then do a circuit of the peninsula end; Sue, Paul and…

A short circular ride today to the Gap of Dunloe (pic), as I’m in Events Organiser mode, preparing a surprise birthday party for later today when I meet up with friends back at the hostel. The road up to and over the Gap is, a sign advised me, ‘primarily restricted to Horse & Trap, Ponies,…

A lovely day for cycling three gloriously scenic passes today en route to Killarney: Moll’s Gap, Ballaghbeama, and Ballaghasheen. The morning climb up to the notch of Moll’s Gap (pic) was slow and evenly-graded, the sun low, the green expanses already hot. With the new view down over the other side I struck west towards…

What could be more bracing than a cold shower in the morning? Now I know: it’s putting on yesterday’s washing that’s still wet, thanks to having forgotten to pack spare clothing. Still, once I’d got over that, I could get on my bike and get going. Except I couldn’t. My back tyre was flat, the…

Mizen Head (pic) isn’t actually the southernmost point in Ireland – that’s Brow Head, a couple of miles east – but it’s the traditional End Point of the island, so that’s where I was going to start. But first I had to get there. (I’m not a multitasker; I work linearly.) My ferry docked in…

I set off from my rented house in York pleased with myself. I’m an experienced cycle tourist. It comes automatically to me now to pack instinctively what I need, without being lumbered by what I don’t. What could possibly go wrong? Panniers full – well, actually surprisingly light, I couldn’t help thinking – I trundled…