In August and September, 2022, I spent 2 weeks riding, taking ferries, buses, and trains on Ireland's west coast along its Wild Atlantic Way. I took close to 1,000 photos. I've selected 69 of them as a good representation of this tour. After flying to the UK from San Francisco, picking up my bicycle, and taking a 6-hour train to Pembroke Dock in Wales, I set off. Here is a look over a harbor of the Milford Haven Waterway just north of Pembroke Dock, which you can see in the distance.  I rode up and down through countryside to the St. David's, the smallest city in Wales, where this grand Norman cathedral stands.  After the night near Fishguard, I took a ferry to Rosslare, Ireland, rode to Wexford and then took a bus to Cork, where I started riding to Kinsale on Ireland's southern coast. It's buildings were painted in vibrant colors.  I spend the night at a B&B 3 miles past Kinsale. Here is the look the following morning looking back at the countryside west of town and over the River Bandon.  Much of the riding in Ireland was along narrow, almost traffic-free, country lanes lined with high hedges.  From Kinsale, I rode to Skibbereen, where I met the coast at Timoleague, which is known for its ruined Friary. Timoleague was a major port on the estuary of the Argideen River until the Great Lisbon earthquake in 1755 sent a 20 foot tsunami up the river and ruined the port.  It wasn't unusual to be riding along the countryside and see a ruined house built to resemble a castle.  Just west of Glandore was this stunning coastal vista.  On the rocks along the bay just past Glandore, I saw this night crowned heron skulking.  This colorful sunrise is from the window of my hotel room in Skibbereen.  This placid pond is on the outskirts of Skibbereen.  From Skibbereen, I continued west onto the Mizen Peninsula. I rode in a maze of country lanes where I saw this typical Irish view.  The lanes I was riding were bordered by thick tangles of thorny blackberry and fuscia along with orange, yellow and white flowers.  The rocky hillsides were a tapestry of greens, reds, and yellows.  History is never too far away in Ireland. Here is an ancient burial site on the Mizen Peninsula coast.  I headed north across the peninsula and over the top of the Sheep Head's Way at Boolteenaugh which afforded this vista over Whiddy Island, site of a major oil disaster in 1979. Just to the left of the photo are several large oil storage tanks.  This panorama view over the top gives a more majestic vista.  The next day, a Sunday, on my way back from the store with fresh rolls for biking food, I passed this pretty patch of wildflowers.  I rode around the eastern part of Bantry Bay and by this reflective rocky confluence between a river and the bay.  From Bantry, I rode to Castletownbere on the southern shore of the Beara Peninsula. This photo, taken across Adrigole Harbor, provides a good view of the coast and the hills behind.  This morning view shows Bere Island, which dominates the horizon from Castletownbere.  From Castletownbere, I rode north toward the other side of the peninsula. This is a common inland vista. Note the sheep in the foreground.  When I got up close to the hills, I could see purple in the rocks.  At the coast is the colorful town of Eyeries.  The serpentine road along the coast, known as the Ring of Beara, had lots of coast and island sightlines.  There were lots of rocky, tree-lined inlets outlined by barren inland hills.  I particularly liked this tiny island with tall trees leaning from the prevailing wind.  From Kenmare, I rode toward Killarney, over Moll's Gap. This is the look up at the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks mountains.  After a quick downhill run, I rode through the valley of and along the Riverowenreagh.  The second climb of the day was over the short, steep Gap of Dunloe where this view of the Looscaunaugh Lough provided a moment of rest.  The descent from the Gap of Dunloe was a serpentine coast past several lakes.  The day ended in the big city of Killarney where the sun set right outside my hotel window.  Due to a time constaint, I took the bus up to Galway, a happening college town.  Sometimes, the fuscias were just too pretty to pass up.  After an unpleasant run on the main road out of Galway, I found a parallel country lane lined with nice houses. One had this paean to Laurel and Hardy.  Rural Ireland is a mix of farm fields, houses, and distant hills.  After an interesting overnight stay with a Warmshower's host, I rode north toward Connemara National Park through the town of Conk whose same named river had some pretty angles  and reflections.  Between rain storms, the road snaked over the Lough Mask.  After riding through rain for about 30 minutes, I got this view.  I soon came to the Loch Na Fooey.  I had to get over the Maum Gap to get to the coast. I followed this creek down wondering when the rain would start again.  On the run to Leenane, before the rain started again, I passed this waterfall on the Joyce River, one of the few waterfalls I saw in all of Ireland.  My hotel room in Leenane had a panoramic view that turned black and white in the rainy dusk.  The next morning was clear and the view more colorful.  My last day of riding was from Leenane to Clifden along the Killary Fjord.  After a few miles along the fjord, the road moved inland where there was grassy plains, placid rivers, and distant hills.  On the banks of the Kylemore Lough I saw this patch of pretty wildflowers.  Kylemore Lough was a large, dramatic bit of water  lined by forested hills, which was unusual in the Ireland I saw.  The Kylemore Abby is a major tourist stop, sucking in all the local traffic. I didn't visit.  Who knew that fuscias could be so dramatic?  It was a pretty day and I decided to extend my route north of Clifden by two lakes. The first was Garraunbaun Lough.  The second one was Ballynakill Lough.  On the way to Clifden, I got a look at uncleared Irish land.  Streamstown Bay is a long finger of water just north of Clifden.  I had planned an extra day in Clifden with the idea of riding around the headlands near there. But, I'd ridden on one the day before and decided to spend the day walking instead of riding. It was a sunny day and the town sits right above a placid Clifden Bay.  After reaching the end of Beach Road, I walked up the cliff path. This view over rural Ireland with its stone walls and pink and yellow hills caught my eye.  A well-known ruin, called Clifden Castle, was one of my destinations for the day. This isn't really a castle, but a private home built in 1818.  Form the top of the cliffs, I got this panoramic view over Clifden with its 2 church spires and both green and distant hills.  On my return, I stopped at Abbeyglen Castle, another grand home that is now a high-end hotel. I sat enjoying this view and the splashing of the fountain for about 90 minutes.  My return to England required 2 train rides from Galway to Dublin and the Dublin to Belfast, where the ferry for Liverpool departed. My hotel was right across the street from the dominant City Hall.  I decided to spend a day experiencing Belfast, which has a fair amount of public art, of which "The Fish" is one of the better known. Note the odd looking building behind it and, on the far right, the old clock tower.  Another feature of Belfast is its hundreds of murals, some local, some political, some environmental.  Some murals are more fantastic.  I couldn't determine the purpose of these globes floating above a traffic circle, but I found them attractive.  I rode the 6 miles from the center of Belfast to the ferry port almost entirely on bike paths. Several miles of the route was on the sidewalk/pavement past industrial plants. Where there were gates out of these locations, there were signs warning cyclists about them. Or, it was a warning to the general population to beware because there were cyclists about.  The day I arrived in Liverpool was the day Queen Elizabeth II passed away. This memorial was one of many I saw in an early morning stroll around the city.  It is hard to avoid The Beatles in Liverpool.  |