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Post by Rubbertramp on May 17, 2015 21:50:46 GMT
Well it seemed the next logical step having struggled around the British Isles with me second hand bike and camper, so here I am five days into this Irish voyage of discovery. Got off the ferry in Larne, turned right and found myself on the A2 coastal road along with hundreds of motorcyclists going up the Antrim coast on their way to the Northwest 200 event. Great views across the North Channel further up to Kintyre, Jura, Islay and Aisa Craig. Overnight spots are relatively easy to find despite there being an abundance of height barriers in this tourist area. Beautiful out-of-the-way places to be found off the beaten track in the moorland areas between Ballycastle and The Giant's Causeway. The Giant's Causeway; Another Stonehenge-like rip off cash cow for the National Trust.....a world heritage site - if you can pay. If you enter via their car park or visitor centre it will cost £9 per person! It's free to view on foot however so we went there on a four mile hike on the coastpath.
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Post by billieblue on May 17, 2015 21:57:32 GMT
Wonderful....enjoy Mark. Looking forward to many more pics. What's next, the moon? X
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Post by WindDancer on May 19, 2015 6:33:28 GMT
Looks fabulous!
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Post by Rubbertramp on May 27, 2015 18:55:24 GMT
A fascinating ride along the clifftops near Caslerock revealed the Mussenden Temple. Built in 1875 by the bishop of Derry as a library, in the style of some Italian antiquity. Then thought we'd take a stroll along Benone Strand next day to the ferry at Magilligan point until we ran into the army firing guns....bullets too! Cant go through it......have to go round it! We're not scared, we've got boots! The red flags meant we couldn't go any further than three miles. Bastids! So cycle instead by road past Magilligan Prison then on to the Foyle Ferry for the crossing to Donegal after a pint of the black stuff in the Bar at the Point. stonedaddy - That stuff you drink over there is complete sludge compared to the nectar they serve you up over here! Into Donegal now and up eventually to Culdaff and a night out in the McGuinness Bar after a day off fishin and chillin at Finnagoe Bay. Chatted to a deaf guy in there communicating mostly by post-it notes. My good mate and co-traveller getting propositioned with a hotel room every time I went to the bog! Heading towards Malin Head now and finding it easy to find overnight stops....height barriers no longer grow in this part of Ireland it seems - fingers crossed!
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on May 27, 2015 22:33:40 GMT
Malin Head! It's nearly 'Sailing By' time just now....
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Post by Rubbertramp on May 28, 2015 21:10:19 GMT
Wonderful....enjoy Mark. Looking forward to many more pics. What's next, the moon? X Nah. No atmosphere!
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Post by Rubbertramp on May 28, 2015 21:13:45 GMT
Malin Head! It's nearly 'Sailing By' time just now.... Yeah nice! Unfortunately, can't get the shipping forecast here but there are warnings of gales in.....well wherever that bloke on the bike is....bbrrrr!
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Post by Rubbertramp on Jun 2, 2015 18:54:27 GMT
Attachment DeletedMalin Head - just out of this world! Spent the day hiking around the headland. The Atlantic is so turbulent there that they've never been able to build a lighthouse. Came across a guy from Nashville Tenessee (y'all) who's thinking of buying a place there. He thinks it's a perfect place for his 7 year old and his partner's 7 year old to grow up....he's right of course but I don't hold out much hope for her though - she was sitting in the car with the heater on trying to keep warm - and she's from Norn Iron! Weather has been very rough mind, heavy showers, a storm yesterday afternoon and constant strong westerlies for the last 2 weeks. Guess which direction I'm pedalling in? Yeah West! On down to Buncrana next to get the ferry across Lough Swilly ....only the ferry doesn't run any more so have to buy another map and make a 50 mile detour around it via Letterkenny. Nice to get inland a bit though - tis only a force six here! After a night parked outside the ruined Killydonnell Friary ,a crackin' ride down to Rathmelton where I was encouraged to drink "Football Special" by the Swilly Bottling Company! Think I'll stick to the black stuff for now. Have gone up the other side of Lough Swilly now and spent all of yesterday holed up from the storm on a beach near Port Salon. A quick word on the costs of trip so far. Very surprised on how cheap it is to live here, as I was told otherwise. I suppose some of that is due to the exchange rate but we've stopped trying to convert Euros to pounds now. Even so, to give you an idea; petrol is about the equivalent of £1.04-£1.07 a litre. Diesel is cheaper over here and works out at less than a quid per litre. Guinness varies between £2.70 and £3.30 a pint (no ales to speak of) Food and other groceries are about the same in euros an they are in pounds in the UK. Three cheers for the Irish!
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Post by Rubbertramp on Jun 2, 2015 18:57:48 GMT
Some more from around Lough Swilly...and it was!
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Post by Rubbertramp on Jun 19, 2015 21:05:34 GMT
Still pottering round Donegal (it's big). It's the annual All Ireland Gaelic football just started and they're big into it round here. Green and Yellow flags everywhere. Each town and village, however small seems to have its own stadium. Everyone is a lot more into sport and fitness here. Power walking is very popular and the other day I saw a rowing machine, cycling machine and a multi-gym in the street! So you can have a row, a bike ride and press some benches on yer morning constitutional! All free! Cool! It brightened up for a bit after Port Salon and after riding around the Rosguill peninsula we ended up in this place.... www.singingpub.ie/ A cracking little bar. Good food, great Guinness and a big field at the back where you can stop overnight for free. Water tap and rubbish bins provided....And yes we sang! A couple of Cornish rebel songs in return for some Irish ones. A great Craic!.....by the way, that craic stuff seems to be compulsory over here, especially in Letterkenny (so the radio keeps telling us) I hear it can be addictive! Have to go round an estuary or two to get to Dunfanaghy and the wind is back with a vengeance. Force nine 300 metres up on Horn Head! Round to Gortahork (more estuaries!)Bunbeg and Burtonport and the coastline is like bloody Norway! Turning up a lane out of Dungloe I ask an owd fella who's leaning on his gate if this is the way to Finlay's Bar and can I cycle on the beach and get round it. "Aye ya can" Says Jimmy (for it is he). "All the way to the pier". We have a natter for 20 minutes or so and the guy has an encyclopedic knowledge. When I tell him I'm from Cornwall he tells me about the local silver mines, now closed where there was a big Welsh community living up to about 30 years ago. "Cornish too?" I ask him. "Aye, them an'all", but all the time he's up close and he's spitting in my face, bless him! Jimmy's minder/carer pops his head over the hedge to tell him his dinner's ready And I get to dry off going down the lane. Headed round to Portnoo and then on to Ardara before knocking it on the head for a few days after a gruelling walk in the mountains near Slievetooey. A couple of days touring round doing touristy stuff before taking Jill to the Airport as she has to go back to work (shame). Thanks Jill. You've been tremendous company! Attachments:
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Post by Firefox on Jun 20, 2015 11:28:50 GMT
Sounds fantastic. They have to do lots of exercise to work off all that Guiness from the craic sessions!
How is Joe faring. Has he lost his chubbyness yet?
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Post by Rubbertramp on Jun 21, 2015 20:45:19 GMT
Fit as a butcher's Vern! You won't recognise him.
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Post by robmac on Jun 22, 2015 9:21:01 GMT
Fit as a butcher's Vern! You won't recognise him. Wots a Butchers Vern, Mark?
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Post by Rubbertramp on Jun 22, 2015 17:46:52 GMT
Hee hee! A butcher's Vern, Robert is the instrument that Mr Firefox uses to extract your blood while you are asleep!
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