The Dingle Peninsula from Connor Pass
The past few days, I have been on tour in the South West of Ireland. Fortunately, the weather was kind, and we had two good days of dry, even sunny weather. It is said that the South West of Ireland is often drier than the rest of Ireland. I would definitely recommend this as a destination for a cycling holiday. There are some great roads, low levels of traffic and stunning scenery.
At the top of Connor Pass
On the first day we cycled from Dingle to Cahersiveen via Connor pass on the second day we cycled through Molls Gap to Black Valley I was constantly amazed at the lack of traffic. There was something fascinating about cycling on a road where you are the only person for miles around.
The Dingle Peninsula. Near Mount Brandon, Ireland’s second highest mountain at 950m.
The climbs of were really enjoyable, they weren’t too steep; the average gradient was between 5% and 10%. Some like the Connor pass went on for 6km, but the lack of steepness meant our party could all climb up.
Re. my website http://www.travellogireland.com
Does anyone want an independent assessment of Ireland’s Official Cycling Routes? If they do read on. My name is John Walshe and I have decided to cycle them all. According to the Failte Ireland website we have about 79 cycling routes in the Republic of Ireland which came as news to me when I happened upon that claim earlier on this year (2010). Since then I have been cycling them one by one and I have uploaded my report on each route onto my web page. Some of them are o.k. but most of them are dreadful. I intend to assess each and every one of them. I am cycling them solely from the viewpoint of a touring cyclist i.e. the kind of person who uses his holidays to cycle bringing with him all his luggage, tent etc. on the bike. As I cycle these routes I also bring along with me a theoretical nine years old daughter and an equally theoretical 10 years old son. This is the standard test that is used internationally. Would you let your two kids cycle this route? If the answer is ‘yes’ then the route qualifies all things considered. If the answer is ‘no it’s too dangerous’ then the route does not qualify. It’s as simple as that. Of course scenery has to be factored in and the degree of difficulty.
So that is what I am doing and I want people to know about it because it’s important. Why should people either natives or foreigners have to cycle some incredibly dangerous or incredibly ugly cycle route? These routes are being heavily promoted by various authorities all over the country and I am not happy about that because most of the routes as I have already said are dreadful from the perspective of a normal touring cyclist who values his life and the lives of his loved ones and is not happy been hoodwinked into cycling some route which is extremely dangerous, obscenely ugly (ribbon development ad nauseum) or impossible to follow as half the signs have been twisted and most of the other half have been stolen. I do not know how long it will take but whatever length it takes it will take.
In addition I have uploaded onto my site accounts of various adventures I have had abroad cycle touring and of course I am also trying to sell a book on cycling or walking ‘The Kerry Way’ but for most people the assessment of Ireland’s cycling routes is the most relevant part of the site. So check it out!
John Walshe
Your trip sounds great. How good of shape was your group in. Went to Ireland this last April. Would loove to return to ride over Connor Pass. But just started to ride. Did as a kid like everyone else. Am I crazy??? Thanks for your time in answering. rose
I was going to write that it looks like your in another country, but then i thought about it and realised you are.
What a nice looking place.Did anything weird happen in ireland?
Look at all that open space with no people on! Fantastic! Living in crowded NL as I do, I could do with a slice of that. Food fior thought – maybe I’ll plan a few days there (if I can figure how to get my bike over there withou having to ride it all the way).
I’ve ridden once in Ireland in the Galway area. It wasn’t planned. I went for a hike and sprained my ankle jumping a fence. Since I couldn’t walk I hired a bike and rode instead. Loved it. The photographs remind me of my holiday in Ireland. It’s a beautiful place.
P.S. Thanks for visiting my blog.