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INTRODUCTION

Sunset at Strandhills (Route 2, Stage 3)

Officially launched in 2014, the Wild Atlantic Way winds along more than 2000km of coastline at Europe’s far northwestern shore. Here, breakers rolling in from the Americas have shaped ancient rocks into a land of special beauty. The people, too, have forged a distinct cultural identity. Gaelic is still spoken along the Atlantic coast and the island’s story is etched into the landscape in prehistoric remnants, early Christian architecture, castles, grand 18th century houses and contemporary Nationalist murals. From Derry/Londonderry and Malin Head in the north to Mizen Head and Cork in the southwest, fine beaches, harbours and towering cliffs await the turn of your pedals.

This guide adopts and adapts the Wild Atlantic Way to suit the cycle tourist. The official Wild Atlantic Way is a driving route. As such it includes long stretches of main road when quieter and more scenic alternatives are close at hand for cyclists. The ‘Way’ also skips two excellent cycling spots – the Aran Islands, where there are no car ferries, and Killarney, which is a sublime day-ride away from the coast. (See Appendix C for a detailed breakdown of the ways in which the route described in this guide differs from the WAW driving route.)

Since not everyone has seven weeks to spare for a full Wild Atlantic Way tour, this guide offers six self-contained tours based on sections of the Wild Atlantic Way, each of which can be fitted into one week or two. For the full Wild Atlantic Way experience, the distinct routes link together into a 44-stage, 2400km trip along Ireland’s west coast.

Geology

The beauty of Ireland’s Atlantic coastline is based on its geological foundations. The island’s oldest rocks are found in the north and west. For a large part of its geologic history these parts of Ireland were part of the continent of Laurentia, the bigger part of which is now part of Canada and the northern United States. These rocks remain as the foundations of the island to the north and west of the fabulously named Iapetus Suture which runs from the Shannon estuary to Clogherhead, north of Dublin on the east coast. Ireland’s oldest exposed rocks are the 1.8 billion-year-old granitic gneisses of Inishtrahull, an island visible from Malin Head in the far north west. Further south along the Wild Atlantic Way you will find the 200m high Cliffs of Mohr, made of Namurian slates and sandstones about 320 million years old. Close by are the rock pavements of the Aran Islands, and the neighbouring Burren, shaped from slightly older Carboniferous limestone.

The bays and peninsulas of Kerry and Cork were shaped into their east–west alignment by movements some 270 million years ago (known as Armorican folding), while in the north and west the mountains follow the northwest–southeast alignment of the far earlier Caledonian stage of mountain building, some 500 million years ago.

Fine glaciated features at the Poisoned Glen, Dunlewey (Route 1, Stage 6)

During the most recent ice age much of what is now Ireland was covered by ice, and the landscape retains some of the finest glacial scenery in Europe. Doo Lough Glen in County Mayo and the Poisoned Glen in County Donegal are glacial valleys of the highest order. Two glacial landforms, the esker and the drumlin, take their English names from Irish words. Drumlins are low, whale-backed hills deposited under the ice, while eskers are long sinuous ridges believed to result from water flowing under the ice.

Wildlife and flowers

The development boom of the ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy increased the pressures on Ireland’s wild places, but as a cycle trip along the Wild Atlantic Way will reveal, Ireland remains predominantly rural.

Ireland’s plant and animal populations are typical for a northwest European country. The main points of interest are some absences – Ireland has a slightly impoverished flora and fauna compared to mainland Europe and Britain – and a handful of unexpected species. Of the absences on the animal side, most notable are the snakes which, according to legend, St Patrick banished from Ireland in the fifth century.

The few unexpected residents mostly fall into the category of Lusitanian species – which are more commonly found in northern Spain and Portugal and are absent from Britain. There is no conclusive explanation for these disjunct populations. The most visible Lusitanian species to the casual observer is the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) of West Cork, Kerry and Sligo, which produces spiky bright-red fruits from September to December. A similar curiosity in the animal kingdom is the spotted Kerry slug, which is found in only three sites in Ireland – including the Killarney National Park – although it also occurs on the Iberian peninsula.

Ireland is an important bird habitat. The long coastline and position at the northwest corner of the Eurasian landmass attract countless seabirds. Little Skellig Island off the Kerry coast is home to some 70,000 gannets – one of the largest colonies in the world. Puffins also breed here and at other sites along the Atlantic coast including the Cliffs of Mohr.

History

Ireland’s history has been turbulent right up until the recent past. For many centuries, the island was ruled by England, later Great Britain, and much of Ireland’s more recent history has been consumed by tensions relating to that colonial legacy.

The island of Ireland is divided into two political units. All but a few kilometres of the routes in this book are in the sovereign country of Ireland – the term Republic of Ireland (RoI) is sometimes used to distinguish this state from the totality of the geographical island, also called Ireland. The remainder of the island is taken up by Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The political division of the island reflects a complex and at times violent history with periods of tension continuing through to the present day.

Early times

Christianity is thought to have come to Ireland in the fifth century, or even earlier. By tradition this was at the hand of St Patrick who landed in 432. In what was a relatively stable land, Christian scholarship and ministry flourished as the rest of Europe descended into chaos with the fall of the Roman Empire. Irish monks then contributed greatly to the spread of Christianity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe with, for example, Columbanus establishing monasteries in France and Bobbio in Italy, where he died in 615.

Ross Errilly Friary has a well-preserved cloister (Route 3, Stage 8)

From the late eighth century onwards Irish settlements and monasteries became targets of Viking coastal raiders. The Vikings established permanent bases in Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick which went on to become the first significant towns in Ireland.

Politically, Ireland had been ruled, since prehistoric times, as a series of regional kingdoms with, occasionally, one king emerging as more powerful than his rivals and claiming suzerainty. Ireland’s first High King, Brian Boru, was crowned in 1002. He is credited with bringing stability to the island, supressing the Viking threat and restoring some of the damage inflicted on the monasteries during the preceding century.

English invasion and religious division

The Anglo Norman invasion of 1169 began a process of the slow seizure of power from the traditional Gaelic rulers of Ireland. But the Gaelic political and social order that had flourished since prehistoric times persisted into the 17th century in much of Ireland.

English interest in Ireland waxed and waned periodically after the initial invasion, before reawakening in earnest during the 16th century. The first of the British rulers to claim the title of King of Ireland was King Henry VIII of England in 1541. Much of the conflict in Britain and Europe over the following two centuries stemmed from Henry’s decision to split the church in England away from the Catholic church, alongside the wider ructions of the Reformation. It became Ireland’s destiny to be proxy battleground for wider disputes between England and other European powers.

In 1594 a full-on Irish rebellion against English rule broke out. What is now called the Nine Years’ War ended in 1603 following the defeat of the Irish, and an invading Spanish force, by the English at Kinsale. In 1607 the Ulster chieftains sailed out of Lough Swilly on the Donegal coast and into exile in France. This ‘Flight of the Earls’ marks the end of the power of the traditional Irish dynasties on the island.

English-backed Protestant settlement of Ireland soon began in earnest. This, together with authoritarian attempts to impose the Reformation, set in place a religious divide that grew wider with the enacting of laws that discriminated against Catholics – who tended to be native Irish – and cemented the power of a ruling Protestant gentry. A period of open warfare, and a brief flowering of Catholic power, came to a brutal end in 1649 at the hand of England’s Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. More than a quarter of the island was then handed to Cromwell’s followers. The century ended in more tumult as the conflict between the deposed Catholic King of England James II and his Protestant successor William of Orange was fought out in Ireland. James was defeated at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 foreshadowing another century of oppression of Catholics.

The United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798 – inspired by revolutions in North America and France – tried to unite Catholics and Protestants behind the cause of Irish freedom. But it prompted a backlash from Britain, not least because it was supported by a small-scale French invasion of Ireland. In the aftermath, the Irish Parliament was dissolved and Ireland was absorbed into the new Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, governed from Westminster.

During the 19th century, the tide began to turn against anti-Catholic oppression. Daniel ‘the Liberator’ O’Connell was elected to the Westminster parliament in 1828 as the member for County Clare but, initially, the Catholic Kerry-born barrister was not allowed to take his seat. The law was changed, not least because of fears of a Catholic uprising, and O’Connell took his place in parliament in 1830.

Derrynane House is the ancestral home of Daniel ‘the Liberator’ O’Connell (Route 5, Stage 6)

The Great Famine

Before the Great Famine of 1845-52 Ireland was one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. The tenant farmers eked out an impoverished existence on land owned by a largely absent aristocracy. There was widespread dependency on potatoes as a subsistence crop, and when blight struck in 1845 the British government was disastrously slow to respond to the unfolding crisis. The ensuing famine saw some one million deaths with a further million emigrating, mostly to the United States, although estimates vary widely.

THE GREAT FAMINE

The potato fungal disease Phytophthora infestaris first struck in Ireland in 1845. There had already been warnings that there was an over-dependence on potatoes but it was when the blight returned in 1846 that the full horror of the Great Famine began to unfold. The disease did not appear in 1847, although by this stage there was a lack of seed potatoes and the crop was low. The blight then returned in 1848 and 1849, and had run its course by 1850. Contemporary political ideas put faith in markets to deal with shortages and private charities and landlords to deal with the immediate crisis. It was not until 1847 that the British government changed tack and began actively feeding the population – but by then Ireland was already the scene of harrowing starvation and disease was rampant. Estimates of the total number of deaths vary, but they amounted to at least a million. Some of the accounts recorded at the Skibbereen Heritage Centre (Route 6, Stage 4) are truly shocking, but it is in the silence of the Abbeystrowry famine graveyard, where 8000–10,000 unidentified people are buried, that the true scale of the tragedy can start to be comprehended.

The Famine was a watershed in Irish history and has become a rallying point for Irish nationalists and totemic of English exploitation and suppression in Ireland. The following years saw some small victories in improving land rights but a Bill that would have returned an Irish parliament to Dublin was continually blocked by the upper chamber of the British parliament, the House of Lords. An awakening of Irish culture was also underway with, for example, the Gaelic League founded in 1893 to promote the everyday use of the Irish language.

The Easter Rising and beyond

The prospect, in 1912, of an Irish Home Rule Bill finally being forced past the recalcitrant Lords galvanised unionist groups in favour of close ties with Britain, and both Irish nationalist and unionists began to gather arms. The Home Rule Act was given royal assent in 1914, but then suspended when Britain was drawn into World War I.

The nationalist Easter Rising of 1916 saw the taking of strategic sites in Dublin, including the General Post Office, and the proclamation of an independent Irish republic. The British government, then engulfed in a life-or-death conflict with Germany, had no qualms about using troops diverted from the Western Front and heavy armaments in central Dublin. Many of the rebels were executed as traitors – a heavy-handed approach that boosted support for Irish nationalism. Future president of Ireland, Éamon de Valera, was originally given a death sentence which was later commuted to life in prison.

In the post-war election of 1919, the nationalist Sinn Féin party won the majority of Irish seats (in the Westminster parliament). The members then declared Ireland independent and formed the Dáil Éireann (Irish Assembly). The Irish War of Independence followed, ending in 1921 with the Anglo-Irish Treaty that established the Irish Free State. The treaty allowed six of the northern counties of Ulster – mostly still in favour of union with Britain – to opt out of the Free State, a right they promptly exercised.

A Victorian post box overstamped with the ‘SE’ Irish Free State mark

The Treaty was, however, divisive among nationalists, many of whom objected to the partition of Ireland. The Free State’s status as a dominion, albeit autonomous, of the hated British Empire also rankled. The subsequent Irish Civil War of 1922-23 between pro- and anti-Treaty forces petered out into a de facto victory for those backing the deal. However, the loss of lives – including charismatic and high-profile figures such as Michael Collins – and the damage from guerrilla warfare laid a poor foundation for a fledgling independent nation.

Ireland remained neutral during World War II. Its next major landmark came in 1973 as the country joined what was then the European Economic Community (now the EU) at the same time as its single largest trading partner the United Kingdom. By then ‘The Troubles’ had already broken out in Northern Ireland, where British troops were engaged and paramilitaries from pro-Republican and pro-British factions were on the streets. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998, ratified by all sides, brought an end to the violence, but political conflict and socio-political division remain.

Eye of the tiger

In the south of the island, economic growth had at best been stuttering since independence, while unrest in the north had blighted investment there since the 1970s. Historically, many of Ireland’s best and brightest left to pursue careers in Britain or further afield. At the start of the 1990s Ireland was a poor country by Western European standards but, driven by EU investment, low taxation, pro-business policies and the availability of a well-educated workforce, the economy entered a boom phase. The economy grew at over 9 per cent a year between 1995 and 2000 and continued to expand at up to 6 per cent a year until the global credit crisis began to hit in 2007-8.

Ireland was by then dubbed the ‘Celtic Tiger’ as one of the few European economies to match the growth in the Asian Tiger economies at the time. Companies such as Microsoft and Facebook had chosen Ireland as a European base. Land prices had ballooned and new housing estates littered the Irish landscape. But the good times ended abruptly with the ‘credit crunch’ of 2008. A calamitous downturn followed and, as a Eurozone economy, Ireland suffered the indignity of intervention from the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

By the early part of the second decade of the century Ireland’s economy returned to growth. Dublin booms again although the growth is less visible in the west of the island. Tourism, for a long time a reliable contributor to the Irish economy, is stirring after suffering (at least by comparison with other sectors) during the Tiger period. Luring visitors away from Dublin and traditional hotspots such as Killarney is a policy goal: projects such as the Wild Atlantic Way are seeing significant investment and improvement in accommodation, places to eat and visitor facilities, some of which seemed destined to moulder away during the boom years.

Dawros Bay is ringed with small beaches such as this one at Rossbeg (Route 1, Stage 8)

What’s in a name?

Because of the history of the island, most places in Ireland have both Irish and Anglicised names. Visitors to Ireland generally find the Anglicised names easier to recognise, read and pronounce – something which could be crucial when following or asking for directions. Purely for pragmatic reasons, therefore, this guide tends to use the Anglicised versions.

Appendix B gives a few of the original Gaelic placenames with an explanation of their meanings.

Built heritage and architecture

Ireland has megalithic structures and other prehistoric remains of the highest order. The Iron Age ring fort of Dun Aengus on the Aran Islands is one of the star attractions, but there are countless other interesting and well-preserved sites.

Ireland is also blessed with some fine early Christian architecture. Skellig Michael monastery is one of the best preserved early Christian sites in Europe. A feature unique to Ireland are its round towers, dating from the 9th to 12th centuries and usually part of a monastic settlement. These thin stone towers, commonly 25–30m high with a conical roof, served as bell towers and places of storage as well as a lookout. There is a fine example at Killala in County Mayo.

Round towers such as this one at Killala are a distinctly Irish medieval form of ecclesiastical architecture (Route 2, Stage 4)

The later Christian architecture of Ireland is also impressive. Muckross Abbey, County Kerry, and Ross Errilly Friary, County Galway, remain as particularly fine monastic ruins.

A fortification to look for from an earlier period is the crannog. These lake island fortifications date from the Iron Age through to medieval times. There are particularly good examples at Kiltooris Lough (Route 1, Stage 8) and on Achill Island (Route 2, Stage 6).

Fast-forwarding to the 18th century, Ireland has more than its fair share of grand houses. Bantry House in County Cork dates from this period. There is also some fine 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture in Ireland.

At a more prosaic level, although the traditional whitewashed thatched Irish cottage is slowly succumbing to modernisation, some good examples still survive, particularly in Donegal.

Culture

Literature

Ireland has a great tradition of Gaelic literature, much of it hailing from the Atlantic coast. Good translations are, however, hard to find. You could try Máirtín Ó Cadhain’s 1949 novel Cré na Cille which has new translations as Graveyard Clay and The Dirty Dust. For poetry, try Máirtín Ó Direáin’s Tacar Danta/Selected Poems. Perhaps more accessible is the Irish contribution to literature in English. The island has produced four Nobel Laureates for literature: William Butler Yeats – who had strong ties with the Sligo area, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney. Another great of Irish literature with ties to the Atlantic coast is John Millington Synge whose one-act play Riders to the Sea, set in the Aran Islands, was first performed in 1904. For a more contemporary perspective, the trials and tribulations of life in Ireland since the financial downturn of 2008 have sparked a revival in novels and short stories. Writers such as Sarah Baume, Kevin Barry and their contemporaries are an effective antidote to any over-romantic view of life in Ireland.

Appendix D contains some suggestions for reading before, during and after your trip.

Gorse flowers on the hills above Lough Swilly (Route 1, Stage 4)

Gaelic sports

Gaelic football and hurling are the two most popular sports in Ireland. Both are fast and skilful games where endurance also counts. Gaelic football is a little like a cross between rugby and soccer, played on a pitch with H-shaped goals. Hurling is a stick-and-ball game played on the same pitch. The hurling stick is axe-shaped and the game far more aerial and physical than games like hockey.

Irish music

For visitors, the most common place to hear Irish traditional music is the pub. In fact some areas, such as Doolin in County Clare, seem to be building a tourist industry based almost entirely on pub music. It always pays to ask for local advice about the best venues.

Getting there

By air

The major international airports are Dublin, Shannon (near Limerick) and Belfast (Belfast International and Belfast City). Shannon is within a few kilometres of the routes in this book. Of the smaller airports, Derry/Londonderry, Cork, Knock in County Mayo, and Kerry airport offer good access to the Wild Atlantic Way. Donegal also has an airport, at Carrickfinn, near Dungloe, which currently has a handful of flights per day, mainly to Dublin.

Flying with a bike throws up no difficulties peculiar to Ireland. Most airlines will charge a special baggage fee for a bike, which will usually have to be paid at the time of booking. The bare minimum to pack a bike for flying is to take off or reverse the pedals, turn the handlebars sideways, let down the tyres, and lower the seat and handlebar stem. The bike will have to be packed, at the very least, in something to protect other baggage from the oily parts – such as an all-enclosing plastic bag. A bike-sized cardboard box (these are freely given away at most bike shops) can be used for better protection. Check ahead with the airline for packing requirements. Then arrive early, be relaxed and friendly with the check-in staff, whatever happens, and – just in case of a mishap – be insured.

Dublin airport is some 10km north of the city centre. The ride into town is along busy main roads and requires extreme care, especially if you are tired after a long flight. It is also not currently well signed for cyclists but the situation should improve. Check the Transport for Ireland journey planner for up-to-date directions (www.journeyplanner.transportforireland.ie).

By sea

Ferries can be a practical and economical way of getting to the Emerald Isle but the only ferry port with good access to the Wild Atlantic Way is Cork and that is currently only served with ferries from France. However, there are rail connections from both Dublin and Belfast (see below). The easiest way to get from Dublin Port to the heart of the city is to ride – follow the city centre signs until you reach the north shore of the Liffey where you can pick up the cycle path.

For ferry company contact details, see Appendix A.

Getting to the Wild Atlantic Way

If you arrive in Dublin there are direct rail connections to Cork, Galway, Sligo and Westport. A change of trains may be needed to reach Limerick, Tralee or Ballina in County Mayo. If arriving in Belfast there are regular rail services to Derry/Londonderry. Dublin has two main railway stations. If you are heading to Cork, Limerick, Tralee, Killarney, Galway, Westport or Ballina you will need to go to Dublin Heuston, which is a couple of kilometres west of the town centre on the south bank of the river Liffey. For services to Sligo or Belfast (with onward connections to Derry/Londonderry) go the more central Connolly Station, on the north side of the river a few hundred metres inland from the landmark Customs House.

Public transport options around the capital are limited if you have a bike with you. Only folded cycles are allowed on suburban tram system (the Luas) and on city buses. You can take a cycle on the suburban train network (DART) between 10am and 4pm on weekdays and any time at weekends.

Visas

At the time of writing, citizens of European Union countries and most Western countries do not require a visa to enter Ireland or Northern Ireland. Non-UK or non-Irish nationals do require a passport or national identity card. But all these arrangements are subject to change following the UK’s 2016 decision to leave the EU. UK citizens currently do not, strictly speaking, need a passport to enter the Republic of Ireland (Northern Ireland is part of the UK in any case), but most carriers (air and sea) insist on valid photographic ID for security reasons.

 Northern Ireland Visa Information: www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

 Republic of Ireland Visa Information: www.dfa.ie/travel/visas

Packed and ready to fly – George Best International Airport; Irish mainline trains have cycle spaces that should be booked in advance

Getting around

See Appendix A for contact information for public transport operators.

Trains

In the Irish Republic, booked bicycles are carried free on nearly all inter-city rail services (with some peak-time restrictions) although there is limited space (usually three or four cycles). Cycle reservations should be made at the same time as buying passenger tickets on the Irish Rail website (www.irishrail.ie). For the latest information follow the ‘Travel Information’ then ‘Bicycle Information’ links from the Irish Rail home page.

In Northern Ireland, public transport comes under the Translink banner. On trains, cycles are carried free on all services after 9.30am.

Buses

In the Republic, Bus Éireann will carry bicycles in the bus luggage compartment if there is space. If you are leaving from a bus station, buy a ticket before boarding, as well as a separate ticket for the bike. In rural areas, during the day and during the week, many services are nearly empty. If there is just one or two of you, a bus hop is a practical way of extending your range, and the network is comprehensive.

In Northern Ireland, buses also come under the Translink umbrella. Up to two cycles can be carried in the luggage bay of express services (called Goldline Express) after 9.30am, but again this is subject to space. There are no reservations.

When to go

My favourite months for cycling in Ireland are May, June and September. Experience and the statistics suggest that May and June, especially in the north, are as dry as, if not drier than, the rest of the summer, while September is a golden month in which to watch the harvest and notice the first colours of autumn in the trees.

The Irish tourist season effectively runs from Easter to the end of September, and that is the practical limit for cycle touring too. Outside these months, the weather is too cold and unreliable, the days too short, and campsites and some other types of accommodation close.

Tourist numbers peak during July and August. Travelling at peak times is not a problem – it just pays to plan ahead a little more, as accommodation can fill up.

The Spanish Armada ship La Trinidad Valencera was wrecked off Kinnagoe Bay on 16 September 1588 (Route 1, Stage 1)

Accommodation

Hostels

Official Irish youth hostels are run by An Óige. A membership card is not required, although a card from an affiliated youth hostel association usually secures a small discount. Many youth hostels have closed in recent years, and there are gaps in the network, but independent hostels have stepped into the breach.

There are two associations of independent hostels in Ireland: the Independent Holiday Hostels of Ireland (IHH) and the Independent Hostels of Ireland (IHI). An Óige and these two these groups all publish very useful maps of their hostels. The IHI and IHH maps cover all of Ireland, and the An Óige map includes the Hostelling International Northern Ireland (HINI) hostels as well as the RoI ones. Look for a copy at the first hostel you stay at, or get it from a tourist office. Dormitory beds cost on average about €20, with private rooms typically about €25–30 per person.

Some of the hostels allow camping, which saves a bit of money (this varies) and allows you to still use the hostel’s facilities.

Camping

Ireland has a scattering of official campsites. Generally, sites are more plentiful as you head south and west. The best source of information is the Irish Camping and Caravan Council. Most touring sites are members and they are listed on the council website and in their annual Caravan and Camping Guide. Copies are available from tourist offices or you can order one online for a small fee. Supplementing this list is a handful of local authority-run sites and forest parks as well as unaffiliated sites.

Sites usually charge per person, not per tent, and cyclists are usually charged €11–15 each. Sometimes there is a €1 charge for a token for a hot shower.

There is no right to wild camp anywhere on the island. Seeking permission from landowners is not easy, as in remote areas it is hard to find someone to ask. But in some of the quieter corners of Ireland where there are no official sites, such as Donegal and perhaps Connemara, wild camping on or near the beach or in the high country is possible. Ordnance Survey maps (1:50,000) are good for ferreting out potential places. Setting up as it gets dark and leaving early are both a good idea. Be exceptionally clean, well behaved, and, if you do meet anyone, polite. ‘No Camping’ signs are getting more common, so don’t ruin the few wild possibilities remaining.

Bed and breakfast

If there is an open tourist office in town, they will often find you a bed and breakfast, for a booking fee (about €5), but it is best to be prepared with at least a few numbers to call yourself. The annual Definitive Irish Bed and Breakfast and Self Catering Guide, produced by B&B Ireland, is comprehensive and not too bulky.

Expect to pay €35–40 per person sharing, and €50–60 for a single. Some pubs also offer bed and breakfast accommodation – look for signs.

See Appendix A for some useful websites for finding accommodation.

Castletownberehaven was once a Royal Navy port (Route 6, Stage 2)

Health and safety

Emergencies

Dialling 112 or 999 will put you through to the emergency services – fire, police, ambulance or mountain rescue.

Crime

The police in the Republic of Ireland are the Gardaí (pronounced ‘gardee’, sometimes known colloquially as ‘the guards’), or, in the singular, Garda – but if you ask for the police, people will usually know what you mean. For non-emergency police matters, contact the nearest Garda station, or in Northern Ireland, police station. In the Republic, the nationwide free Irish Tourist Assistance Service aims to help with the practical and emotional aftermath of crime (01 6610562, www.itas.ie).

When travelling in Ireland it is sensible to take reasonable precautions against crime, without being paranoid.

Healthcare and insurance

Both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have public healthcare systems, but access to free treatment is by no means guaranteed for visitors. Since costs such as property loss or damage, legal expenses, repatriation costs and alternative travel arrangements may also be incurred, visitors to Ireland should take out travel insurance.

Some insurers do not include cycle touring in their basic level of cover, so check this. Most insurers will expect you to access public healthcare where possible. European Union residents should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling. Arrangements for UK citizens may change when the UK leaves the EU, so check the latest situation. The EHIC will give access to the public system for treatment that becomes necessary during your stay. In both Ireland and Northern Ireland this is a good level of free treatment, although you may have to pay prescription charges. Do expect to pay for dental treatment. Some other countries have bi-lateral arrangements, which may give access to either free or below-cost healthcare. Without an EHIC or access to these bilateral schemes, expect to pay the full cost of any treatment.

Barleycove beach (Route 6, Stage 3)

Pharmacists are a good first point of contact for non-emergency problems. As well as being able to supply some medications without a prescription, the pharmacist can advise and point the way to a doctor or hospital if necessary. To access free care in the Republic, it is important to see a GP contracted under the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) scheme. If you can’t find one, the local Health Service Office (www.hse.ie) will have numbers. In Northern Ireland there are fewer doctors working privately, but in all cases it is worthwhile mentioning you want to be treated under the EHIC arrangements.

When appropriate you can go to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of a public hospital, and this is probably where an ambulance will bring you in the event of an accident. EHIC holder or otherwise, if you end up in this situation, the most important thing is to get better and not be worrying about charges, so be insured, keep the details on your person, and get a friend to contact the insurer’s helpline for advice.

TAKE

 EHIC

 copy of insurance policy and contact card

 copy of prescriptions

 reasonable supply of regular medication

 spare spectacles/contact lenses and an optical prescription

Food and drink

Maintaining a healthy diet with a good calorific intake should be a priority on any extended tour.

If the plan is to eat out, the bigger centres generally have a choice of restaurants where a three-course meal will set you back a minimum of €30. Pubs offer cheaper food, although the quality is mixed, and especially in rural areas some pubs only serve food on certain days, or don’t serve food at all. At cafés and pubs you can usually pick up a meal for upwards of €10.

In terms of specialities, the seafood is worth a try anywhere on the Wild Atlantic Way. Bed and breakfasts usually offer a ‘full Irish’ breakfast. The core ingredients are bacon, eggs and toast, while sausages, beans, potato cakes, soda bread, black and white puddings and other fare is often included. Ireland is not a paradise for vegetarians – count on having to look around when eating out.

Most small towns have a takeaway and if you stick to the busy ones you won’t go far wrong. Some of the international franchises such as McDonald’s have made it to the larger towns.

For food on the road there is no reason to not eat plenty of fresh fruit, breads and cheeses – these are available everywhere. Fresh vegetables are widely available, and, together with staples such as pasta and rice, a big nutritious evening meal can be made for as little as €5.

Ireland’s national drink is Guinness, but there are other similar dark stout beers available – Beamish and Murphy’s are two alternatives. Ireland is also known for its whiskies.

Language

Irish is the first official language of the Republic of Ireland, and, according to the 2016 census, 40 per cent of the population can speak it. This figure is considerably higher in the Gaeltacht – areas where Irish is recognised as the predominant language. The main Gaeltacht areas are all along the Wild Atlantic Way. These include much of northern and western Donegal, the north and west of County Mayo, including Achill Island, a large part of southern Galway plus Connemara and the Aran Islands, the Dingle peninsula and southern and central sections of the Inveragh peninsula (the ‘Ring of Kerry’). In all these places it is common to hear Gaelic spoken in streets, shops and pubs.

In the Irish-speaking parts of Ireland expect signs in Irish Gaelic

In the Gaeltacht the Irish language traffic signs might confuse you a little at first but the intent is usually clear. In other areas, both the Irish and Anglicised names are usually signed. Most maps have both versions of the name.

Visitors for whom English is not a first language find the Irish accent difficult to begin with – but this passes quite quickly. Similarly, speakers of English as spoken in England, the US and elsewhere, might initially have to try to speak clearly to be well understood.

See Appendix B for a useful Gaelic–English glossary and some phrases to try in Gaelic.

Money

Cash

The currency in the Republic of Ireland is the euro. Northern Ireland uses the pound sterling. In border areas, many businesses will take notes in either currency, but you will tend to get change in the local denomination.

Cash is still the most convenient way to pay for small transactions on the island. Paying cash will also keep down foreign currency transaction charges – if your card-issuer levies them.

Cash points are still rare enough in rural areas to make running out of cash a real possibility. Carrying enough money for at least the next four or five days is advisable. Service stations and shops often have ATMs, as do local branches of banks, although these are increasingly rare. The Plus/Visa and Cirrus/Mastercard-linked ATMs are the widespread ones, and UK travellers generally have no problems accessing cash from their home accounts through debit cards.

Whatever card you have, check the charges your bank will levy, and at the same time, check your card will be accepted in ATMs. If travelling both sides of the border, it is worth emphasising when you enquire that you need the card to work in both Ireland and the UK.

Fort Dunree stands guard over the entrance to Lough Swilly (Route 1, Stage 3)

Credit and debit cards

Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards are widely accepted in shops and hotels. Hostels almost always take cards, and sometimes ask for a card number to secure a booking. B&Bs and campsites are more likely to strongly prefer cash.

Budgets

If you are extremely frugal, it is just possible to tour the Republic of Ireland for €30–35 a day if camping or €50 a day in hostels. This is an absolute minimum, and assumes you self-cater and stay away from fast food. Since B&Bs will cost from €35 (per person sharing), and you will also have to buy an evening meal and food during the day, €80 is a more realistic absolute minimum daily budget for B&B travellers. If you are staying in hotels and eating out you might just get away with €150 per day each if you share a room. A double room in a modern hotel during the summer will cost around €130. A single room will not be much cheaper. At smaller, usually older, hotels you may find double rooms from €80 or so.

Post, phones and internet

Post

The rural post office network is clinging on in rural Ireland although opening hours are often short and sometimes only a couple of days a week. On most days you will pass through at least one small town with a post office: look for a ‘Post’ sign on a green background.

For postal rates see www.anpost.ie or www.royalmail.com for Northern Ireland.

Phones

 Ireland: international code +353

 Northern Ireland: international code +44

 international prefix (north and south) 00

The Irish phone system is complicated by the fact you are dealing with two countries with two international codes. The numbers in the text assume you are calling from within the country in question – for example Republic of Ireland from Republic of Ireland. When dialling from the Republic of Ireland to a fixed line in Northern Ireland, the 028 code is replaced with 048. This does not work calling mobiles – use the full international code and prefix. When calling from Northern Ireland to the Republic, dial the full international prefix and code.

Calling Republic of Ireland numbers

The Dublin Visitor Centre’s number is 01 8980700, so:

 from Northern Ireland or elsewhere in UK dial 00 353 1 8980700

 from the Republic of Ireland dial 01 8980700

 from overseas dial local international prefix + 353 1 8980700.

Calling Northern Ireland numbers

For example, the Belfast Welcome Centre number is 028 90246609, so:

 from Northern Ireland or elsewhere in UK dial 028 90246609

 from the Republic of Ireland dial 048 90246609

 from overseas dial local international prefix +44 28 90246609.

The traditional Irish farmhouse is increasingly hard to find (Route 1, Stage 2)

Mobile phones

A mobile phone is the most convenient and often the cheapest way to stay in touch when in Ireland. In the Republic the major networks are Meteor, Three and Vodafone. Coverage is almost universal although there are a few blank spots on hill-bound coasts. Northern Ireland is covered by UK operators. If you are bringing a phone from overseas check it is compatible with Irish networks. Some US network phones, for example, will not work.

Mobile phone rates are now capped for EU travellers travelling within the EU but beware that if your home network is outside of Europe these EU-imposed limits for call and data charges may not apply.

Getting your phone unlocked, to work on any network, before you travel gives you the option of buying a SIM card in Ireland. Check out the prices and do the sums, but for most UK and EU travellers their existing phone/SIM will be the best option.

Don’t forget mobile charger and plug adaptor if you need it – all of Ireland has UK-style three-pin plug sockets.

Payphones

Phone boxes have almost completely disappeared from Ireland but If you happen to pass one, calls cost €2 minimum.

Internet

3G mobile data services are assured in most towns. In some rural areas coverage is patchy. 4G networks are being rolled out. WiFi hotspots are easy to find in major centres with cafés, restaurants and transport hubs often having free access. Most tourist accommodation will also have free or cheap WiFi access. Internet cafés have almost completely disappeared so take some sort of device – a laptop, mobile or tablet – with you if you want to be sure you can connect to make, for example, travel bookings.

Cycling in Ireland

Traffic and driving

Ireland has speed limits and distance signs in kilometres. The start of Route 1 is in Northern Ireland which uses miles. The signage scheme is different in the two countries, but similar enough to not cause any confusion.

In both countries, motorways have an M prefix and cycles are not allowed on these roads.

In the Republic there are national ‘N’ roads (100km/h limit), regional ‘R’ roads (80km/h) and local roads (also 80km/h). There is a general limit of 50km/h in built-up areas and other limits are signed. Speed limits are widely ignored unless there is a chance of getting caught. N roads are divided into primary and secondary routes, with a figure higher than 50 (eg N87) indicating a secondary route.

Cycling on N roads can be quick, but there is generally too much fast, heavy traffic to make this a comfortable experience. Some of the R roads are just as bad. The few N road sections in this book are either in quiet areas, or are short, unavoidable stretches.

The routes in this book are built, where possible, around local roads. Typically these are not quite wide enough for two cars to pass without slowing down. They are sealed (tarmac) roads. The quality of the surface varies considerably. Irish roads often break up or suffer subsidence on their edges. Always keep an eye out for potholes, especially on steep descents – if you hit them at speed they can throw you off your bike.

Smaller roads all over Ireland are generally not well graded (that is, they have many short and steep climbs). In some areas this can make for rollercoaster roads, and very slow progress.

Dedicated cycle tracks are most often encountered leading into towns and cities but these are often only separated from the traffic with a painted line. Cycle tracks are generally marked with a cycle symbol painted on the road or pavement surface or, less commonly, with a round blue sign with a white cycle symbol.

Author riding a new stretch of cycle track between Dungloe and Lettermacaward (Route 1, Stage 7)

OFFICIAL CYCLE ROUTES IN IRELAND

The Kingfisher Trail (NCN91) was Ireland’s first signed long-distance cycle route and, crossing as it does between Northern Ireland and the Republic, was symbolic of improved cross-border relations in the wake of the Good Friday agreement. It is a figure of eight route following over 360km (230 miles) of minor roads through the border counties of Fermanagh, Leitrim, Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan and can be joined at Beleek, 8km inland from Ballyshannon (on Route 2).

A map of this route and other long-distance routes in Northern Ireland is available from Sustrans (www.sustrans.org.uk).

Greenways are a new arrival on the Irish cycling scene. These are traffic-free routes for cyclists, pedestrians and other users which typically follow the routes of former railway lines. Route 2, Stages 5 and 7 follow the Great Western Greenway to and from Achill Island in County Mayo.

KEY POINTS

 Cycling and driving are on the left.

 A cycle must have a working bell and a rear reflector.

 Stay away from N roads if you can – the ones in this book are unavoidable or not too bad.

 Cycling is not allowed on motorways.

 Distances and limits are in km in Ireland, miles in Northern Ireland. This book uses km throughout.

For the full rules go to www.rsa.ie and search for ‘Rules of the Road’.

Hazards

Thorn hedges are common in Ireland, particularly in the northern parts. Puncture-resistant tyres are essential – see below. On narrow roads watch out for stray undergrowth catching your legs, arms or, more seriously, your face and eyes. In summer the odd stinging insect might lodge in your clothing, but generally Ireland is pretty low risk for things that bite.

Safety points

 Helmets are not compulsory, but are a good idea.

 Bright colours are a good idea but there is no need to be fluorescent. It’s a fashion!

 Keep left-ish, but staying 1–2m in from the edge of the road will give you a safer road surface and encourage cars to manoeuvre around you.

 If cycling at night, lights must be used and it is advisable to wear plenty of reflective gear.

 Be sensible about where you ride two abreast.

 Pedestrians stepping into the road, or even walking down the middle of it, are a constant hazard – they will just not hear you coming. Be friendly about it. (You’re on holiday!)

 Sunburn can get you even on seemingly dull days – wear sunscreen and consider long sleeves.

 Carry food, water and a basic first aid kit.

 Be prepared for changes in the weather – don’t get cold or soaked through.

The signs on the old Kinsale to Cork road are old enough to be in miles (Route 6, Stage 6)

Security

The following are specific crime points for cyclists.

 Bike theft is a real risk in cities and towns.

 Lock your bike every time you leave it – theft is unlikely (apart from in the cities), but bikes occasionally get ridden home from the pub (by someone else) and, in any case, losing your cycle will be a complete holiday disaster.

 If you have quick-release wheels, make sure your lock secures these too.

 Take your valuables in an easily removable bar bag with a shoulder strap and carry it with you. In bigger centres such as Galway, Limerick and Cork, book into your accommodation and secure your bags before exploring around town.

What to take

Bike

Bikes sold as tourers generally have a relaxed frame geometry, good clearances for mudguards and tyres, mounting points for carriers, and low gear ratios. A set of hand-built touring wheels is a good investment, especially for Ireland where the roads are bumpy. Drop handlebars are not for everyone, but they do give a choice of hand positions and can be a godsend in headwinds. Mountain bikes or mountain–road hybrids are also popular for touring, but since most of this book is on sealed roads, make sure suitable road tyres are fitted.

For Irish conditions, 32–42mm (width) tyres are a good compromise between speed and comfort. A puncture resistant Kevlar band is pretty much essential, because of thorns. Schwalbe Marathons (www.schwalbe.com) work well in Ireland: the basic Marathon is a good choice although you might prefer the faster-rolling Marathon Supreme in wider tyre sizes.

Simple is generally best on tour, and in Ireland, if you have the absolute latest in gear, spares might be hard to get hold of. Sticking to 26-inch or 700c wheel sizes will give you the best choice of spares, if you happen to need them.

If you are already used to clipless pedals, systems with small cleats such as the Shimano SPD are efficient touring platforms, and with the right shoes (see below) the cleats are recessed and you can walk normally. Fit two or three water-bottle holders – if your frame does not have the right fixings, brackets are available.

Take cycle lights just in case you get caught out late or you fancy a ride to the pub. If you don’t take lights, pack a torch as rural areas are very dark at night.

Author off the beaten track approaching Cleggan (Route 3, Stage 4)

Spares and repairs

Get your bike into good condition before you leave: anything tired, worn or loose should be sorted out. After that, be sensible about the tools and spares you take. Being self-sufficient is great in principle but heavy in practice, and more weight means more strain for you and the bike. Match the spares and tools you take to your mechanical ability, and remember that Ireland is not a wilderness, and if the worst comes to the worst, you can get the bus to the nearest big town for repairs. Consider taking a spare chain and a spare folding tyre – just because without these you cannot get anywhere. A spoke spanner is handy for adjusting wheels, but don’t tinker unless you know what you are doing. A multi-tool with pliers is handy for small fix-it jobs off and on the bike.

Check round the bike for loose fasteners at least every few days. A liquid chain lubricant suited for wet weather riding is best for Ireland. Dry lubricants are cleaner, but tend to wash off in wet conditions.

Luggage

KEY POINTS

 Some luggage must be completely waterproof.

 Take an easily removable bar bag for valuables.

 ‘Essential’ is negotiable and smaller bags mean lighter loads.

 Think about how you will pack wet and dirty gear.

 Buy good racks.

 Side-to-side balance is important.

 Make sure your lights are visible.