I realize this is old news, but I feel it is important to add last year’s cycling tour of Ireland to the historical record. I should’ve typed this up last August, but I had a job back then and I am no longer encumbered with such restrictions. So for those that might be interested, here’s what we thought of cycling in Ireland:
It was pretty cool!
We went with Backroads Cycling, a group we had used before with our South Dakota tour. Maureen and I have been on a few guided tours and we have not yet been disappointed. They are kind of like different flavors of ice cream – people will have their preferences and there are some differences but they’re all good. Our guides met us in Cork and drove us to the charming village of Kenmare in the southwest of the country.
Guided tours are nice for the obvious reason that all route planning, bicycle rental/maintenance, and any emergencies are taken care of. Another benefit is the entertainment that was arranged each day. Our rides were peppered with stops at chocolate shops and even a whiskey tasting. Evenings included performances by troubadours, local pub music, and a tour of a brewery owned by a descendent of Tom Crean of the ill-fated Shackleton Expedition. All highly entertaining and stuff we probably wouldn’t have found on our own.
In total, we logged 185 miles over five rides. For three of the rides there was no rain whatsoever, which was three more than was forecasted. Apparently, it rains a great deal in Ireland. Who knew? It seems almost all the rain was pushed onto Day 4, where we shortened our route to 17.5 miles in a deluge of biblical proportions. The hot tub and sauna at the hotel that evening were most welcome, as was the Irish Coffee at the pub where we drip dried.
Most of the time, the weather was great. We cycled on quiet country roads, including farm tracks known as boreens. We were treated to fantastic views as we cycled up and down two tiny peninsulas and along the coast on the final day. We had plenty of hills to test our legs, including two rather significant climbs up Healy Pass (1,100′) and Caha Pass (1,050′ and the location of the pic at the top of this post). These were not Tour de France level climbs but they certainly were enough to convince us we earned our Guinness at the end of the ride.
At the end of our fifth and final ride, we pulled into the handsome port town of Kinsale, where we were treated to a tour of the town and some more pub music. Maureen had a chance to experiment with an e-bike, which was new to both of us. In short, she loved moving along at my (slightly) faster pace but didn’t feel like she’d done quite so much to earn her Guinness that day. It’s definitely a great option if the ride’s difficulty would otherwise cause you to stay at home.
So, that’s the short version of the Ireland story. If you get a chance to cycle there, do it – you won’t be disappointed!
There And Back Again 
It was a fabulous trip!
First of all, welcome back! Blogging is so old school these days that it’s nice to see someone bucking the trend and coming back to it.
Ireland looked like a great place to ride, from our short trip last year. We found the food to be amazing, which always helps a hard day on the bike.
That’s me, a trend bucker not a trend setter! You live in France, so I would hardly compare Irish cuisine with something you could get down the street. The Irish copied the English pub and called it good. A few centuries later, they added Guinness and whiskey – both excellent improvements!
Ireland is green for a reason. You were fortunate.
Indeed, we were! Our Irish guide told us they have many different terms for rain, much like the Eskimos have many terms for snow. Our first ride started in a light mist, which our guide referred to as a “Soft Morning.” When I asked him the correct term for the deluge he said, “This is Filthy!” I couldn’t have agreed more.
That looks like a very tempting trip. I second Gerry’s view that it is very good to see your blog back. Keep bucking the trend, I need something interesting to read.