The Irish Way Round - Long Read and Photos

[fizzwheel]

I've been keeping a blog whilst we've been away of where we've been and what we got up to... hope you enjoy it.

Cheers Fizz

Saturday 30th September – Day 1

The day dawns, Liz is up already she’s excited and can’t wait to leave. I however don’t do mornings and it takes me a while to get moving in the morning. I peep through the blind and see what the world has in store for us today. I’m relived its dry and sunny, a little misty but the sun will burn that off, its maybe a little cold but I can cope with that. The roads are damp but its nothing that wont dry a little later on.

I’ve still not really decided Leathers / textiles. I decide on textiles. I don’t trust the weather. We have some breakfast and get the bikes all loaded up.



We’re departing on what for both of us is our biggest biking trip. I’m excited and both nervous about the journey ahead and what challenges we might have to face. I think we’ve prepared as well as we could have. I’ve had the GSXR serviced and a new rear tyres fitted. Liz has changed the oil on her bike, had a new back tyre and a new chain and sprocket. We’ve both got breakdown cover and I’ve got puncture repair kit under my seat, a spare container of scotoil and tucked away in our luggage are copies of our insurance details and a spare keyfob for the alarm on my bike.

Liz is excited and keen to hit the road. So at 8:40 we hop on the bikes and take to the road.

A short hop up the A303, we pass a couple of other bikes a Triumph 955 and something else, and then pick up the road up out of Somerset onto the M5, the roads are wetter here, I’m finding it hard to get feel from the bike, the tyres are cold and I’m not relaxed. I’ve got that niggling doubt that I always seem to get on along journey that I’ve forgotten something. I probably haven’t and if I have I hope it isnt something important.

I’ve got some temperature into the tyres now and I feel more at ease with the bike. I’m used to the weight of the tail pack and how its effecting the dynamics of the bike and the way that I ride. We thread up along through Somerton and pick up the A39 to Bridgewater and hop onto the M5. Then out onto the M4 and into Wales. We pass through our first shower of rain but it stops as quickly as it starts.

Stop for fuel and a stretch of the legs on the M4



Liz notices a big black splodge on the exhaust of my bike. Bugger I’ve melted my textile trousers on the exhaust as I’ve stretched my legs out at some point, that’s going to be real pain in the butt to get off.

As we push the bikes out of the petrol station and have a quick bite to eat it starts to rain again and rain hard this time, by the time I’ve collected up my stuff and nipped back under the shelter of the forecourt, I’m wet through.

Gear up again and out onto the M4, I’ve got a bit disorientated coming out of the services and I’m not sure which was to go, Liz is and I follow her out onto the motorway. Its raining hard now. I’m glad I swapped my summer gloves for my winter ones and I’m nice and dry.

We keep pushing on and the rain stops and the sun comes out again. Drop off the M4 on the A48 making good time, beginning to get into a grove with the riding.
As the M4 fizzles out it dumps on the A48, we follow this and I’m now looking for signs for the A477. Sadly they seem lacking, bugger I haven’t read the map properly. Now I’ve got lost. I’ve taken the wrong turning off one of the roundabouts. A quick detour and U turn later has us heading in the right direction again.

The suns warmed up nicely now. We follow the windy A477 into Pembroke, we stop at Tesco’s for provisions and fuel. Then ride the mile or so into Pembroke and join our place in the queue for the ferry. We’re two hours early.



It starts to rain again and we take shelter in one of the little huts that the dock workers use as an office its lashing it down. Now I’m glad we’re early and we’ve missed riding through that. Another biker turns up on a Fazer and we’re nattering away to him. He’s going on up through Waterford and offers to show us the way, but I’ve got a route in my head and I want to do my own exploring rather than just following somebody else so we politely decline.

We’re directed up the loading ramp onto the ferry, I’m getting a bit nervous about the bike’s on the ferry, also the ramps a bit slippery, Liz is away and up the ramp before I even get myself sorted out. Its not that slippery inside the ferry though and we park up. We wait whilst the bikes are tied down. The bloke tying them down is a biker, but he says that he had to make a choice “my wife or the bike” he says. The wife won. He pops our cloths under the ropes over the seat and the ropes off the forks, the bikes not moving anywhere. I am paranoid about the bikes falling over, I zip tie the brake lever and the bikes left in gear. I pop a bungee round the sidestand so that it doesn’t spring up if the bike does move. There’s not much more I can do and we make our way up into the passenger section of the ferry. We find a quiet spot and settle down for the trip.

View out from the ferry, leaving Pembroke.



The Ferry roles a little bit and its difficult to walk about, but its not to bad. We both manage to get some sleep.

We dock eventually at 7pm, approx 15 – 20 minutes late. I’ve had a good look at the map during the crossing and I know where I’m going.

I’m relived to find both bikes intact and we kit up and head out of Rosslaire. Liz has remembered how to change her speedo from MPH to KPH, I haven’t… so I have no idea how badly I am breaking the speed limit. A few spots on rain drop onto my visor as head out of Rosslaire on the N25 its raining steadily and its got dark very quickly. After a few minutes the weather decides “Here have some rain” and its absolutely ****ing down. The GSXR’s projector headlight carves a beam through the spray its hard to see where I’m going. Liz has adopted her “Wing Man” position and is coping as best she can with the spray from my bike as well as that spray from the other vehicles. Its hard to make good progress theres so much traffic, a few nutters pop out from side turnings. I had forgotten the warnings from Liz and her parents about crazy irish driving. A good hard grab of the brakes reminds me I need to be more aware, I push out my vision ahead of me as best I can and loose some speed to give myself time to react. That’s better I start to relax which also gives me more time.

Its raining hard now. We stop again for fuel and I ask Liz to take a turn in front so I’m worried about getting nicked for speeding. I’ve put my waterproof gloves back on, My hands are cold. It was a mistake to think it wouldn’t rain again.

We follow the N25 to Waterford and then the N24 to Limmerick, Its still raining hard and doesn’t show any sign of stopping. We stop for a break in Clonmel and Liz rings her mum to say we’re going to be later than we thought arriving, Liz gets some directions on how to find the Holiday cottage and we push on in the rain.

Riding in the dark like this with the spray is a challenge and its not one I’m particularly enjoying. I’ve so much dirt on my visor now its not clearing and we can’t go fast enough so that the wind pressure clears the water off either. Its hard going. My back is beginning to ache and my necks getting stiff. Theres one part of the road that’s covered in mud from road works and I cause myself a moment by tensing up and fighting the bike. Liz passes me serenely making the act of riding look effortless. I follow her for a while to get my nerve back and my pulse back down to normal again. I catch her up and we push on. I get back in front as I have the map and I almost miss the turning onto the N7, I stop in on a bit off road with bad camber and Liz cant get off her bike. So I hop back on again and we push on for a few more miles till I find a place I can stop to check the map. Its still raining and its got cold we can see our breathe as we go over the route and discuss whether we need more fuel. Its getting late and whilst the MPG is higher than it usually would be because of the low speed. I’d feel better with a full tank. We decide to stop at the first place we see to fill up. We find a garage a few miles up the road and we’re his last customers as we exit the shop he turns out the forecourt lights and we kit up in the dark and head off back into the night.

I’m searching now for a side road off one of the villages on the N7, I think I see the turning I want but its not the right one. I try in vain to pick out the next signpost but its over grown with trees. B*ll*cks that’s the turning I wanted. The 2nd quick U turn of the day has us on the right road.

The road is bumpy and appears poorly surfaced also it has two streams of water running down either side of it. I follow the white lines and we pick up speed a little 45 – 50mph is all that possible, I leave the bike in 3rd or 4th and let it the engine spin so I have more control and engine breaking I push my vision forward to the limit of the headlight, I’m searching all the time for the next corner and the route we need to take.

We pass through villages whose names are familiar to me only from looking at the map, Killaoe, Ballina, Ognonello are all despatched I know we are getting near now. We drop into Scariff and the headlights pick out a sign amongst the rain, I follow the road as directed, but miss the next signpost. I make a spot decision, straight on has towns listed that I know take us away from our route. The right turning appears un signposted. I plump for right and follow my instinct, a few miles later on I’m convinced I’ve taken us the wrong way. I’m about to start looking for places to turn around when I see a sign for “The Mountshannon Hotel” I push on knowing we’re close to Mountshannon and sanctuary and a warm bed. I remember Liz’s words of direction to the cottage. I slow right down looking for the left turn we need, Theres a person in the road with a torch, he shines it at me and directs us left, It takes me a few seconds to recognise Liz’s dad through the gloom and rain. I follow his direction and spot Liz’s mum in the driveway directing us in to park up.

Journeys end, 22:45 A hot mug of tea and some sandwiches, unload the bikes and off to bed. Distance covered 345 miles.

Sunday October 1st – Day 2

We’re both drained from the previous day. We decide that we’ll not ride today and have a rest. Its dawned dry and sunny ( typical ) Over cooked breakfast we decide will hop in the car with Liz’s parents and take a bit of a trip out. Liz’s dad is keen to visit a place called “The Burren” so out with the map and we plan a route to take us there.

We leave the bikes for the day, parked up outside the holiday cottage.





The route takes us on a bit of a tour.

The Cliffs of Mohar



Looking out onto Galway Bay







The Burren



Liz decides she’s had enough of me already and scrambles off up the nearest hillside.



We take another route back to the Holiday cottage, we stop off at Lough Derge and have a look round.

Looking out towards “Holy Island”



Looking out across Lough Derge



Monday 2nd October – Day 3

We decide to ride today, Its dry and warm, so after breakfast its out with the map and we plan a route around Lough Derge.

We head out on the R352 following the road to Portuma, Its bumpy as anything. Anything more than 45 – 50mph has me flying out of the seat, I can only imagine what Liz is having to put up with on her SV I thank my lucky stars for the plush carpet ride of the GSXR. We pickup the N65 for Carrigahoig and then the we go the wrong way again. Another U turn, ( we’re getting good at this now ) and then we re trace our steps and take the right turning this time. The R493 to Terryglass.

When I said to Liz can you do a tank stand, I think she mis-understood me.



We follow the R493 towards Nenagh, I spot a good place to stop to take in the view and we stop for a drink and to stretch our legs.







After a few wrong turns in Nenagh we find the right road again, and head out towards Ballina where we stop for a drink and something to eat.



Then we take the R463 towards Scarrif and head back to MountShannon. I wanted to ride this again in the daylight after riding it in the dark and rain on Saturday night. What a difference a day makes…. I thought this was bumpy, I had the spectre of gravel in my mind on every corner. I needed have worried the daylight reveals a well surfaced road with wide sweeping corners that is a joy to ride. Its bumpy back not as bad as early and its nice to open the bike up and have a bit of a play.

We stop by the side of Lough Derge again for a few more photos.







It was a bit tricky to get Liz’s SV back off the slipway, but I’m really pleased with the way the pictures turned out. I think the other car load of tourists that turned up wandered what the pair of nutter bikers were doing as we manhandled the bike off the slipway. Liz performed a lovely controlled power slide off the mud back on the gravel of the carpark.

The we headed back into Mountshannon. The weather was playing strange tricks. One minute it was sunny, next minute its lashing with rain.





Milleage Covered 104

Tuesday October 3rd – Day 4

Dry and Sunny again today. But theres an Autumnal damp chill to the air. We decide we’re going to take another section of coast road and do some exploring.

We head out on the R352 to Enis ( possibly the worst signposted town in history) Its hard to navigate our way through. The signposting is next to non existent, where there is a sign its not placed well, but we get through eventually and pick up the N85 to Ennistimon and then onto Lisdonvarna, Usual kind of road, bumpy but well surfaced. Then we pick up the R477, this is different steep hills, with sharp bends and no warning. Liz says that she can see my suspension taking the punishment, the back wheel is moving around but the tail light is static and not moving. She’s taking a battering up through her arms apart from this both bikes are taking it well.

We stop for a few pictures. We’re scooting round the edge of The Burren again.







We stop again a bit further round the coast, We’re really enjoying this road, its smoother now, the surface is good and grippy its warmer now and I’ve really got into “the zone”. Its effortless riding like this, the visibility is good through the corners and I take the racing line through the bends. Bliss.





Just outside Kinvara we stop for fuel. The petrol station attendant is obviously having a slow day and natters away to Liz and I about biking for 5 minutes before we can politely escape. Having been lectured on tyre pressures and correct fueling etiquette he seems happy to let us go.

We deviate from our planned route, and take some back roads to Gort rather than the road I had planned, but it works out OK and find ourselves back on the road to Scarriff, I push to hard on a couple of sections and the front washes out on some gravel, I back off the speed and cruise. Normally that kind of front end slide would have me sh*tting myself but I laugh to myself and take the warning from the bike not to push the speed any harder. We stop in Scarriff to get food and then head back to Mountshannon.

117 miles covered today, best days biking yet.

Wednesday October 4th – Day 5

Looking at the map again, looks like we can take another ride out aong a different section of coast out to a place called Loop Head.

Its dry and sunny again. Head out towards Enis again and get lost again. Same problems of dodgy / lack of signposting, we end up on the N68 which I don’t want to be on. I spot a sign post for one of the villages on the road I do want and do a U turn. Liz gets stuck in a gravel layby with a dodgy camber. I takes her a minute or two to get turned round. I feel a git for not picking a better place to turn around. I get off to help her but she has it under control.

We follow the road and pick up the road we should have taken out of Enis, but after a few miles the road just peters out and theres no signposts at all. Out with the map I think I know roughly where we are, push on again. Now we’re on proper country roads. Gravelly, with a nice green carpet of grass up the middle of the road. One minutes its raining the next minute its sunny again. Stop again to check the map when finally we find a signpost, and the on to the next village. More gravel and grass. I’m on the wrong bike I should be on a crosser or GS, I keep expecting to meet Ewan McGreggor or Charlie Boorman around the next bend. We eventually come a junction with a signpost pointing to a recognisable town, but the roads blocked with roadworks. Liz takes the initiative and zooms off on the right road.

Again due to lack of signposting in Killkee we go the wrong way, but we’re kind of headed in the right direction, so we push on. I find a layby which seems like a good place to stop for a rest so we pull over.





We push on again and pick up the right road to Loop Head.





We stop in Killkee for lunch



I had planned a longer route, but we’re both getting tired so we decide to head straight back to Mountshannon.

Bikes are both running fine. Liz has a little niggle with the gear change. I think this is because we over filled the oil when we changed it, We stop for fuel. The guy at the petrol station is amazed by the bikes. He natters to Liz whilst I pay for the fuel.

We arrive back at Mountshannon tired, todays ride was a bit ambitious. Both bikes are absolutely filthy.







Whilst we’re having a cup of tea, a Garda turns up. Whopps… what have we done…



Its OK, just a spot of bother with the previous tenants of the holiday cottage. He has a look round whilst smoking a fag and a cup of tea. He asks about the bikes and says “Its OK you can do what you like I’d never catch you in my car anyway” He’s quite a character.

175 Miles covered today.

Thursday October 6th – Day 6

The Journey Home.

Yep you guessed it. Its raining, Its also blowing a gale.

We pop to Enis in the car to do some shopping in the morning and come back and have lunch. The weather isn’t getting better so we decide that its best to leave for Rosslaire earlier rather than later.

We load up the bikes and kit up.



The bolt has come out of the seat cowl bracket on Liz’s bike so her Kreiga tail pack has to go on my bike as its not going to stay on her bike.

I’m a bit sad to be leaving, I’ve really enjoyed the whole thing of exploring and getting lost and then the sense of achievement in getting to where I wanted to go.

We head off with instructions for Liz’s mum to text when we get to the ferry port and to text again when we get back to Liz’s house.

Its raining but it’s the wind that’s making things hard going. As we head out on the N7 the rains coming down harder and the spray is horrendous. I keep pushing on as I think its better to overtake the lorries and traffic rather than sitting behind it like a drowned rat.

We get snarled up in traffic in Tipperary and both bikes are hidden behind clouds of steam. We stop for fuel again and the rain is easing off. We stop in Clonmel again for something to eat and to stretch its dry here thank goodness.

The tailpacks moved and has been thumping me in the back for the last 20 – 25 miles and I take it off to readjust it, that’s better.



Liz’s gloves are wet, She needs new ones but we cant find any she likes. She’s taken to resting them on her can to try and dry them each time we stop.



We push on again, its dry but windy, we pass a Hornet with pillion whilst we’re filtering. Its weird to see another bike, We haven’t seen hardly any whilst we’ve been away. We loose him as we accelerate hard out of New Ross.

It’s a pretty uneventful trip back to Rosslaire, we arrive as the light is failing. That’s the hardest bit over now. Its just the ferry crossing and M4 all the way home ( little do I know )



Whilst we queuing to get on the ferry the winds picked up. Liz notices that its strong enough now to rock the bike about on its suspension.

I’m getting apprehensive again about the crossing. I don’t get sea sick I’m not worried about that I’m worried about the bikes being damaged.

We ride up the on ramp and stay with the bikes as they’re being strapped down. Liz’s bike parked tight to the wall she folds the mirror in and they pack some sponge around it to protect the mirror. She comes over me to check what they are doing with mine and then goes back to check hers. She calls me over, shes noticed that they have roped her bike down and run the rope over the fairing. They come back over and we explain that the rope wont hold the bike like that and it’ll get damaged. I explain how I want it tied down and another chap comes along to help the first one out, the 2nd guy has a better idea of what to do, neither of them speak English well and I can’t speak Polish to get my point across.

I zip tie up the break levers on both bikes and bungee my side stand again. They’ve roped my bike up but its still a bit loose, then they produce a ratchet strap and tie it down with that and I’m happy as I’m going to be. Fingers crossed.

The ferry crossing is rough, but its bareable. The ship is banging and crashing around and the sea is rough. I try to sleep but I can’t, Liz manages a few hours.

On arrival at Pembroke, both bikes are fine and I breathe a huge sigh of relief. Off we go again into the night. Its now p*ssing down. We stop for fuel in Pembroke the Tesco’s looks closed but the pay at pump service is working.

We’re out on the open road. I pass a lot of the ferry traffic, its dark and nothing is coming the other way so we sit out in the wrong lane and filter pass most of it. I’m struggling to see, my visor has gone all smeary and the rain isn’t beading up and running off it. I’m not relaxed and I don’t feel comfortable. The wind is howling now its making things a struggle, theres not much I can do about it. We’ve got to get through it. I keep wiping it with my glove but in the end I give up and put up with the lack of forward vision, I’m looking off the side to try and get my bearings on the road.

As we get onto the M4 the spray is worse as is the wind. Liz is sat a little way behind me now keeping out of the spray from my bike. I still cant see but with less traffic it’s a little easier to pick my way through the dark.

After a coupe of hours we stop for fuel again. I’m tired and cold I can see Liz is to. I know her hands are cold as her gloves leak. To be honest there isn’t much you that is going to keep you dry in the weather we are riding through. I can feel my feet getting wet and all my kit is heavy with water. I decide I want to whimp out and get a travel lodge for the night and get some sleep and ride in the morning in the daylight. Liz cant she needs to get home to get ready for her weekend away with the TA and I cant let her ride through this by herself. We fuel up, she finds a dry cloth and I clean my visor its got something stuck on it but I don’t know what, a thin film of grease. I then twig what I’ve done. I haven’t cleaned it thoroughly and its residue from the spray I used to clean the visor on the ferry. I polish the visor properly this time. We head out again. I ask Liz to lead just so I can have a rest from being in front.

Its better now I can see properly and the water is beading up and running of my visor at last I can see. We’re 20 or so miles the wrong side of Cardiff.

The wind on the new Severn Bridge is tremendous. Liz gets caught by a couple of big gusts that nearly have the bike out from underneath her as do I. I aquaplane through a huge puddle that I haven’t seen, I’m not fighting the bike now I just let it find its own path and we make it through.

Liz stops again to stretch as her back is aching, mine is to and I’m glad of the chance to stretch. The GSXR is comfortable but I’ve been riding for 3 hours now since we left the ferry and it took us four hours to get across Ireland.

We pass a car planted in the barriers on the M4 near Chippenham and then come off and head cross country back to Amesbury.

We get back to Liz’s at about 05:15, both tired, cold and wet. We’re both glad to be home.

Friday 7th October – Day 7.

No riding for Liz today shes home. I have another 60 miles to do back to Yeovil.

We rest all day and Liz packs her army kit ready for the weekend. We have some food and I head home. 60 miles down the A303 seems like nothing to the mammoth trip we’ve just done. Its dry but the wind is still in my face.

I’m playing with an Audi on the A303 when I get thumped in the chest by something that then pulls my left hand off the bars. The wind has got under my map pouch and blown it off the tank, I push it back down but it wont stay. Riding one handed I fiddle with it and get it to stay on the tank.

I take a favourite piece of road from Sparkford to Mudford past my local dealer and then I’m into the sprawl of Yeovil.

I’m home.

Total distance covered for Liz and I : 1146 miles.

It was a brilliant holiday we’re going back next year to a different a part of Ireland. The rain didnt really spoil it that much on the Journey out and back. I just tried to keep telling myself it was part of the adventure.

[21QUEST]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

......I just tried to keep telling myself it was part of the adventure.......

...and what an adventure indeed. Thanks for sharing.

Really enjoyed reading it(and others) and I've promised myself no more excuses next year.

You two trying to find the cottage reminded me of the longest trip I've done. London to Lands End then to John O'Groats. Last bit(ooh less than 5 miles) of rriding getting to the house we were staying at for the night was an absolute mare. Really thick fog and was a miracle we all managed to make it to the house without an incident.


Cheers
Ben

SOunds great Fizz - gladd you had a good time and the pics are great

Wow thats one heck of a journey, the pictures and write up are great and sounds like you had a great time.

Glad you and Liz are back in one piece and ready for another trip

Now wheres that map...

Excellent pics and story. I would like to go but never been properly (only with work).
Great report

Great pics and write-up. Sounds like you had a fun and very memorable adventure.

A good read and some really cracking photos - just what I needed this morning with a cuppa.

It seems you lucked out a bit with the weather whilst you were there, this time of year I would have expected it to be hammering down the whole time.

Ireland is on my list of places to visit, along with Scotland - two places relatively close to home that I've never been to before. It's shocking really.

[Richie]

great read and many lovly pics, glad you and Liz had a great and safe time.

Great trip, filthy weather and filthy bikes

Great write-up, too

Just one question about this:

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

How the feck did you get it back off without dropping it in the pond?

Nice write-up and some good pics