The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Ireland: Southwest Peninsulas 2019

June 16th to June 29th

Ride Coordinator: John McManus
Report by: Charles Feerick

Ride Coordinators: John McManus, Glenn Guenterberg, Patrice Van Vleet

Report by: Chuck Feerick

For cyclists looking for some of the most stunning scenery in the world, quiet country roads, challenging ascents and descents, archaeological treasures dating back to the late stone age, unmatched hospitality and warmth of the local population, wonderful camaraderie with fellow BAC cyclists, and of course proper Guinness, the 2019 tour of southwest Ireland was all that and more. After rendezvousing in Dublin and traveling via coach to the Riverside Inn in Killarney, 22 riders plus ride coordinator John McManus and Tony Boyd of Iron Donkey Tours gathered for our initial social hour and ride briefing. This was the first BAC ride for eight members, an unusually high number especially for a tour this challenging. Congratulations to Jane Brueggemann, Ken and Jill Carr, Philae Carver, Barbara Clark, Julie Howe, and Charlie Herron and Linda Lundgren!

Unfortunately, the day prior to the start of the trip, John McManus had a serious accident and broke his ankle. He made a valiant effort to continue to participate but quickly realized he needed to fly back to the States for prompt medical attention. He handed the reins over to Glenn Guenterberg and Patrice Van Vleet who were fantastic. Good luck John with your recovery and we look forward to riding with you when you are back in the saddle.

We embarked the next day on a loop that took us up and across the Gap of Dunloe, down through the Black Valley and McGillacuddy’s Reeks, up and across Moll’s Gap, and around the Lake of Killarney and Killarney National Park. At the social that evening several of us remarked that it was rather unusual for the ride to feature the most stunning scenery of the trip on the first day.

The next morning we headed south on a beautiful ride to Gougane Barra, a remote and picturesque area best known for its Forest Park, ancient Catholic Church and well of healing waters, and magnificent guest house where we stayed, which overlooked the lake. The dinner at the guest house was superb, and many of us remarked that the scenery today was just as incredible as yesterday’s.

The next day began with a short ride to the seaside village of Bantry, with optional extensions to the Sheep’s Head Peninsula or Glengarriff Bay for a full day of riding. On the Sheep’s Head option we were challenged by Goat’s Pass with its 14% climb and gusty head winds. Several folks opted to ride to Glengarriff and take the boat ride across the Bay to Garinish Island.

Bantry was a two-night stay in the modern Maritime Hotel. On the second day in Bantry, several of us rode out to Mizen Head located at the extremity of the Kilmore Peninsula which is the southern-most point of Ireland. There we found a café serving cappuccinos and homemade desserts, and I have to say that I found their fish and chips to be the best of the trip (this may have been influenced by the 45 km ride to get out there). Mizen Head is noted for its dramatic cliffs, and a series of paved paths gives one access to an old signal station and lighthouse and probably the most dramatic views of granite rocks and cliffs in all of Ireland. It was breathtaking. That evening we began to realize that the scenery of each day was matching if not outdoing that of the previous days.

From Bantry, we cycled over Healy Pass to Kenmare for a 2-night stay. The pass was a long, steady 5-6% grade with spectacular pasturelands and roaming sheep all spray-painted in varying shades of purple, blue, and pink. The pass was named after Timothy Healy who championed the construction of the road during the famine years of the late 1840s. The road was important because it tied together Kerry and Cork counties, allowing the exchange of goods.

The next day’s ride was the optional Kenmare loop. This was the most challenging ride of the tour at 40 miles with two difficult climbs, the second of which was Priest’s Leap, a steep 10-19% steady climb. A couple of us did the first climb out-and-back, and Harold Datz and his wife Rita Zeidner did the full Priest’s Leap loop; others did shorter rides or took the day off. At this point Iron Donkey’s Tony Boyd bid us farewell. We were sorry to see him leave but happy to welcome his replacements Norman Trotter and his friend and helper David.

The weather up until this point had been fantastic, but inevitably some rain had to fall. As forecasted, we awoke to a heavy drizzle. The ride today was from Kenmare to Waterville following the Ring of Kerry route. Glenn and Patrice kindly arranged a shuttle to Waterville, giving folks the option to ride in the rain or get right to the hotel for an early Guinness. Most opted for the shuttle except the truly hardy: Larry and Roz Gibel, Tom and Edel Mayer, Charlie Herron and Linda Lundgren, and Harold Datz and Rita Zeidner. Well done!

Waterville is a quaint and quiet coastal town, and we stayed at the Butler Arms Hotel which was situated right on the rocky coastline of the bay. Charlie Chaplin took his family on vacations here and the board walk is affectionately named in his honor. 

The weather cleared and the loop ride the following day was for many the most memorable of the trip. One of these memories involved the most difficult ascent of the trip, an 18-20 % climb across Coomanaspig Pass. With that behind us, just down the road many of us stopped and paid a 4 euro fee to walk out to the Cliffs of Kerry, another set of amazing cliffs and spectacular views of the Skellig Islands in the distance. For me, the absolute highlight of the trip was the optional boat tour from Portmagee out to and around the Skellig Islands. The sea and islands were teeming with pelagic birds including Gannets, Puffins, Murres, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Shearwaters, etc. On Little Skellig Island alone there are over 70,000 nesting Gannets! Many of our group had the opportunity to visit the impressive Skellig Experience Centre which was just over the bridge from Portmagee on Valentia Island. The Centre described the history of the inhabitants of Skellig Michael, most notably the ancient monks who constructed by hand the many hundreds of stone steps leading up to and around the rugged island.          

From Waterville we headed northeast to Killorglin, conquering a steep climb across Ballaghisheen Pass before being rewarded with a rest stop at the Climber’s Inn in Glencar. From Glencar we rode over the Blackstones Bridge which fords the River Caragh, perhaps one of the most picturesque spots of the trip.

From Killorglin, we cycled out the Dingle Peninsula with the coastal town of Dingle as our destination. Highlights of the journey included a stop at Inch Strand, a two-mile long sandy beach overlooking Dingle Bay. Several of us also stopped for a drink at The South Pole Inn in Annascaul, the pub and home town of the intrepid explorer Tom Crean who explored the Antarctic with Scott and Shackleton during the Heroic Age of the early 20th century. Dingle is a charming and, during the high season, busy coastal town. In the evening several of our group went to The Dingle Pub and were treated to an incredible performance by world champion Irish dancer David Geaney.

The following day took us further out along the coast of the Dingle Peninsula. I will refrain from making any statement about the relative scenic beauty of this ride, but, well, it was near the top for the trip! Just outside of Dingle we stumbled across the Celtic Prehistoric Museum. The museum held the most spectacular private collection of Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts imaginable, including a huge intact fossilized head of a woolly mammoth (not to slight the complete fossilized cave bear that was also on display). The most fabulous stop was the Blasket Islands Centre, near Dunquin.  The Centre chronicles the almost lost to history life and language of the inhabitants of the Islands who managed for thousands of years to eke out an existence on the islands. Fortunately a few astute anthropology-minded individuals documented in literature the heritage of these peoples and in so doing helped to preserve the Irish language. Our last stop was at Gallarus Oratory, an outdoor museum which featured the most perfectly intact stone “beehive” in all of Ireland. This dry-stacked stone structure was built ~800 A.D. by Christian monks, and was an excellent specimen of others that we had seen dotting a number the islands. 

That evening we recovered our strength in Ballyferriter before beginning our farewell ride to Tralee the following morning. Naturally one could not say slán to Ireland without crossing the dramatic Conor Pass, the highest point in Ireland.   

We have made some great friends on past BAC adventures, but there was something truly special about this group that immediately became a family of friends. Perhaps it was the Irish mist or the woodland fairy dust, but the laughter and comradery throughout the trip was simply wonderful. Thanks again to Glenn and Patrice for their calmness, kindness and leadership, and to Tony, Norman, and David of Iron Donkey for all of their effort and support. 

Dea-shláinte agus rothaíocht sona!

(Good health and happy cycling!)