The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Ireland's Wild West: the Burren and Connemara

June 6th to June 19th

Ride Coordinator: Jane Maxwell
Report by: Paula Power

From Ennis to Westport cyclists experienced the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ in all its glory — wind, rain, sunshine, and scenery. Twenty-three BAC members met up in Ennis (28,000 pop), county town of County Clare in the mid-west of Ireland, ready to clip in and roll along the western edge of Ireland. Beginning with a typical Irish day, rain and wind blowing, we headed to Ennistymon along rolling country lanes. Some took a side trip to Kilfenora and discovered that we were headed to a UNESCO Geopark, a unified geographic area rooted in earth sciences that connect local culture, heritage, and the environment for the visitor. We made our way through the Geopark from the Cliffs of Moher, known internationally for their dramatic 702-foot drop directly into the Atlantic Ocean (and the ‘Cliffs of Insanity’ in the Princess Bride) to the Burren, a windswept landscape of cracked bedrock of glacial-era limestone. We left Ennistymon heading toward the Burren through the whimsical town of Lisdoonvarna, where the lovelorn converge once a year to find their true love. After a breathtaking downhill ride combined with expansive views of the ocean and the Burren landscape we rode on to Kinvara and Galway where plenty of street musicians entertain throngs of people visiting from points far and wide. A ferry took us to the Aran Island of Inishmore (Inis Mór) where we admired the renowned handknit sweaters with elaborate cable designs and visited a 3,000-year-old stone fortification overlooking cliffs above the ocean. We experienced true Irish weather on our 58.8 km ride from the ferry landing at Rossaveel to Ballyconneely — four seasons in one day including a 25-mph headwind with mist along the Bog Road! The Connemara Sands was a welcome site indeed. As we left the Burren behind, every country road seemed lined with fuschia tangled with wild rose and blackberry vines. Yellow Iris, white-petalled daisies, purple foxglove, and buttery buttercups dotted fields and roads. There were babies galore — lambs, calves, colts, kids, and even small children. Even with a common reminder of the Great Famine of 1845–1849 and the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921 along the route, Ireland is alive and well! Two exhilarating loop rides out of Clifdon in County Galway along the ‘Skyway Road’ provided panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, offshore islands and rugged cliffs that did not disappoint. From Clifdon we cycled on to the charming, busy town of Westport where we were greeted with shops, restaurants, and the historic Westport House. All agreed the food everywhere we visited was surprisingly good, served by locals with a smile on their face and twinkle in their eye. Indeed, the ‘luck o’ the Irish’ shines on Ireland today.