Planning an Ireland tour...

[jargle]

HI there

Planning to mooch around Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Limerick and Sligo for a week in early July. First road trip for the two of us. Just wondering if anyone has any tips, insights or warnings about bike riding in that area? Looks pretty, and pretty straightforward.

Food, drink, live music and the craic are more important to us than caning the miles. Oh and we're packing rain suits ;-)

Appreciate any thoughts

cheers

J

[Hooli]

Enjoy, it's a great place to tour. Just don't expect epic road surfaces, most are rough.

Some great roads to ride, one big pass I can't remember the name of that is great fun. Srob will know, he goes every year on vintage bikes.

[Chops9]

Make sure to fit in the Ring òf Kerry! Im from Ireland and the two main problems are rain and road surfaces. The craic will more than make up for this!

[jargle]

Thanks Hooli, yeah we're not expecting awesome road surfaces!

[Hooli]

It's just come back to me, the Healey Pass.

[srob]

As Hooli says, we do it most years on old bikes. We're always based in Killarney at the Castleross Hotel, which is nice.

There's a few places we always go every year, Teddy O'Sullivans is one of the proper old Irish pubs and a great location.

There's some awesome roads too if you're feeling adventurous. Priest's Leap is one, but the unmissable one is Healy Pass. It's like an Irish Alpine Pass, so added sheep, cows and liquid sunshine (rain).

You'll have an ace time and come back with loads of stories, just be careful of the car drivers, they seem to get worse every year!

[Chops9]

The Healy Pass is easily up there with the best.

Also check out "The Wild Atlantic Way" for some good ideas

[stupidbutkeen]

I plan on heading down for a couple days next week. Going on my own just for the run.

[srob]

One day (probably when I retire ) I still plan to do a full lap of Ireland on a bike.

It's one of the most amazing places in the world I think.

Ref the Healy Pass, if there's a few of you going have a coasting race. A few of the lads who were there early for the event did it last year before the Rally started. Start at the kiosk thing at top with engines off and see who can get the furthest. I think theirs is probably on Youtube as one filmed onboard, I can't view at work though.

[matchmaker]

Chops9 said:

Make sure to fit in the Ring òf Kerry! Im from Ireland and the two main problems are rain and road surfaces. The craic will more than make up for this!

If you're doing the Ring of Kerry, best do it clockwise! And the Dingle Peninsula is awesome.

[srob]

matchmaker said:

If you're doing the Ring of Kerry, best do it clockwise! And the Dingle Peninsula is awesome.

We really stuggled with the Ring of Kerry. We did it in the opposite direction to the buses, which was good in that you don't get stuck behind one every time they meet a motorhome and have to stop, but bad in that the motorhomes, vans etc had to stop every time the meet a bus anyway!

Burning clutches everywhere!

[Hooli]

matchmaker said:

And the Dingle Peninsula is awesome.

Wild & empty, it's a great place to visit.

[Chops9]

Hooli said:

matchmaker said:

And the Dingle Peninsula is awesome.

Wild & empty, it's a great place to visit.

If hitting the Dingle Peninsula, the Conor Pass is great, a lot of it has been upgraded now though but still an epic road

If in Dingle town, Foxy John's Pub is a must, hardware store during the day and a pub at night!

[Hooli]

Conor Pass, is that is? (I can't remember where I took this pic)

[matchmaker]

Chops9 said:

Hooli said:

matchmaker said:

And the Dingle Peninsula is awesome.

Wild & empty, it's a great place to visit.

If hitting the Dingle Peninsula, the Conor Pass is great, a lot of it has been upgraded now though but still an epic road

If in Dingle town, Foxy John's Pub is a must, hardware store during the day and a pub at night!

When we went over the Conor Pass (by car) we drove into thick fog. That made for an interesting journey...

[Chops9]

Hooli said:

Conor Pass, is that is? (I can't remember where I took this pic)

Haven't been in a few years but it looks like the bit as you just come into Dingle town.

[Hooli]

Ta, I know it was a good road I found early one morning.

[Fire99]

I've been over there three times since October and I have to say the road surfaces have improved a great deal and there are town bypasses all over the place. Even rural roads are far better than the nonsense I have to drive on in the South East of England..

[shielsy]

Road services are actually pretty good in certain parts of the country... There was a lot of EU funding to roads around the west/north west some years back. Had a few trips around Donegal a while ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[hwajones]

I'd recommend Galway/Connemara/Sligo having done it a few times on the bikes...
Stick to the coast roads on the way up (through westport & ballycroy national park) and then go through Cong on your way back south! (where john wayne filmed the quiet man)

Donegal Town also a lovely place but probably a bit far north for you

The Atlantic way should show you plenty of the sights!

Have a great time!