Galway to Clifden, Days 55-60

 We spent 5 days in Galway sightseeing, doing our laundry (in the back of a gas station in an automated unit), and took a day to visit Aran Islands, of Inishmore.  

Galway was bustling with tourists and excitement of rugby tournament and on anthor day, a ladies day at the horse races, everyone dressed up in their fancy clothes and hats to go to the races. 

The trip to Aran Islands was a nine hour affair.  Leaving at 9:30 am for a two hour ferry ride, then 4.5 hours on Inishmore, the largest of the Islands, then a 2.5 hour return trip by the way of the Cliffs of Moher.  We got to also see the Corkscrew Hill from Atlantic side. 

After five days, we left our B&B and headed west on R336. The road followed the coast heading west with views of the Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. After about 30 km the road headed north through the Connemara.  A rolling plateau of fog, bog, and rocks.  We rode 52 km and an EG of 1,000 ft.

We stayed at a very nice Lodge at Screebe House in a suite room with large bay windows over looking the lake. It had been cloudy and misty all day but not raining until we arrived at the Lodge where it started to rain which continued thru the next day. 

We left Screebe House the next day at 9:30 am in pouring down rain, which continued all day.  Our ride which was supposed to be 38 km turned to be another 52 km of rolling hills, climbs through the Connemara through Clifden and out the other side to our lodge, with EG of 800 ft.   

Views  of Galway. 

Ferry to Aran Islands.

Inishmore Island

Rockeries of Inishmore.

Cliffs on Inishmore.

Cliffs of Moher from Atlantic.

Corkscrew Hill from Atlantic.

Start of Connemara.

Screebe House Lodge.

Our room!

A very rainy day's ride.

Ennis to Galway, Days 51-54

 After staying inside for 7 days and trying to avoid people as much as possible, we left Ennis and headed NW.  Took small road to R476 going uphill and then a long down hill. Taking small roads to Lehinch, a coastal beach town with people swimming and surfing in the Atlantic Ocean!

We did 30 km with Elevation Gain (EG) of 1,024 ft.  Some of the small roads are so small that she truck coming in the opposite direction couldn't pass us without it stopping. 

The next day we followed the main road (R478) in order to see the Cliffs of Moher. The first 5 km were flat but then the road headed up to 445 ft and then up again to 620 just after we stopped to see the cliffs. Then followed down again to Lisdoonvarna where we had lunch.  Then we took a beautiful small road through the Burren.  Then back to N67 main highway which began to climb to 720 ft with views of the bay ahead.  Then came a sign for Corkscrew Hill, which turned out to be a fast winding downhill with over ten switchbacks dropping all the way back to water.  Five more km brought us to Ballyvaughan, our hotel and some ice cream rewards. We did 40 km and EG of 1,530 ft. 

The next day we had short ride in misty rain on N67 along the bay up and down with two very steep hills. We did 21 km and EG of 590 ft to Kinvara. 

Today we rode 33 km and EG of 660 in pouring down rain going east out of Kinvara then north on very small roads and rolling hills.  At 10 km to Galway we joined R388 all the way to Galway and our B&B.  

Small back roads of Ireland. 

Lehinch on the Atlantic.

Cliffs of Moher.

View from the top of the pass.

Riding in the Burren. 

Our Lodge in Ballyvaughan.

Views of Galway Bay on Corkscrew Hill.

Today's rainy ride.

Our B&B in Galway.