GREECE • IRELAND • KILIMANJARO • TURKEY • ROAD SAFETY • NORTHUMBERLAND
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
ROBERT APJOK UK’S LEISURE CYCLING AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2021
DAVID CACHON’S
BIKE-MAG.COM
A GRAVEL CYCLING ADVENTURE
PANTXIKA AND FRED’S
PART
WORLD TOUR 7
HISTORY OF
RIBBLE Colm Larkin & Samantha Paton Explore Turkey’s
CAPPADOCIA OCTOBER 2021
£6.99/€7.99/$9.49
9 770026 316348
ISSN 2631-634X
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RIDE WITH SEAN KELLY & DISCOVER RHODES YOUR NEXT CYCLING DESTINATION MORE ON PAGE 4
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OCTOBER 2021 BIKE MAGAZINE
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CONTENTS BIKE-MAG.COM
INSIDE OCTOBER 2021
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TURKEY CONTINUED...
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT APJOK
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42
OHRID TO UZEM (NORTH MACEDONIA)
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A GRAVEL CYCLING ADVENTURE
THE HISTORY OF RIBBLE
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COAST AND CASTLES TOUR
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CLIMBING THE RECOVERY MOUNTAIN
the cycling journal
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WELCOME BIKE-MAG.COM
WELCOME
TO THE OCTOBER ISSUE! When reading the exciting features that come in every month for the magazine, one thing that always grabs my attention is the kindness of strangers. Many of our writers spend their time on touring adventures, cycling through the most remote parts of beautiful far-flung countries, and their tales of amazing scenery, delicious, authentic rustic food and the incredible sights, sounds and physical exertions they put themselves through, are always punctuated by narrative tangents where they discuss the amazing people they meet along the way. Rooms for the night, history tours, lifts, repairs, places to camp, drinking games, hot food and hot showers - all offered up freely by the amazing locals that they meet. And it’s often those with the least to give that are the most generous.
Cycling is an amazing way to see the world - totally immersive in the countryside, cultures and customs of foreign places. You are not just passing through, you are, for a time, a part of the lives of the people you meet - and it seems they will often welcome you with more than just open arms! So, ‘get on yer bike’, get out there, and explore. I hope you enjoy this issue and feel suitably inspired to get out on your bike. If you’ve had any adventures of your own, or have any other cycling related news, views and stories you’d like to share, then please don’t hesitate to contact me at barnaby@bike-mag.com
Barnaby Dracup Editor in Chief Barnaby is a Personal Trainer Level 4, twins dad, writer & editor oxtedpersonaltraining.co.uk
Get on your bike, have fun, be safe. Thanks,
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BD
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Humanity is an amazing thing and despite the troubles in the world and all the divisions that are increasingly rearing their ugly head - people, at heart and for the most part, are lovely, caring and want to share and look after each other.
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GREECE • IRELAND • KILIMANJARO • TURKEY • ROAD SAFETY • NORTHUMBERLAND
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
ROBERT APJOK UK’S LEISURE CYCLING AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE
A GRAVEL CYCLING ADVENTURE
Sales Executive: Moeez Ali E. moeez.ali@bike-mag.com Sales Executive: Ana Santos E. ana.santos@bike-mag.com Sales Executive: Alexander Jameson E. alexander.jameson@bike-mag.com
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PANTXIKA AND FRED’S
PART
WORLD TOUR 7
HISTORY OF
RIBBLE Colm Larkin & Samantha Paton Explore Turkey’s
CAPPADOCIA OCTOBER 2021
£6.99/€7.99/$9.49
10 9 770026 316348
ISSN 2631-634X
Account Manager: Kate Chesterman T. +44 (0)207 097 5177 E. accounts@bike-mag.com
OCTOBER 2021
DAVID CACHON’S
BIKE-MAG.COM
RIDE WITH SEAN KELLY & DISCOVER RHODES YOUR NEXT CYCLING DESTINATION MORE ON PAGE 4
Front Cover: Colm Larkin & Samantha Paton
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BIKE MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021
ASK THE COACH… BIKE-MAG.COM
ASK THE COACH… Q: I am new to cycling, can you recommend a good all round bike used for cross country my budget is up to £1500? A: The great thing is there are plenty on the market and if you shop around some of these I have mentioned will come in under that price tag. I have quoted a few here, that are both full suspension and hardtail, so you get a full mix for the type of riding you will do. Merida Big Trail comes in just over your budget but has budget-friendly
forks so a good place to start. Next up the Ribble Hardtail 725. If you like down-hill then this is a good pick to start you off. Specialized of course, always a good choice, and the Chisel sits just under your budget, but still with good quality components as you would expect from these guys. Last couple are the Canyon Grand Canyon, as it has a really good 120mm fork, and the Vitus Mythique 29 VRS, a really good 1 x 29 drivetrain and a good first full-suspension bike with excellent Shimano brakes.
Q: This summer has been very hot do you have any tips to help with cycling in hot weather? A: First thing is to either ride very early or late in the evening. We have had a few weeks here in Italy this year where it was over 40 degrees, in fact 30C by 9am, so the earlier you start then you can be back home before it gets superhot. Evenings also work, but you tend to still have to deal with the heat that the road has absorbed during the day and it will reflect back up at you. Try to avoid long climbs as there’s less
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ASK THE COACH… BIKE-MAG.COM
Ian Jenner Ian lives, works and trains at lake Garda in Italy. He has 40+ years of cycling experience, having undertaken many TT’s, road races, club events, MTB events and some of Italy’s toughest sportives and gran fondos. rule5cyclingcoaching.com Send questions to barnaby.dracup@bike-mag.com
wind cooling you, you sweat more, more heat reflection off the road – you get hot. In the evening make your drinks and stick them in the freezer, by the morning they will be solid, and you get a cold, iced drink for pretty much your whole ride. Take a pair of tights, stick ice cubes in the legs then tie this around your neck. As the ice melts it keeps your body cool. The ride on a hot day ‘starts the day before’, so ensure that you start the ride hydrated and drink plenty the day before. Likewise, ensure that you
hydrate after the ride more than you normally would. Last one, increase the strength of your electrolytes and add an extra spoon or two so you can compensate for the sweat you will produce. Q: When buying a new bike, is it better to buy frame-only and then add what you want. or just buy a complete bike from the shop? A: I believe that I can honestly say I have NEVER bought an off-theshelf bike. My first bike I had was maybe when I was 6 or 7 years
old. Secondhand, stripped and reconditioned by my dad – I loved it. The next one where I started racing, was a hand-me-down from my brother. That was stripped and the bits added that I wanted. And this vein has pretty much continued throughout my 45+ year cycling ‘career’. The things you must remember with buying a new bike straight from the shop is that to save money and to give you a good deal, the manufacturer will perhaps put ‘cheaper’ wheels on. Half of one groupset and half of another,
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bars and stem the same – the list goes on. Buying frame-only means that you can add the saddle you want, the complete groupset, the right wheels for you, tyres, etc. Then you also get a bike that EXACTLY fits your requirements and is specific to you. Of course, it can prove a little more expensive and time consuming as you search for what you need, but you will end up with your perfect bike. Next thing is, of course, putting it all together yourself, but maybe that’s another discussion to have on this page! Q: Is it worth buying a mechanical groupset? A: Wow, what a question. As with most things it depends. Personally, I would say if you are racing then go for it, but if not, then why? What’s nicer than clicking on that shifter and hearing the click of the gear dropping into place. No worries with battery charging etc. We all want to ride the latest/best/ trendiest tech, but also it’s time to put it into perspective. Someone that is doing their weekly training/commuting and a club ride on Sunday, why do you want to switch to mechanical? Just to be one-up on your mates?!
Also don’t we have enough batteries to change with our HR strap, power meter etc.
Personalities need to gel and if you feel that this person is not for you then don’t go there.
Q: I have been downloading training plans to improve my ability on the bike but I have got to a point where I am stagnating, should I now look at getting a coach?
Most coaches will offer a free 30min chat, so take them up on that. Once you have checked all this, then ask ‘what will they do for me’? Well, first it’s up to you to decide what YOU want to get out of the experience, but a coach will help you with improving your skills and bike handling, training plans, psychology and help manage lifestyle issues to fit in with your training.
A: LOVE these sort of questions. Speak to ‘most’ cyclists and they will say you only need a coach if you are racing and taking cycling seriously – you don’t need a power meter on your bike it’s only for racing etc. Both absolute tosh! Let’s cut to the chase. Lots of people out there claim they are a coach so first stop, ask to see Certificates and Qualifications to ensure they are what they say they are. Next, if a coach asks you for your username and password to access your account then don’t go there. No qualified coach needs to have that. I have a Training Peaks Coach account and will simply send you an email to link your account to mine so I can look through things. Also have a chat with the coach that you think might be good for you.
They will help uncover weak spots in your cycling, motivate you, challenge you and be a sounding board, also. The other biggest thing is to have someone looking over your shoulder and knowing they will be analysing what you have done. This is a great way to ensure that you get the training done to the best of your ability. Coaches also tend to have made all the mistakes, so you don’t have to, and will endlessly give you advice, tips and techniques.
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TURKEY CONTINUED... As mentioned last month we arrived in Patara, Turkey, late in the evening after a hard climb followed by a blissful forested downhill. The village was small and had a unique charm.
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Colm Larkin & Samantha Paton Kildare, Ireland Engaged couple travelling around the world mainly by bike Currently in Turkey Instagram @colmandsamstreks
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Patara In Patara, we couldn’t find any wild camping, so we booked a cheap hotel run by a lovely old couple, we were there only guests! The following morning fresh after having a proper bed, running water and a toilet (it’s the little thing you appreciate most while touring), we set off to explore the ancient city we came to see. Turkey is full of ancient cities, so we were expecting much of the same, but were pleasantly surprised. Patara, was stunning and better preserved than any we had seen to date, it was sprawling with a lot to take in. After spending some time there exploring, we walked the short distance to the 18km beach to cool down in the sea. We would HIGHLY recommended to take the detour to Patara and give it two or three days to fully explore the ancient city and its amazing beach, which was voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world and its very easy to see why.
Fethyia Next destination the popular seaside town of Fethyia, we started the cycle on the main road but as soon as we could we turned off into the countryside. The cycling was amazing, sun shining, birds singing and farm animals grazing happily to the left and right of us. Perfect cycling conditions – until it wasn’t! We found ourselves lost in the middle of a forest, nothing new for us, but this time both our phones were dead so no GPS help this time. Samantha wanted to continue on straight but as she has zero sense of direction, we did the opposite to what she thought and turned left. This lead us up a steep track full of large stones and pot holes, and, after kilometres of pushing, we had an off-road, rocky down hill, which was very entertaining before we came to see civilisation again. We continued onto the nearest road where we saw a sign for Fethyia, and we glided back on the main road for the final few kilometres. When we arrived we found a great campsite right across from the beach for €6 a night, and once we recharged our phones we discovered that we
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had made the right decision going off-road, not only for the insanely beautiful views but Samantha’s directions would of added about 20+ km to an already long day!
Dalyan, Gocek & Sultaniye After Fethyia we continued along the coastline towards Dalyan, passing through the little town of Gocek, stopping only for our daily kebab. Back on the bikes and into blazing temperatures, but thankfully there were plenty of water points along the way to dip our heads under and fill up with. We stayed one night in Dalyan, and the following morning we got the short five-minute boat ride across the water over to Sultaniye. The plan was to cycle to the hot springs and mud baths for some sought after muscle healing but when we arrived, they were closed as it was a Sunday. We always manage to lose which day of the week it is on our travels, which we both love, but on this day, not so much. We continued onto the nearest campsite unable to continue in the heat, the temperature had reached 38C with no shade and no shops for a further 30km. We left our campsite early the following morning to try get a bit of distance under our tires before the sun stopped us in our tracks – only to realise we had forgotten our passports! So much for our early start. With passports collected we headed out again in 30+ degree heat, the roads were quiet and we had some shade from the trees and, as always in Turkey, amazing views to help with the climbs.
Beautiful sights Over the next week we passed through so many beautiful towns; Koycegiz, Akyaka, Akbuk and Oren just to name a few. The cycling was variable from day to day, and we didn’t really know what to expect other than the trusty hills, the many stops to redirect turtles off the road, and the searing heat which Turkey was experiencing due to a heatwave unusual for the time of year. We saw popular tourist spots
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with well-known rivers for healing purposes, rolling hills by the coast boasting some of the most spectacular views imaginable, clear water beaches where we snapped up the opportunity to get in as many swims as we could and the beautiful countryside through the mountains where we saw so many women doing the vast majority of all the hard labour and we even cycled through some rain – which we both welcomed.
Bodrum This all lead to some of our biggest, but nicest, of climbs into the beautiful city of Bodrum where we stayed in a Hotel for a couple of nights and met the nicest people who remain our friends today. While there, we explored the city, cocktails and food! We left Bodrum with heavy hearts after spending time with so many amazing people, but we were eager to set off again and get the bodies moving. Not long in we were already wishing we could turn back, Colm’s back was given him awful trouble, that on top of the heat was evidently too much. We stopped off at an old shack about four hours in for some lunch, we took out our chairs and stayed there for far to long before we picked our direction, with little energy we packed away and got back on track reaching yet again another mammoth climb. The road was a continuous switchback reaching a gradient of 15%, a few hours in we reached the top before the equally as long downhill. Colm sped ahead and when I reached him at the bottom sitting under a tree he informed me we had gone the wrong way! We were definitely not climbing back up so we continued with the hope of finding a wild camp which proved difficult, having been surrounded by farming land full of either crops or animals. We eventually came across a family working one of the fields and with the help of google translate they let us stay on their land giving us fruit from their trees, cucumber, tomatoes and eggs for our breakfast and fresh water before they left for the day – their kindness completely turning our day around.
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Lake Aydin The following morning, we left early for lake Aydin, a place recommended to us by a fellow cyclist. The cycle there was perfect it was off the main road, through very old villages with, as always, beautiful scenery. After Kapikiri (a great spot to camp and watch a sunset) we were back on the main road, sometimes very hard to avoid in Turkey but thankfully they have amazing roads with large hard shoulders. At one point we stopped to top up on sunscreen when another cyclist came along and stopped for a quick chat and ended up offering us a place to stay for the night in his olive field. We cycled together for a further 30+ km arriving in the most amazing little village with lots of fruit stalls, bakeries and restaurants with the best and cheapest of foods which we enjoyed while watching yet another amazing sunset, again just another example of the beautiful people in Turkey.
Crash, bang, wallop! The following morning after sharing a tea and exchanging recommendation of places to cycle we said goodbye to Memhet and headed in the direction of Kusadasi. The morning started off well until Samantha had her first crash! We were cycling in heavy, but slow, traffic through a town when a parked car flung open his door sending Samantha flying off her bike into the middle of the road, thankfully the traffic was slow so the car was able to stop before running her over, giving her the worst fright of her life, but leaving her with only minor cuts and bruises. Once she felt able, we shakily set off again to visit Zeus caves were we were able to have another magical moment swimming in the cave of the Gods before we reached our campsite in Kusadasi.
Cappadocia While in Kusadasi and after the fright of the crash, and Colm’s now constant back pain, we stopped for a bit to plan our next leg and it gave us time to visit Ephese, a must see on our itinerary. After a lot of discussing, we decided while there to get a bus back to Cappadokia now that it was back
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open (if you remember from our last article it was closed due to covid so we cycled the opposite direction towards Izmir). This would give us a break from cycling to heal and the time to make our next decisions as we only had a short time left on our visa in Turkey. By far the best decision we made. Cappadocia is somewhere you must see to believe, it felt like we had landed on another planet. We arrived in the early morning hours and while cycling from the bus stop to a camping spot, a hot air balloon just floated in front of us crossing the road, very low in the town, very surreal. We also had the best wild camping experience of the whole trip while there. We cycled to Red Rose valley to watch the most beautiful sunset and once everyone left, we set up our tent and woke the following morning to the noise of hot air balloons which eventually filled the sky around us passing over our heads. It was the most magical sunrise, a moment like
something out of a fairy-tale. We spent longer in Goreme than planned, we wanted to see all the many valleys within Cappadocia, visit the underground cities and many must-see landscapes of fairy chimneys and off-road valleys with this came the end of our visa so we had to make our way to Ankara via bus and fly out before the end of our visa. On our bike tour we managed to cycle from Ireland, getting a ferry to France to start and made our way to Turkey, visiting a total of eight countries – and Turkey has definitely been the friendliest, most scenic, challenging, beautiful country we cycled. In saying that though, we truly enjoyed each country we visited for its own individual reasons. “If you can dream it, you can do it” – Walt Disney, words to live by.
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CORK, KILLARNEY AND A SAVAGE HEADWIND… Text and photos by Shaun McCance Additional photos by Fáilte Ireland
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So there I was, it seemed the trip was ending much like it had started - the wee small hours of the night spent wide awake in a ferry terminal unable to sleep but this time with the prospect of having to be vaguely coherent come 9am. Though slightly manic travel arrangements are something that I have become all too accustomed to, six days earlier I had been sat in Pembroke docks listening to a storm passing through whilst awaiting a delayed ferry to take my steed and I to the Emerald Isle. A 2am departure can be passed off as a late night, 4am however is a little offensive. Since a somewhat off-the-wall trip a couple of years back involving Christmas, New Year and nothing more in the way of plans other than a ferry to France and a flight back from Rome I’d come to the conclusion that planning a trip can be a little time consuming and unnecessary - if you don’t make plans then how can anything not go to plan? So with this mantra having very much shaped trips since I found myself rolling off the ferry in Waterford county with six days to get to the capital; happy to stay in hotels but carrying camping gear all the same and not adverse to a train ride or two if it were to fit the bill.
“Six days and 600 miles” Everything had been a bit of a last minute endeavour, in that Easter had suddenly crept up and I was facing a weekend devoid of any plans and the prospect of a rather uninspiring weekend despite the benefit of the extra couple of days. So, one lunch hour later I’d agreed a couple of extra days off work, figured a ‘convenient’ transport plan that entailed a late train, an overnight ferry, six days cycling from Rosslare and a late ferry back from Dublin with just about enough leeway to ensure I was on the 4am train home for work the same morning. In hindsight sleep should probably have been factored into this plan! So rolling out of Rosslare after a wobbly crossing and on two hours sleep, a cuppa and a fry-up was higher on my list of priorities than the century I’d be aiming for that day. Six days and 600 miles fully laden was a respectable target, I admit this was the first big ride of the year and one of my targets was to lean up a little as I was in no way at peak fitness after the winter months. On the flip-side riding solo and without any prebooked overnight stops meant I was free to explore and do as much or as little on the bike as fitted the bill. And in my current sleep-deprived state, coupled with the prospect of a headwind along the south coast towards Cork, a hundred plus miles was entirely unappealing – compounded even more by the contrast with the warmth and shelter of the café where the lady, who in running Caroline’s café I assume was called Caroline, was cooking me a fine selection of particularly unhealthy fried delicacies as I supped pensively on a brew. Caffeine is the cyclist’s friend, and after an hour and a half fuelling up and contemplating the prospect of what lay ahead I was back on the bike. Apparently the Republic of Ireland has “more than its share of violent murderers” so I learnt from the paper that Caroline has cheerily handed me to read whilst she cooked up some grub. And so I rolled away. Ireland is a friendly nation, let’s avoid the psychopaths and see how far I get. Day one passed quickly enough, tired and flagging a little I rolled into Dungarvan after 75 miles which seemed like a pleasant place to stop. I wish I could remember more of the first day but with the tiredness from the journey to Rosslare and an energy sapping headwind, it was a day of reflection. I’d been warned that it always rains in Ireland but despite the storm that had come through the previous night the first day had started to
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counter this accepted statement. Putting the murderous villains to one side; Ireland‘s friendliness had been evident from the start, even with my reclusive state of mind that first day a friendly conversation was never far away and in arriving in Dungarvan the local B&B owner was no different. Earlier, stopping for a late lunch in a tea room, I learnt that come Good Friday all the pubs would be closed and I was duly advised to make the most of Maundy Thursday! Checked-in and with a comfortable bed for the evening it was time for a shower, dinner and perhaps some sightseeing. For me culture is all the more inspiring when I’m worn out otherwise I get a little fidgety. Cycle touring fits the bill rather nicely – a good effort in the day makes way for enjoying some culture in the evening and this pretty little town would have been a fine place to continue this appreciation, only foiled by my decision to lie down for a couple of minutes. Because the next thing I knew it was quarter to six the next morning – but well-rested I was, and breathing a new lease of life. On the previous day I’d ended up on a waymarked cycle route that followed the coast and this continued west towards Ireland’s second city. So I bid farewell to Rose and Paddy, who seemed a little saddened that I hadn’t been out to explore their local town but were understanding, perhaps satisfied by the compliment of her comfortable rooms; and so I set out. Glorious sunshine and only a light head wind today. Aided by sleep and food my grumbles from the previous day had drifted past. Although perhaps not entirely refuelled for missing dinner for the second day in a row, I was at least fired up after a sterling breakfast of porridge, honey, toast and scrambled eggs and the miles passed easily. More easily today, though I was quickly learning to check the map more regularly as signage was often a little misleading and as such perhaps a few more miles had had to pass than would otherwise have been necessary in spinning away towards Cork. I was starting to feel that I had been misled - it doesn’t always rain in Ireland. In fact I was now a little sunburnt as I checked into a guesthouse that evening. After an inadvertently sociable dinner, with a lady called Orla who just happened to be eating alone and had sat down on the next table just shortly after I had
done so myself, it was now time for a little culture and perhaps a pint of Guinness to help things along! Sleep was perhaps still needed but that could wait. It was after all Maundy Thursday and seeing as all the pubs close the following day it only seemed right. Ireland was certainly making up for the dry sobering slant of the following day! Stumbling back to the guest house didn’t bode well for a prompt start the following morning but conveniently there was a train to Killarney at a sociable hour and as if by magic when I awoke it was raining. So decision made – pedal to the train station for an easy ride to the next county. Killarney is after all the gateway to the Kerry Mountains which had been a target for the trip with the Ring of Kerry being on the tick list. In changing trains half way I ended up, bike safely stowed, relaxing on an almost empty carriage of a train being held at the platform for some reason. The reasoning for this became apparent when the connecting train from Dublin arrived and the carriage was overwhelmed with cheerful Irish folk looking forward to the holiday weekend. At which point John and his good lady introduced themselves - a friendly Irish couple heading home to see their families in Kerry. In learning that they lived in Dublin I asked, and they were all too happy to advise, as to things to do in the city, as I was contemplating a day there at the end of the trip. Entertainingly a notepad was produced and after a list of places to see had quickly morphed into a list of restaurants it became titled as such. That was until John pointed out that actually it was just a list of pubs rather than restaurants as intended. The title was scribbled out and the word “Beers” replaced it. This I find amusing whenever I have since looked back on it. Incidentally it would have been some pub crawl - a pint in each of these establishments would certainly have seen me missing my ferry home - and lost in conversation I then entertainingly nearly missed my stop at Killarney! By which time the sun had come out. The next day started in Sneem, having spun away for about 30 miles along the high road the previous afternoon I stayed in what was possibly one of the prettiest villages I’d ever seen. Nestled just inland on the river feeding a sea inlet with the backdrop of the infamous Kerry mountains, I was all set for a big day pedalling the coastline – and what a day. The sun was shining, the air was comparatively still, the roads were mostly excellent
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and there were some proper hills, both in the scenery and the route.
“encircling the Kerry Mountains in their entirety”
The Ring of Kerry is a well-known route, part of the Wild Atlantic Way running the length of the west coast of Ireland and, in loosely following the coastline, encircling the Kerry Mountains in their entirety. Waterville was the first target after a splendid breakfast. Today I was feeling energised, good food, good rest, the sun on my back and conveniently either my saddle or my back side had started to take the hint that they needed to get along. The Ring of Kerry finally brought some hills, nothing too steep or strenuous but long enough to be satisfying, two years ago on the French Riviera I had been burning off electric bikes and holding my own in pelotons on a fully laden touring bike, much to the disgust of the club riders who I’d ended up catching, and today it was nice to know I’d not entirely lost my touch Spinning on around the coastline the route diverted inland a little before taking a prominent diversion from the main road to continue on into the fishing village of Portmagee and on to Valentia Island. And with a 50mph descent into Portmagee, aided by the weight of a loaded pannier rack, straight down the romans couldn’t have built a straighter road – my smile was beaming. Portmagee is a pretty little fishing village at the very end of the peninsula and seemingly untouched by the 21st century. With fishing still being the main business, aside from tourism, the waterfront was a comparatively industrial setting with seemingly a still thriving trade. Moored on the slipway sat the Marber Therese, a trawler, sitting high on the concrete incline and just adding to the character of the village centre. Although part of the Ring of Kerry, Portmagee is actually off of the main road and part of the Skellig Ring which continues on to Valentia Island over a bridge and back via a ferry service. Conscious of the distance and being unable to find out whether the ferry was operating being the Easter weekend I opted for the safe route staying on the mainland and turning east to re-join the main route. Turning at Portmagee to head back in a generally easterly direction it soon became apparent why it had been such a beautiful still day, to this point I’d mainly had a tailwind. Although light and almost unnoticeable, it was evidently rather helpful as turning back along the northern coastline now turned this pleasant and unnoticed assistance into something of a nuisance for the latter half of the day. Still, at least the sun was shining – apparently it always rains in Ireland! The fifth day was somewhat undecided until I was on the road that morning. I’d been aiming for Killorgan for accommodation the night before but got side-tracked by a lovely hotel on the shore of Caragh lake. Only a few miles short of my target for the day but well worth it as a destination. In spite of being entertainingly out of place on a bicycle, the
hotel was second to none and provided a fitting end to the best day’s cycling of the trip. The plan for day five developed as I was spinning towards Tralee on passing a sign for Dingle, which had been a recommended destination by John the pub-listing Dubliner, and realising the distance was quite achievable. I’d deduced the distance to Dingle the previous night and thought it to be much further than what was shown on the signpost I passed, so encouraged I continued with the waymarked Wild Atlantic Way. It was a fairly easy spin out past Inch Strand to the Dingle, one of perhaps the most rural areas of Ireland with Gaelic, I’m told, as a first language for the majority. Dingle itself was rather touristy and appreciably so, thus after a fleeting visit, aware of the distance to my destination for the day I set off up towards Connor Pass, a five-mile road climb crossing from the south to the north coast of the peninsula. I later learned that the onward loop from Dingle around the headland via Dunquin was an exceptional route and would have been well worth the effort; perhaps this was where I had attributed the extra mileage when deterred from planning on heading to Dingle the previous evening. By the point I bumped into a friendly local cyclist who recommended Dunquin, I was already atop Connor Pass, and the views were incredible! Well worth the effort and now the 500m decent all the way to the north coast. Wrapping up for what looked like a shady few miles I’d pondered why there had been repeated road signs prohibiting the passage of anything over 6ft in width. The road so far had been pleasant and wide, and with more than enough room for everyone. The reasoning was about to become clear as I started to descend! What lay ahead was a meandering single track, for the most part, road traversing down the cliff face north of the pass. Almost alpine in character the route frequently passed through cuttings in prominent buttresses in the cliff face which low and behold were never more than about 6ft 6in wide. The spin back east was a leisurely affair with a late lunch on route rolling into Tralee just in time for the last train to Dublin. Tralee forms the terminus of the Kerry and Killarney branch line. The option to head to Dublin the following morning would have perhaps meant cheaper accommodation and a trip across Ireland in daylight but in wanting to offload my bike and luggage to explore the capital the next day before my evening ferry home, it made sense to head over on the Sunday evening and find a hotel with a luggage room that could take a bike. And Dublin lived up to expectations.
OCTOBER 2021 BIKE MAGAZINE
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T E Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, loved cycling. When he left the RAF in 1935 he cycled to his Dorset home, Clouds Hill, from Yorkshire. This year we want to encourage visitors to cycle to Clouds Hill, rewarding them with a special Clouds Hill shortbread biscuit. The cottage is open Tuesdays to Sundays, 11am-4.30pm, until 30 October.
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