Malin Head to Mizen Head Day 8
Bantry – Mizen 54kms
I don’t ride a bike to add days to my life. I ride a bike to add life to my days.
Anon
The final day. A sense of exhilaration floods the senses. Looking forward to a great days cycling, of great sea views, of the last few hills to climb, thinking of rounding that last headland and the Atlantic Ocean stretching out endlessly ahead of us. Friday’s Bantry Market is famous and it was setting up just as we started. It looked like a great place to grab a bargain! Pádraig and Celine Dooley, who are on holidays close by, popped in to wish us well on the last leg and kindly stayed around to see us at the finish. It must have been the giddiness of anticipation that saw us head 12kms down towards Sheep Head instead of onward to Durrus; we put a nice few extra kms on our route plus a nice climb over the peninsula to get back on track. But again these deviations from plan always seem to work out for the better. We had great views across to the Beara peninsula before we turned inland and over the brow of the hill. A tough climb but with a great tail wind so we weren’t too put out and we were soon rolling into Durrus.
The tail wind became a head wind soon enough and only the stunning coastal scenery kept our minds off the pain! Views of Barley Cove, Cape Clear, the mystical lonely Fastnet Rock inspired us with every turn of the pedals. Just one breathtaking view after another.
Goleen was buzzing; two large groups of cyclists passed us in the opposite direction with support vehicles, presumably head to Mizen! Once we turned at Goleen the wind was relentless; almost stopping us in our tracks. Ronan passed by, coming down to collect us. Pure adrenalin kept us going at this stage.
Eight days after leaving Ireland’s most northerly point, Malin Head, we crossed the finish line at Mizen Head. We didn’t kill ourselves, took our time, enjoyed the scenery, the fresh air and the exercise, getting stronger each day. I can’t recommend a bike trip like it highly enough. There are so many reasons to go on a long trip. The sense of complete freedom and independence on the road means travelling is so relaxed. It’s just you and the road. You decide when you go and how far you go. Its your schedule and not some tour company. It’s never about speed or time on the road. The pace of life away from the busy towns and tourist areas is a joy; people move slowly, cars stop behind you and are in no rush to whizz by. Things go wrong and you improvise. You get lost in your own thoughts; there’s a lot of public emphasis on wellness and mental health; I guess that’s what bike touring actually is when you boil it down. it’s good for the body and good for the soul! Thanks to all who have followed the blog – I hope it gave you a flavour of our trip and encourages you to try it someday for yourselves! Now where to next Mary?
8 Responses to “Malin Head to Mizen Head Day 8”
What an adventure! Love the sound of your route down through the heart of the country, I’d find that much more appealing than following the coast. Always something of interest to stumble on. Fantastic way to travel, having a rough idea of your route but playing it by ear and allowing for diversions. Enjoyed following along.
Thanks Martin. It was so enjoyable; the backroads are great and we avoided towns and tourist areas where possible. Have to think of a new route now!
West coast to east coast maybe (or other way round)?! But not the usual Royal/Grand Canal route, a more off the beaten track route would be interesting.
Agree!! I have a route in mind. Two counties I haven’t cycled in are Sligo and Louth. Belmullet to Carlingford might fit the bill…
Excellent! Would be a great route and nice start/end points
I think so; some fantastic scenery along the route and really interesting places to visit.. tough enough route though!
Looks brilliant. Maybe a bit flatter if you took a more southerly course but a great challenge whatever way you go I’d say!
Will look into the detail closer to the time!