Coast to Coast Day 6
The final day and the longest cycle, 112 kms. Cavan town to Carlingford.
The hills were relentless this morning as I left Cavan town all the way to Carrickmacross but marvellous roads for cycling. I have nearly crossed the country but I have honestly only met a handful of cars over the 6 days, apart from in the main towns. It’s been brilliant, I always felt safe and relaxed. No one was in hurry, everyone had time for a few words; most people I spoke with were bewildered at what I was doing and how I wandered down their neck of the woods!
Shercock was my first destination for the day, a bit of a landmark, 45kms distant which meant I was definitely going to get this completed today. But it was again up and down all the way! I could easily have knocked kilometres off my route, and hills too, by taking regional roads but I wouldn’t dream of sharing those roads with heavy traffic and lorries. No, my way was hard but perfect for the bike. I was whacked when I got into Shercock and was glad the little cafe was open for a receiving milkshake and scone! Carrickmacross was the next milestone, alway a bustling thriving market town, bypassed now so not a place I get to pass through very often. This is border country, some would say bandit country too! I was surprised and glad that it was flat to Forkhill in south Armagh.
I was delighted the route passed through Inishkeen, birthplace of the poet Patrick Kavanagh – a man we all were familiar with from our Leaving Cert English. I loved his poetry, so evocative and descriptive of rural Ireland but also a harsh mirror to Irish society.
Traffic picked up from Hackballs Cross to Jonesborough. Whatever it is about these border counties – but they drive like lunatics! Coming over Flagstaff was tough but it was followed by a great downhill into Omeath and on to the Greenway, a nice way to end this Coast to Coast – that is apart from the bramble cuttings littering the path. I’m mystified by these greenways and how they are maintained. Why encourage bike travel and leave thorn branches on the gourd to puncture wheels? Carlingford is manic. It’s a real Mecca for tourists and getting a bed proved very difficult and expensive. Tip. Don’t stay here! Get a place down the road.
The rough plan was to cycle home from Carlingford, or at least to Dublin, but in truth I was jacked and next morning I cycled into Dundalk nice and early, caught a train to Dublin. I then had to cycle over to Heuston and caught a train back home. I had considered cycling out of Dublin on the Grand Canal but mentally the trip was done when I had completed the Coast to Coast. Full marks to Irish Rail – I found bringing the bike on the trains a really positive experience and I’ll be doing it again.
Total kms cycled 517.
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