Over the past few days, I’ve been lucky enough to explore two beautiful routes by bike — both rural, both rugged, and both deeply rewarding in their own ways. Mary joined me for the jaunt out of Fore and around Lough Sheelin.
This first cycle was a return for me to beautiful Fore, Co. Westmeath, home of the famous Seven Wonders of Fore. It’s a place where ancient stones seem to whisper stories — from the water that won’t boil to the tree that won’t burn! A fittingly mystical start to a route that would take us into truly off-the-beaten-track terrain.
From Fore, we headed north, tracing a rural loop around Lough Sheelin, dipping into the quiet borderlands of County Cavan – and even a piece of Meath that juts north into a gap between Westmeath and Cavan. This is classic drumlin country — a patchwork of rolling farmland, hidden lakes, and winding boreens where the hedgerows close in and time seems to slow.
We met more cattle and sheep than cars. The roads were rough in places, but the silence and solitude more than made up for it. The lake itself was shimmering whenever it came into view, fringed with rushes and angling boats. This is the kind of ride that reminds you just how much of Ireland remains untouched by tourism. No cafes, no signs, no distractions — just rural beauty and a rhythm dictated by the road and your legs.
Truth be told the northern side of the lake from Finea was on the fairly busy road to Ballyjamesduff and wasn’t the most pleasant but we were able to get off it just before Mount Nugent. As we paused in Mount Nugent for a quick ice cream break — a rare moment of bustle after miles of quiet roads — a concerned motorist approached. He asked if we’d seen a young boy, described as carrying a rucksack, who hadn’t been seen since morning.
We hadn’t encountered anyone matching that description, but we were able to confirm he hadn’t been on the route we’d cycled, helping to narrow down the area for those searching.
It was a sobering moment. The contrast between our carefree journey and the real concern playing out nearby was striking. It was also a reminder of how these quiet, rural places — so peaceful on the surface — can carry unexpected stories and tensions. We left Mount Nugent hoping the boy would be found safe and soon.
The back roads that returned us to Fore were just perfect for cyclists; one of them a disused road which we had to ourselves.
