Ireland - June 2005

I spent 2 1/2 weeks in June visiting Ireland for the first time. The first five days I was able to coordinate and meet up with my parents. After leaving them and visiting another friend outside of Dublin, I then embarked on an eight day Backroads biking trip in the southern part of the country. It was a very special experience, highlighted by the warmth and openness of the people in Ireland and the spectacular countryside. On the way back to the states, I stopped over in London for two nights.

My parents met me at Cork International Airport and we drove from there to Killarney staying at the Earl's Court Bed & Breakfast (a Karen Brown recommendation). We explored the Ring of Kerry and then headed further west to Dingle, a fabulous small fishing town, staying at the Greenmount B&B. Further north along the west coast, we stopped at the Cliffs of Moher and traversed through the Burren. We enjoyed a night at the Drumcreehy House and a night at Gregans Castle before heading back to Dublin to send them on their way home.

I then visited with a friend in Naas for the weekend before flying back to Cork to begin the Backroads biking trip. This was my thirteenth trip with Backroads and definitely ranked as one of the best though I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them. The weather was a bit mixed with several days of rain but the amazing shades of green everywhere we went were the result and made it worth it. The trip took us from Kinsale thru Baltimore and on to Kenmare. I've sent my pictures of the trip to Backroads to be posted on their website and am hoping they get uploaded shortly (once they do, you will find them under 'My Backroads' and then 'Travel Album Index' at www.backroads.com).

While it was sad to leave Ireland, I was looking forward to the stopover in London as it had been a few years since I'd last been there. Unfortunately, they were having a sweltering heat wave when I arrived which is less than ideal there. I managed to visit the Globe Theater (Shakespeare), ride the Eye and walk all along the waterfront from the Eye to Tower Bridge. I packed in a lot for the day I was there and was glad for it.