So, having never been to an Irish GS event before, I decided it was high time to put that right in 2022
Looking at the blurb advertising the ‘do’ got me hooked and I booked in at the splendid Leenane hotel for 3 nights at a very reasonable €180 for the weekend, for dinner B&B
I then book the Belfast ferry for a 6 day trip via Nutt travel for a very reasonable £88 return on the Superfast ferry
As the event approached, it was becoming apparent that the summer long heatwave was rapidly coming to an end in uk and Eire this very weekend…..drat
Waterproofs packed and hard luggage deployed was the order of the day
Leaving on the Thursday - the weather was fine, dry and warm, bloody weather forecasters
I took the fast roads up from Yorkshire and up the A75 via Dumfries, leaving at 6am for the 11.30am ferry
Stopping for fuel at Dumfries, I get a text saying the Stena boat was delayed by 45 mins and I thought that I would detour at Crocketford up via the more scenic Galloway forest towards Newton Stewart
Arriving at the ferry port in good time, I spent 20 mins at the loch side car park to take in the views
No boat yet !
Blackberries are looking huge this season
I was meeting Peter at the ferry and hadn’t seen him for 5 years, so great to see him again and we boarded and settled into an uneventful crossing & some lunch
Peter had booked the Thursday night accommodation at a golf club, but before he has plotted a route over the Sperrin mountains in Ulster and excellent choice of roads it was, pity we didn’t have longer to explore
The night at the house at the golf club, was best not remembered (club house shut, a ready meal curry from the Co-Op and one with no beer sold, plus a bedroom that doubled as an emergency exit with night lighting that couldn’t be switched off, grrrr) - still, Peter and myself laughed about it
A trip to Leenane, in Connemara - Sept 2022
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A trip to Leenane, in Connemara - Sept 2022
Last edited by johnnyboxer on Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
We buy things we don't need
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With money we don't have
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Re: A trip to Leenane
Day 2 and Friday, dawned dry & bright (at odds with the forecast)
At least we could have breakfast to set us up for the day
We made our way over the border after Enniskillen and through Sligo, stopping after the city in the wee village of Collooney for coffee in a smashing cafe that I heard about in a YouTube blog
Onwards towards Mayo and the pretty town of Westport
We spun down the side of Clew Bay, towards Louisburgh & passing Ireland’s holy mountain of Croagh Patrick on the left - spectacular
As we approach Louisburgh the weather changed rapidly (only 6 -7 miles out of Westport) and mizzle set in (the only rain of the trip) so we skipped lunch there and rode the last 20 miles over the Doolough pass to Leenane and decided on a late lunch at the hotel
We weren’t the first and other people had started to arrive
At least we could have breakfast to set us up for the day
We made our way over the border after Enniskillen and through Sligo, stopping after the city in the wee village of Collooney for coffee in a smashing cafe that I heard about in a YouTube blog
Onwards towards Mayo and the pretty town of Westport
We spun down the side of Clew Bay, towards Louisburgh & passing Ireland’s holy mountain of Croagh Patrick on the left - spectacular
As we approach Louisburgh the weather changed rapidly (only 6 -7 miles out of Westport) and mizzle set in (the only rain of the trip) so we skipped lunch there and rode the last 20 miles over the Doolough pass to Leenane and decided on a late lunch at the hotel
We weren’t the first and other people had started to arrive
We buy things we don't need
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
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Re: A trip to Leenane
What a lovely hotel it was and very comfortable rooms and all up to date in the main areas, with a excellent food and the staff couldn’t do enough for us
Some 56 people attended the event and to be all together under one roof, made for a very friendly weekend
Newly refurbished rooms - swish
Some 56 people attended the event and to be all together under one roof, made for a very friendly weekend
Newly refurbished rooms - swish
We buy things we don't need
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
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Re: A trip to Leenane
Saturday morning dawned sunny and bright, with stunning mists over the Killary fjord
Jochen had arranged a 200 mile ride and about 25-30 riders took part
Some nice bikes here
Jochen had arranged a 200 mile ride and about 25-30 riders took part
Some nice bikes here
We buy things we don't need
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
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Re: A trip to Leenane
I decided not to do the ‘official’ ride that day & Frank had introduced me to Jim (Drumacoon Lad) & Simon (of Gael warning fame) and they suggest a ride to Achill island - somewhere I haven’t been and the 4 of us spent a great day there
We travelled the Doolough pass again, in sunshine this time
Achill was simply stunning
The benefits of travel at the splendid Beehive cafe at lunchtime
After lunch Simon took us on to Keem Strand beach
Jim was noting the approaching Atlantic weather and predicted it would arrive at Leenane at between 4-5 PM - so it was now 2pm and the GPS said it was 90 mins to the hotel and we beat a hasty retreat back to the hotel, arriving just after 3.30pm
Good job we did as the rain came at 5pm and boy was it biblical
This was the best place to be, as the rain set in
We travelled the Doolough pass again, in sunshine this time
Achill was simply stunning
The benefits of travel at the splendid Beehive cafe at lunchtime
After lunch Simon took us on to Keem Strand beach
Jim was noting the approaching Atlantic weather and predicted it would arrive at Leenane at between 4-5 PM - so it was now 2pm and the GPS said it was 90 mins to the hotel and we beat a hasty retreat back to the hotel, arriving just after 3.30pm
Good job we did as the rain came at 5pm and boy was it biblical
This was the best place to be, as the rain set in
We buy things we don't need
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
With money we don't have
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Re: A trip to Leenane
On the Saturday night the hotel did a special meal for us all and very nice it was too, with a few Guinness drunk
Sunday was a quieter day and many folk left for home or further travels on the island
I had a walk into the village for a coffee and got the bike out in the afternoon to Renvyle castle
Sunday was a quieter day and many folk left for home or further travels on the island
I had a walk into the village for a coffee and got the bike out in the afternoon to Renvyle castle
We buy things we don't need
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To impress people we don't even like
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Re: A trip to Leenane
Monday it was time to say farewells to the 9-10 stragglers still there, after the main group of GS riders had left already on Sunday
I had lunch with in-laws at Ballymote, before riding through Sligo city and onwards to the Sligo coast line and Mullaghmore area (where Mountbatten was blown up in the 1980’s)
Pretty place and impressive Mountbatten summer home
Time for a Brunch
I stayed at a recommended B&B at Garrison-just inside the Ulster border on Monday night and ready to the Tuesday ferry home
Again, no rain today and none tomorrow for the ride home through Dumfries and Galloway
6 days and only 20 miles of rain in Eire - not often you can say that !
Thanks to Jochen for a superb weekend
I had lunch with in-laws at Ballymote, before riding through Sligo city and onwards to the Sligo coast line and Mullaghmore area (where Mountbatten was blown up in the 1980’s)
Pretty place and impressive Mountbatten summer home
Time for a Brunch
I stayed at a recommended B&B at Garrison-just inside the Ulster border on Monday night and ready to the Tuesday ferry home
Again, no rain today and none tomorrow for the ride home through Dumfries and Galloway
6 days and only 20 miles of rain in Eire - not often you can say that !
Thanks to Jochen for a superb weekend
We buy things we don't need
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
With money we don't have
To impress people we don't even like
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Re: A trip to Leenane, in Connemara - Sept 2022
nice pics thanks for going to the effort and the words too, went to the ABR Ireland do back earlier in the summer a bit less luxurious and possibly less attendee's but also good. Rode around some similar parts it appears certainly the bit by Mountbatten's pad think its called "Atlantic Drive" Ireland is great when its dry the coast can still be good in the rain if you can stay dry and spectacular in a storm, recommend taking a look if you have not, follow the brown and rusty signs if you must, if you can dig a little deeper.