Day 3

Saturday February 4th - Waterford to Cobn. 107 Miles - Total so far 277 miles

From My Pictures

Took the train to Waterford on Friday evening after work and arrived at the B&B at about 9pm. It wasn't the best start to the trip as I forgot both my water bottles in the office along with the address of the guesthouse. Rushed back to the office and was able to get them in time before the train left however I still forgot to pick up the paperwork!.

Only thing of interest on the journey down where the 2 colourful characters who boarded the train the stop before Waterford. If you have seen Brad Pitt in the film Snatch you will know what I mean when I mention Pikeys. These are Irish gypsies who speak with such a strong accent it is almost impossible to understand what they are saying. Well Mr and Mrs Pikey came on board and apart from understanding that he was called "Tam" the rest of what they had to say went completely over my head.

Luckily I had asked the tourist information for a B&B on the Tramore road so after heading that way I easily found it. Didn’t look anything like the photo but still it was clean (though cold) and catered more for the workers in the adjoining industrial estate rather than tourists, certainly at this time of year. Spent the night under a heap of quilts and blankets trying hard not to move too much otherwise they would all fall off my little single bed.

Up before dawn and after a cooked breakfast I was out on the road just as the sky was starting to lighten up. Today promises to be a long day and I am being very ambitious trying to get all the way to Cobn. First stop was Tramore.

Perched on cliffs overlooking a vast Blue Flag beach, Tramore (Tra Mhor) is number one on the family holiday scene and packs out in July and August, when amusements and chip stalls cram the promenade. The town is neat and busy and returns to normality out of season. The 3km long beach is backed by dunes and becomes a great expanse of sand at low tide

I must say it looked a bit different at 8am on a February Saturday morning

The best seaside day in the region follows a cliff-lined shore with a multitude of beaches and coves. Remote surrounds awaken the soul, a cuppa is never far away and the niews are uplifting. Given sunny weather, this day could happily stretch to tow or more. The highlight is the early stretch between Annestown and Bunmahon where the road clings to the clifftop with long views around the coast. The area between Tramore and Stradbally is known at the Copper Coast with several structures left behind from the 19th century mining industry. From the ruined engine house before Bunmahon shafts run 7km underground

Check out an interesting site on mine heritage Copper Coast

This was a very pleasant start to the day. Roads were deserted and I followed the gently undulating coast road. The views out to sea were spectacular and the sound of the surf is something that always gets me in a good mood. I couldn't stop myself from ringing Susie and holding the phone up to the sounds of the ocean

However beaches and coves are the days main attraction. Kilfarrasy Strand is an early side trip. Annestown and Bunmahon are quaint clusters of civilisation where rivers break through to the sea. Numerous coves are signposted en route including Ballydowane and Ballyvooney. Clonea Strand is a popular holiday beach complete with chip and tea stands and a beachside hotel. After Dungarvan the road crosses the Drum Hills and falls to remote Ballyquinn Strand and the popular beach town of Ardmore.

Couldn’t help myself from exploring a bit here (ok I missed the turn) and ended up at Helvick Head. Weirdest bit of road I have across yet, newly surfaced, wide, looking more like a main road and suddenly it ends at a small cluster of houses and a tiny harbour. Having arrived at the end of the world I knew there was a reason for having to come here because lying in the road was an abandoned teddy bear looking very forlorn and dirty. So he is now my cycling mascot and is looking for a suitable name. Arrived in Youghal in time for lunch at Tesco

Youghal. A charming old port at the mouth of the River Blackwater, Youghal (pronounced Y-all) has a long river quay which doubles as the main road to Cork yet remains strangely unspoiled by the jugggernauts. The main street runs parallel to the quayside with painted shops and cafes where seafood is a speciality. The river forms the border between Counties Cork and Waterford.

From My Pictures

After taking a break for lunch it was important to get back on the road and head to Cobh. I really wanted to go as far down as Ballycotton but my left knee was at this stage starting to ache and my nipples were giving me hell from the cold. So instead I did as the book suggested and kept to the minor roads parallel to the N25 and went cross country. I did allow myself one small diversion and hugged the coast around Saleen. After the rather dull cross country route I had been following this was a lovely surprise as I spent a pleasant 30 minutes with the mudflats to my left and dark woodlands to my right. I eventually arrived at the old port town of Cobh and found the hotel Susie had booked for me. Yet again she came up trumps and the 45 Euro was well worth it for a big double bed, warm room, a bath and the fact that the hotel had its own Chinese restaurant with a crackling log fire, I was in Heaven.

Some interesting facts about Cobh. This was the last port of call of the Titanic, there are 115 victims of the Lusitania buried here and most surprisingly this is the town where my maternal great great grandmother O'Niel came from. So there you have it, I am actually part Irish

A very interesting site is one dedicated to the later Father Browne who took the last know photographs of the Titanic
Titanic at Cobh