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| From My Pictures |
After yesterday my body was really complaining with the prospect of another day in the saddle. A lot of this was psychological because throughout the previous day I had been looking over at the various peninsulas of Bera and Kerry looking at the mountains knowing that I had those to look forward to.
My knees were good and the combination of wearing the knee pads and increasing my cadence had meant that they were completely without pain. My chest also had faired well enough and today I made sure that this would continue by wrapping a tee shirt around my upper body. Main problem were saddle sores so I liberally applied some creams.
No early breakfast was available so I got around this by arranging to take a cold breakfast to my room. As the bathroom was unheated this made an excellent fridge (yes it was cold) and I had the greatest of pleasure of waking at 6.30 on a Sunday morning eating my Weetabix in a room smelling like the inside of a locker (yes unwashed cycling gear, that I had to wear for a second day, isn't the most aromatic).
Today I was doing the Bera peninsular and even though I was dreading it I was also looking forward to some stunning scenery and I wasn't to be disappointed.
With far less traffic than the peninsular to the North, Bera's awesome rugged landscape and colourfully painted villages make it a special place to ride
There is something magical that I love about cycling at dawn. The roads are empty, the world is asleep and I go for hours without seeing anybody except the occasional farmer or some hapless person on an early shift. The Irish villages and towns gradually come awake around the tim to go to mass and then you have to dodge the people standing in the middle of the road chatting and catching up. You also get views like these:
In the heart of the touristy southwest, it's suprisingly lowkey, overshadowed by the famous Ring of Kerry on the nieghbouring Iveragh Peninsula. It's in Beara's villages that you might find an entire community filling the low ceilinged pub after a funeral, or the shopkeepers daughter explaining the legend of a local landmark. Tour buses are rare and the Irish as much as visitors come here to relax
The dramatic mountainous core of the Beara Peninsula is a rocky sandstone glacier carved spine. Such an imposing barren landscape might seem inhospitable, were it not for the lushness of the valleys below. Colourful fushias and rhododendrons are everywhere (though not in February!!). The 300 hectare oak woodland, Glengarriff Woods Nature Wood Reserve, at the peninsula's eastern end, features Atlantic species including St Patricks cabbage, kidney leaved saxifrage and the strawberry tree. The mild climate also encourages the growth of mosses and ferns. Similiar forest once covered a greater area, but was extensively cut during the 17th century to produce charcoal for iron smelting.
The start of the ride was quite a climb but well worth the amazing views out across the water to my left with the rugged mountains to my left. Knowing that I was going around the mountains was somewhat of a relief as they looked very daunting, also knowing that I wouldnt be going over the Healy Pass was a great relief though I am sure I was missing a wonderful climb. The Sugarloaf Mountain dominated the early ride and gradually receded only to be replaced by Hungry Hill (now where did that name come from?) after leaving the little sleepy village of Adrigole.
The peninsula's cragggy spine dominates early on; the views unfold during the first of the rides three long climbs, beginning less than 3km from Glengarriff. Over the hill undulating terrain continues for most of the day, with little sign of habitation before the scattered village of Adrigole. Hungry Hill (685m), the peninsula's highest peak looms behind Adrigole harbour. From here flows Irelands highest waterfall, the Hungry Hill Waterfall.
A delightful morning of cycling and after a couple of hours I came to Bere Island and the town of Castletownbere which was about the only town of any size I was to come across until I ended the ride at Kenmare.
Castletownbere, Beara's main town and Irelands largest whitefish port, is a good lunch stop (jeez how slow do these guys go!) with several stores, pubs and resteraunts. From Castletowne its possible to take a ferry to Bere Island. You can cycle the island but accommodation is very limited.
No time to stop or take the ferry across to Bere Island (wasn’t running this early on a Sunday morning) so I kept on cycling heading out to the end of the peninsular.
DunboyCastle makes another nice picnic spot. The ruined 19th Century mansion belonged to the Puxley family who made a fortune mining copper at Allihies. Past the mansion are the remains of a 14th century castle that was the fortress of the O'Sullivan Bere
Though I didn’t get to visit this mansion I did take a wrong turn and end up getting a sneak peek at the gatehouse which looked very impressive. A stark difference from the broken down hovels that most people who worked in the mines would have experienced.
Waterside lushness is left behind in a long climb that ends among giant bolders; the steady gradient and unfolding view make for easy climbing. A final hill affords views of coastal cliffs and Dursey Islan, a haven for wild birds and whales. Visit the island on a side trip (I didnt); its a place to walk or watch wildlife rather than cycle, although there's a tough 8km ride to the cable car that transports locals, livestock and tourists (in that order) across to the island. After the pass, picture postcard views of Allihies are delightful, as is the swoop down to it.
And the village of Allihies
A tough ride through some spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, this stage begins with a punishing roller coaster of short steep climbs. The most strenuous riding is through the striking rocky scenery of the Northern Bera Peninsula. The folds of rock are clearly evident; at times it feels like being on an island of pure rock. Atop the first steep climb the Kerry montains lie dramatically across the water. A short respite comes between Urhan and Eyeries after which some steep ascents and swooping descents lie before Ardgroom.
I also got my first real good glimpse at Kerry with Dingle in the background
The guide book wasn’t kidding when it said there were steep ascents. Having already cycled out the journey back was going to be tough enough with the climbs, to make matters worse just like my previous day of struggling up from Mizen Head this didn’t look like it was going to be any easier with the wind. When I came to some of the more exposed areas the wind was merciless and at time I felt I was going backwards. However I gritted my teeth and dug in.
If you're feeling weary (yes I was bloody knackered) you can avoid the strenuous 15km stretch between Eyeries and Ardgroom (albiet sacrificing views to the Ring of Kerry); take the direct R571 to Ardgroom instead of the coastal road (which I gratefully did as I had enough mileage to cover already).
I didn't miss all the views though
After a glorious cycle I eventually arrived at Kenmare by destination for the weekend. In fact I had done well and gotten here by 2pm which left me plenty of time to get a taxi to Killarney, grab a meal and then take the train home to Dublin
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