Steve's Adventures 

Wed 8th Mar

Breakfast
Soya, Musili, Multi vitamin, Garlic, Primrose, Glass of water

Lunch
Tuna on Brown with Tomato and Cucumber, 4 Plums

Dinner
Mince with Brown Pasta, Soya Yoghurt

Snacks
2 Bottles of Water, Tea, Nuts, 6 Oatcake Biscuits, 2 Plums

Tue 7th Mar

Breakfast
Musili with Soya, Multivitamin, Primrose Oil, Garlic, Glass of Water

Lunch
Mushroom Soup, Rocket and mixed leaf salad with warm mushroom, walnuts and parmesan flakes, 3 glasses of water, coffee, bread

Dinner
Soya Mince, Potato, Green Beans, Mange Tout

Snacks
Grapes, 4 plums, 3 apples, 2 Botles of water, Tea

Day 6

Sunday February 26th - Glengarriff to Kenmare - 64 miles - Total so far 486 miles

After yesterday my body was really complaining with the prospect of another day in the saddle. A lot of this was phycological because throughtout the previous day I had been looking over at the various peninsulars 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 liberaly 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 pleausre 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 dissapointed.

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

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

Wed 1st Mar

Breakfast
Musili with Soya and a banana, Multivitamin, Garlic, Primrose Oil, Glass of water

Lunch
Turkey on Granary with coleslaw, tomato and cucumber, 6 plums

Dinner
Mushrooms, Courgette, Brown Pasta, 2 Manadarins, Apple, Soya Yoghurt

Snacks
2 Bottles of Water, Tea, 6 Oatcake Biscuits, Fruit and Nuts, 2 Rice Cakes

Too Many Plums and Coffee

I am eating way too many plums and with all the sugar they contain it cant be good. Going to have to vary my fruit intake.

Way too much Coffee so from now on (yet again) its off the list of things I allow myself

Tue 28th Feb

Breakfast
Musili with Soya and a banana

Lunch
Rocket Salad, Mushroom Soup, 3 tiny pieces of bread, Coffee

Dinner
2 Corn of the Cobs

Snacks
2 Bottles of Water, Tea, 2 Plums, Nuts, 6 Oatcake Biscuits

Mon 27th Feb

Breakfast
Musili with Soya, Coffee

Lunch
Turkey on Granary with Coleslaw, Tomato and Cucumber, 6 plums

Dinner
Mushrooms, Rice, Tomatos, Peas, 9 plums

Snacks
2 Bottles of water, Tea, Coffee, 2 Brown Toast, Danish Pastry, Bombay Mix, Apricots

Day 5

Saturday February 25th - Clonakilty to Glangarriff. 91 Miles - Total so far 422 miles

I need to write a list of things to take with me and be more disciplined. At the last minute before leaving from the apartment on Friday I ditched the waist belt I was going to take with me and instead took my handlebar bag. Only problem was that when I left the office on Friday to catch the train I forgot to pick up 1 of my bottles which had been in the waist belt. Not a huge deal I thought, but boy did I regret not having the extra water carrying capacity today, but I jump ahead of myself.

The train and bus trip down to Clonakilty went without a hitch much to my surprise. I guess I have a very low opnion of public transport so I am always amazed when things actually workout. Susie had rung ahead for me and found a hotel with a good rate. They made me very welcome, which considering how rude some of the people she had rang were, and I soon settled into my room. I had a nice hot meal downstairs in the resteraunt and then curled up with my book before getting an early night hoping to god I hadnt checked into a hotel where my nieghbours were going to be from hell.

Apart from the drunken sing song outside in the square at 3am I slept well and was up at 6.30am ready to face the world. Dressed in my super sexy cycling gear (I look like a complete dork) I headed down for breakfast where the chef had very kindly come in 1 hour early just to cook my eggs and beans. With the sun just peeking over the trees and every other sane person sound asleep off I went into the half light of a wintery Saturday morning.

The undulating route to Schull features ancient monuments and stories of more recent history. A pattern emerges of a series of decents into (and climbs out of) townships; the biggest hill, after Ross Carbery, is steep at times. Meadow flowers enliven the roadside, along with the occasional statues of the virgin Mary; Glandore Harbour and The Narrows offer more scenic treats. Towards Schull, Roaringwater Bay and the looming spectre of Mt Gabriel whet the apppetite for the rugged west coast peninsular. The delightful descent into tiny Castlefreke is punctuated by stones explaining points of historical interest. The sprigging school is worth a quick visit; the old schoolhouse now houses a small museum of local history. Watch for the unsigned turn into Castleforke Wood through stone gate posts. A side trip near the top of the climb from Ross Carbery leads to the impressive Drombeg Stone Circle. 17 stones probably arranged around 100 BC. In a nearby cooking trough, hot stones can boil around 320L of water in 18 minutes. Tou'll need to walk the last 150 meters to the site

Views across the harbour make immaculate Glandore a nice lunch stop; Glandore Inn serves bar food and sandwiches (not at 9am on a Saturday morning I must add). With more choice, including a grocery store (where I restocked with bananas and Oatcake biscuits) Union Hall across the water is more down to earth

The Liss Ard foundations expansive (and very closed) gardens offer a nice resting spot although the gardens are someway from the entrance. Skibbereen was hard hit by the Great Famine; almost 10,000 people were buried in local mass graves

The Great Famine of 1845-51 was one of the greatest tragedies of Irish history. The disaster was all the greater because, while a million people died and another million fled on overcrowded coffin ships, Ireland continued to export food. The penal laws enacted in 1695 prohibited Catholics from, among other things, entering government and buying land. By the 19th century Irelands population was 4 million. Around 5000 landlords owned 90% of the land, renting it out to Irish tenant farmers. By 1841 the population had rocketed to 8 million. Most were practically subsistence farmers, dependent on potatoes for food and to pay their rent. Many lived in wretched crowded conditions; large families (and their animals) typically shared single roomed virtually windowless cottages (landlords charged higher rent for windows). Rapid population growth meant more pressure on the land and between 1845 and 1851 blight destroyed most the potato crop. Catastrophe was inevitable; without their staple food people starved; without the means to pay rent they were evicted. Even those who grew grain had to choose between eating and being evicted or staying and starving. Those who could scrape together the passage (or whose landlords paid it) left for the New World on overcrowded and unregulated coffin ships on which disease ran rife and typically a third of the passengers died. By 1851 Irelands population was around 6.5 million

Delightful little Schull sits on a harbour of Roaringwater Bay belowe Mount Gabriel. The community is sprinkled with artists and European expatriates and, except during the Summer (particularly early August when the yachties come in) its s pretty relaxed place.

To assist ships through the dangerous Atlantic waters a signal station was completed at Mizens Head in 1910. The station was automated in 1993 and an exhibition, Mizen Vision, was established in the old keepers quarters.The light station, at the end of the head, is a 10 minute walk from the Mizen Head visitor center. It costs €5 to walk down and its worth paying; apart from the Mizen Vision exhibition, the scenary is far more dramatic beyond the gate. Look out for dolphins, seals and sea birds. Whales are frequently seen off Mizen head in July and August. A few hills lie between the turn-off and Mizen Head including a 4.6km climb from the inlet near Barleycove beach. The return trip offers spectacular views of the peninsular

Clonakilty to Kenmare

Days 5 and 6 of my great journey around ireland saw me complete 165 miles of what was by far the toughest weekend of cycling I have done so far. The stretch from Clonakility to Mizen Head on Saturday was tough enough but the return leg, against a head wind, was a nightmare. Sunday saw me ride from Glengarriff to Kenmare via the Bera peninsular and even though the return journey was once again into a head wind the sheer beauty of the landscape more than compensated.

Sun 26th Feb

Breakfast
4 weetabix with milk, Banana, Apple, Orange Juice

Lunch
Cheese Sandwich, Diet Coke, Snickers bar

Dinner
Penne with roasted vegetables and pine nuts, Coffee

Snacks
2 Bananas, 5 bottles of water, 2 diet coke, apricots, 5 fudge sweets, maltesers, 2 veggie burgers