To 6 hours the wind had died down and I no longer heard rain tinkling on the tent canvas. Instead of turning over again at this awful hour, I scraped together to pack and have something for breakfast. Meanwhile, two gusts had passed anyway, so I could give up hope of packing the tent dry. Disconnecting the inner and outer tent and packing them separately was a more valid idea.
To 8 hours stood my yellow steel steed ready to go For a long wet ride to Killarney, but fortunately with tailwind! Sunday rest day so no heavy traffic on the track: I chose the path of least resistance and closed in Maloy to the N72. My average speed was now at 14.2 km/hour also noticeably higher than on local roads.
In the coffee bar of a petrol station, I heard from a retired postman that are pension 500€/week amounts, still noticeably higher than in Belgium, I think. And also that he had once lost many thousands of euros by accepting an investment proposal from a financial analyst. Those money hawks are just as ruthless everywhere....
Just before Killarney, in a cluttered brocante shop where I was allowed to take shelter from a downpour my eye caught an old wooden figurine of a Celtic druid. From every long trip I like to bring back a presentable gadget, and for this region I could not imagine anything more appropriate. So off to the post office again tomorrow....
And tonight I sleep freshly washed in a warm hostel bed. The wet tent canvas may spend a night in the pannier.
Due to the permanent rain, I did not photograph today. There wasn't much to photograph next to the N72 either.
After sending the druid statue I couldn't resist yesterday to my niece Maité, where it will be given temporary shelter until September, I took a stroll through Killarney, a very touristy yet friendly town.
First I passed by Saint Mary's Church, where I learned that a peacock depicted on a world globe a early Christian symbolises resurrection which comes from the Celtic art and culture. This is because a peacock's beautiful tail feathers are renewed every year. The eyes in the feathers symbolise eternal life.
Then I strolled along the streets of coloured houses until Saint Mary's Cathedral. That the Irish hold Mary in high regard is shown by the fact that many churches are dedicated to her. On my way by bike, I also regularly came across Mary grottoes Against. By our standards, the cathedral is very soberly decorated. Roman Catholic ostentation has apparently been less emulated here.
The plea 'Slow me down, Lord' I found worth photographing. I can totally relate, with the difference that we will each have to achieve that slowing down and stillness for ourselves. So far, the Lord, after all, proved powerless to stop the capitalist economic rat race that is grinding down its creatures. But may the text inspire as many people as possible.
For Thursday, I booked a boat trip to Skellig Michael, a monastery on a rock in the ocean that sits on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. There may only 10 boats daily sailing out, hence the need to reserve a seat long enough in advance. So now I am travelling at a leisurely pace to the Portmagee harbour.
Finally, some photos from the pleasant late-afternoon drive to Glenross campsite, where I first gave my soaking wet tent canvas a chance to dry in the evening sun before reattaching the inner tent.
Killarney: St Mary's Cathedral
2 km from Glenross campsite is the vast Glenbeigh sandy beach and I did find this on a fairly warm day (approx. 22°) to be a worth a diversion. Matter of also moving the legs non-circularly for a change.
Arriving at the beach, I wanted to walk up to the bend visible from that point, about an hour up and down, I estimated. I thought that was where the end was. However, there was no end to that bend. It was low tide and the beach ended in a very large sand oval with a sand dune at the back Of which I shot a 360° video (Facebook live).
At the lifeguard pavilion at the beginning of the beach, a call to pick up litter and keep the beach clean, and against that dune there was some windblown marine debris. Too much to carry without a rubbish bag, but when I found a pair of dilapidated fisherman's trousers with braces, I was able to get a sledge make to pull the lot behind me 💪💪. The walk ultimately lasted more than two hours, but I enjoyed it immensely.
Pretty late back on the bike, then. At a 'viewpoint' on the way, I was eating a sandwich when Garry Lennon from Australia also rode up. His wife is a Belgian, and we ended up talking for an hour or so about the things of life. And meanwhile time ticked on and on and a thunderstorm looming from behind the hills. When the 'drash' started, just 7 km from my destination, I was able to flee in ‘The Shebeen‘ pub in the small town of Cahersiveen, where I spent an incredibly enjoyable hour and also received a large gift from Philip, the landlord, and from Christie and Christopher, two regulars. In the end, somewhat reluctantly because of the cool pub ambiance, I still had to continue through the rain because otherwise I would have to catch the last ferry to Knightstown on Valentia Island would miss out.
Between the clouds, occasional slivers of sunlight did peek through, which made for very beautiful pink lighting effects created on the water and in the sky. Setting the tent was yet to be done in the wet, but by ten it stopped raining and I was able to get a nice evening photo of the setting sun.
With Philip and Christie in the Shebeen pub
Before my visit to Skellig Michael Today and tomorrow I will stay at the same campsite. After an evening of heavy rain yesterday, the sun was back this morning and there is also a brisk breeze. So an opportune moment to temporarily change into swimming costume and rain jacket and dump all my clothes and other rags and cloths into the washing machine. After more than a month of small hand washes and drying while riding on the panniers, it was high time.
After three quarters of an hour in the tumble dryer, the laundry was still very slightly damp. If I fold and pack it like this, it immediately starts smelling musty again. I let the larger pieces continue to wind-dry on the bicycle washing line, the little ones could - due to too much wind - get to the indoor washing line of my superdeluxe Hilleberg tent. I've already had a lot of fun from that washing line! Tomorrow I can go to Skellig Michael fragrant 👃👌
A whole day of camping life is long, so I left in the late afternoon for a tour around the island. Pretty tough with 350 altimeters in just 17 km, including two 15%-ers. Fortunately, I drove this ride unpacked, so no gnashing of teeth while climbing.
My first stop was a old slate quarry which became operational in 1816 and was internationally renowned for its high quality slates. It supplied slates for the roofs of the Parisian opera, the UK parliament and various London Underground stations. It closed in 1911 due to a rock collapse. In 1954, a cave set up for - 3x guess - OLV Maria.
The cave and quarry were followed by a long descent to the footprints of the tetrapod, the first four-legged animal to 360 million years ago came ashore.
At yet another old cemetery, I met Diana Leroux Wolf, an American triathlete who participated in the - unfortunate because of extremely bad weather - Dungarvan triathlon last Sunday. No fewer than 1,000 athletes did not make it to the finish line, including Diana. Too bad, coming from so far and then being stranded in rotten weather.
In Knightstown I wanted to stock up on some food, and at the grocery shop I met the British sailor and cyclist Patrick Dollard and his partner Eleanor. This meeting ended in an invitation to a pasta on Patrick's sailboat.
Solitude - at ferry to Valentia Island.
Retrieved from Little Skellig houses a colony of 70,000 Gannets.
Skellig Michael, with the 6th-century monastery, is a UNESCO world heritage site. It remained inhabited by each 12 monks until the 13th century and endured several Viking invasions/slaughter. It was probably evacuated because in the 13th century weather conditions were terribly bad.
In the late afternoon, I visited the Skellig Michael museum In Portmagee.
Don't miss the photo series below of Skellig Michael, inhabited at this time of year by a large colony of nesting puffins, those super funny colourful seabirds!
Puffins
This morning I decided to abandon the busy, touristy Ring of Kerry route with all the tourist buses and other heavy traffic and take the hilly inland route take. No more pictures of beaches and rugged cliffs for a while, but wide mountain landscapes. And for me, much more cycling fun: quiet rural roads and open panoramas, without the eternal walls and high hedges next to the roadway that obstruct the view.
Outside the Ballaghsheen pass, on which I had to push the bike for two short stretches, all slopes were 'easygoing'.
The pass was followed by a wide, flat plateau with only peat fields and sheep. Blessed cycling today.
On the way to Glencar
The first 10 km to Killorglin were beautiful, a continuation of the hills from yesterday. Steep ascent and descent, though, and bike pushing twice. A little past Killorglin followed a long climb over 5km, but thankfully gently rising. After that, it continued to go up and down rather sedately until Ballybunion.
On the way I saw the ''Ballyseedy Massacre Memorial'. During the Irish Civil War, nine republican prisoners were tied to a landmine and blown up at this site on 6 March 1923. One of them, Paddy Daly, survived that atrocity and later became an MP for Fianna Fail (Irish Christian Democratic Party).
Ballybunion beach and castle (12th century). Of the castle, only the east wall still standing. The front, western part was destroyed over the years by the Atlantic Ocean. I spent the night in Ballybunion at a campsite for mobile homes, with no electricity or facilities for tent campers. The campsite was run by a sweet, slightly confused old woman and her daughter. To toilet I was allowed in a private workroom whose key she entrusted to me. How accommodating!
To get some warmth, charge and update my phone, I headed back to a pub - of which there was no shortage in Ballybunion's main street - but they were all packed. Punishing how well the pubs here still run. However, the nice pint of draught Guinness soon rose to my head. I did feel a bit tired from the long drive. Or would it be the Guinness? Next, up the bike to the campsite and into the bag.
Ballyseedy Massacre Memorial
Beyond the River Shannon strong tailwind, and on the side of Kilrush the other way round, of course. Driving out of Ballybunion, I saw an image of a golfing Bill Clinton. He apparently passed here once.
As it was raining this morning - it's Sunday again - I booked another bed in a hostel. Not having to pack the tent and all the gear in the morning is also nice. That takes up a lot of time.
16 September: Opening the door at Diamondway Buddhist Centre in Tallinn The centre's meditation sessions are open
