Galway in May

[mcallaghan]

My big dream tour fell through last summer.

This summer (2013) I will have off from mid-april through the end of May and am thinking of visiting my Aunt in Galway.

First trip to Ireland, but I plan on bringing my Disc Truker with me and do some touring - some of my planned tour from this past summer.

I imagine i'll have at least 2 weeks (out of 3 or 4) to ride...depending when I get to Ireland. I could arrive towards the end of April, but am not sure what the weather is like during April and May (I am guessing the general 'its always wet' rule applies).

My idea was to limit myself to about 50 miles a day. A nice manageable amount that will allow me to join the scenery. My tentative plan is to head south from Galway, heading to Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher first, before meandering down to Mizen Head. The Ring of Kerry and the Bearra Way (I believe?) are options - maybe one on the way South, one on the way back North for some variety.

I plan on staying at B&Bs along the way (I imagine all are fine storing bicycles for the night?) and was wondering if anyone had experience in this area of Ireland and/or suggestions of places to see.

[bikepacker]

Did some of your route in reverse last year when I did Mizen to Malin heads. IMO you will be cycling the best part of Ireland as north of Galway my route got less interesting. I found Ireland very easy cycling and although there will be some climbs for you south of Killarney there is little to worry about. My diary notes are here http://www.bikepacker.co.uk/irelandtour.html

[theflyingspanner]

Well, the Cliffs of Moher are great and well worth a visit but Doolin has been spoiled in our view. We enjoyed Co. Clare a lot more when we got a few miles inland where it's still much as it was when I first went there twenty years ago. Kilfenora has a great hostel and the pub next door does good food. You may also get some very authentic music there too. From Kilfenora you can also do a day tour of the Burren national park which is fantastic if you get good weather (desolate as hell in the rain!)
The Beara peninsula is good and much less busy than the Ring of Kerry if you are thinking of heading that far south. Keep off the busy trunk roads - the Irish make the English look bike-aware.

[iviehoff]

Did some of your route in reverse last year when I did Mizen to Malin heads. IMO you will be cycling the best part of Ireland as north of Galway my route got less interesting.

That might be the case if you were heading fairly directly from Galway towards Malin head. But NW of Galway is a cyclists' paradise, once you've got far enough out of town.

I have been to Ireland in May/June a few times and experienced everything from heatwave and drought to cold and wet. The latter is more common.

[eileithyia]

Think the sort of weather you could expect in Britian at that time of year and you will not be far wrong, as Ivan has said anything from wet n cool, to heatwave n drought....

Staying coastal can = better weather, as the bad weather forms over the interior... we certainly hugged the coast one year as we saw dramatic rainstorms inland...
Cliffs of Moher have been spoilt since my first visit, as they are now very commercial with all sorts of tourist tat... but guess that is the way of the world, the cliffs themselves are pretty dramatic... and cannot be changed I guess..

Doolin.. long time since I went there but it was a bit of hippy hang out or so it seemed... we used it for the ferry to the Arran Islands (interesting crossing!).

Most of all enjoy it is a wonderful part of the world to tour.

[vjosullivan]

...i'll have at least 2 weeks (out of 3 or 4) to ride...depending when I get to Ireland. I could arrive towards the end of April, but am not sure what the weather is like during April and May (I am guessing the general 'its always wet' rule applies).

My idea was to limit myself to about 50 miles a day. A nice manageable amount that will allow me to join the scenery. My tentative plan is to head south from Galway, heading to Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher first, before meandering down to Mizen Head. The Ring of Kerry and the Bearra Way (I believe?) are options - maybe one on the way South, one on the way back North for some variety.

I plan on staying at B&Bs along the way (I imagine all are fine storing bicycles for the night?) and was wondering if anyone had experience in this area of Ireland and/or suggestions of places to see.

In the west of Ireland, assume that it will rain everyday and blow a gale and you won't go far wrong, but it shouldn't be too cold. I reckon that the Ring of Beara is prettier than the Ring of Kerry (but, as an O'Sullivan Beare I am biased). It's usually quieter and generally freer from (other) tourists - not there'll be many in April. If the weather is with you, it all sounds like a great idea.

[BE1]

In the west of Ireland, assume that it will rain everyday and blow a gale and you won't go far wrong, but it shouldn't be too cold. I reckon that the Ring of Beara is prettier than the Ring of Kerry (but, as an O'Sullivan Beare I am biased). It's usually quieter and generally freer from (other) tourists - not there'll be many in April. If the weather is with you, it all sounds like a great idea.

Fully agree with this, best to plan for the worst with the weather but do not be surprised if you get four seasons in a morning, never mind a day . If you are staying in B&B's it may be best to check in advance in the general area you wish to stay, April is out of season and not everwhere will be open.

Finally Beara is fantastic http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=8412&v=2Z

[mcallaghan]

If I arrive in April, it would be at the very end of April, and I'd probably spend my first few days doing local bike rides and making sure everything is set to go, probably climb Craigh Patrick and visit some cousins in Westport since I probably won't head up that way on the bike.

I imagine I'd only start my 'tour' at the very beginning of May (hoping for some dry weather). From my previous plans, the Beara Way was mentioned as perhaps being more pretty and certainly more quite then the Ring of Kerry, but the Ring of Kerry sounds sort of like the route you HAVE to do in that part of Ireland...a right of passage, so to speak.

The trip certainly isn't set in stone yet either but I would really love to get over there and do it. Not sure if I should invest in a GPS for my trip over there or to use maps? I hear roadsigns are virtually non-existent and a GPS would certainly work better then a map in regards to getting around.

[kilroya]

There are no Leprechauns and we have loads of road signs.

[bam]

A nice day trip would be out along the coast to the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) area around Carraroe or Lettermore where the signposting is in Irish only. In Kerry my choice would be Dingle or 'an Daingean', another Gaeltacht area, and a visit to the Blasket Islands. We often get a spell of warm weather around the beginning of May.

[mcallaghan]

I haven't had much of a chance to look at a map, but based on brief research North and West of Galway seem like good areas for some day rides (I'll be based in Athenry).

As for rain, I have waterproofs from my trip (brief as it was) this past summer. Still got drenched to the bone in the gale force winds and driving rain experienced at Lands End, but not quite like a drowned rat.

[Gearoidmuar]

I'm Irish and live in Ireland and I've done Lejog twice and been in Yorkshire and Scotland several times so I can compare.
Ireland is not wetter or colder. May is the best month of the year, on average.
North of Galway to Killary Harbour and so on if fab.
So is the Burren and Cliffs of Moher and most of coastal Cork and Kerry.
I'd avoid Doolin. Too built up and touristy.
There's a fab inland loop of the Burren.
The far end of the Dingle Peninsula is brilliant though the near end is boring.
The Iverage Peninsula (Ring of Kerry) is also great but the best two to cycle are Beara and the Mizen peninsula.
Wherever you go, as long as the weather is reasonable (it's usually changeable, but no worse than you'll get at home) you'll enjoy it.
There is a huge amount of accomodation here and eating places etc.
Most big garages have a deli and they're great value.

[mcallaghan]

Thanks for the input.

Based on mileage, roughly, Doolin is about 44 miles from my start point, which would make it an ideal first night away from my base of operations. I was thinking of taking the following day off to go to Inishmore since bicylces can no longer be taken over there (seems quite silly to me).

I'll have to look up the Burren - my familiarity with locations in Ireland involves typing the name into Google Maps to see where they are.

I'll take a closer look this weekend (wed/thurs is my weekend due to work) with all these ideas in mind.

[eileithyia]

Why can you no longer take bikes, just had a quick look at the tourist board web site and they recommend hiring a bike to get around, it was certainly the best way to spend the day exploring the island and watching basking seals in an obscure corner...
Perhaps they are doing their bit to increase the bike hirers revenue?

[mcallaghan]

Last summer Health and Safety passed a new rule saying no bicycles on the ferry to the Isles. Not sure the reasoning behind it though.