Our tour of south and west Ireland

[Masher]

We intended touring with two friends with bikes, the idea being that there would be 3 bikes and 4 people with the load distributed among the three bikes.
However at the last minute our two friends dropped out, consequently we had to carry everything we needed for a two week camping tour for two people on one bike.
We did a test ride with the bike fully loaded and it wasn't too bad, but when we repacked the bike for the trip there was less room than expected for the pillion, not certain why as it was ok on the test ride.

We repacked with the tent on the rack on the top box with hindsight not the best idea! A 7Kg tent as far back and as high as possible tended to make the front nervously light.
However off we went.
After an unexpected heart attack wheelie, from a set of traffic lights, I decided that safety was more important than comfort and after the first overnight stop, I redistributed the weight to try to get the centre of balance a bit further forward.
We headed off across country staying off the motorways heading down to M & P direct at Swansea as the trousers that Kathy was wearing (bought at the Peterborough BMF show) were to big around the backside, I considered this just a fashion issue so not relevant, I WAS WRONG!, Kathy nearly called the trip off after a few miles on the B4521 into Abergavenny, its a lovely little bike road but Kathy was hanging on for dear life as she was sliding around inside the trousers, fearing she was going to leave the bike at every corner.
When we arrived at M & P (and I cant sing their praises highly enough!), we bought a better fitting pair of trousers for Kathy, M & P shipped her originals back for us as we had no room to carry them, They shipped them free of charge!
The new trousers were on a "Special Sale" and only cost £30.00 I was seriously impressed!

The first two nights were spent at Fishguard Bay Caravan and Camping site we rate this site as Excellent.

We caught the high speed cat to Rosslare, watching the porpoises following in the wake al the way to Ireland!

We stopped at a site called Casey's outside Dungarvan - our recommendation DONT! Its a big site very impersonal, everything costs extra, Toilet blocks you had to have a key, no soap provided for washing your hands (very hygienic!) shower blocks you had to have a key, on top of that you had to buy tokens for the showers and I really couldn't read all of the DON'T, NOT ALLOWED and FORBIDDEN signs everywhere

The next site was at Garrettstown House Holliday Park near Kinsale in the grounds of a partly ruined grade 3 protected country mansion, the difference from Casey's was enormous - Recommended.

We then decided that as it took three hours from crawling out of bed to leaving the campsite with a fully loaded bike that it made more sense to go to a central location, pitch for a few days and head out daily in different directions with an unloaded friendly bike.

We plumped for Glengariff, we stayed here for five nights at Dowlings Caravan and Camping Park, great site free hot water and no time restricted showers (we where getting picky now) + an onsite bar.
From here we did some serious touring down on the south side of Mizen Head Peninsular to see the Fastnet Lighthouse back up on the North side, fair roads, provided you could miss the bumps, Down the Sheep's Head peninsular on the south side coffee at the cafe at the end then back along the north side BAD MOVE, 20 miles and I didn't get out of first gear, I really wanted my ST2 to morph into a Multistrada. 180 degree bends, single track road, every bend the tarmac had degraded to a pile of rutted and loose shingle, my poor bike!

Next day we headed out around the Beara peninsular. To see it all you have to do it as a double figure of eight, and it was Beautiful; Healy Pass is well worth a visit (we did it twice), poor condition single track roads but we were getting used to them by now!

Next day stayed in the campsite apart from a walk into Glengariff for a meal, Too much black stuff the night before meant I didn't trust myself on the bike, anyway we needed the rest.

Next day we did the tourist delight of the Kerry Ring, that's a favourite American tourist coach tour destination. Remember the coaches always go anti-clockwise, so you go clockwise. Just watch out for the bump at Blackwater bridge! the bump was about as long as the bikes wheelbase, it dropped about 9" across 2 feet then rose up about 15" then back down about 6" to the normal surface, I was doing about 30-35 MPH bright sunlight sharp shadows on the road from the trees and I didn't see it until too late I only had time to brace..... I thought I had broken the back of the bike, Kathy thought I had broken her back. Thankfully there were no physical or mechanical injuries, just some psychological ones that required a strong cup of coffee and a fag!!
We both felt the Kerry Ring as a tourist destination was a complete waste of time.

We then relocated to the top of the Dingle peninsular at a campsite at a place called “Camp” for two nights. From here we toured the Ring of Dingle, again very scenic fair roads and far outshone the Ring of Kerry.

We then had to start heading back towards Rosslare for the return ferry, we had to decamp in the pouring rain, we headed north east bypassing Limerick and heading southeast for Tipperary. Four and a half hours in driving rain, I discovered quite quickly that my winter gloves are not waterproof, I reckon when I took them off a got about a mug full of water from each glove.
We decided not to attempt to camp that night and opted for a hotel. We used the Ramada Hotel on a golf course. The first price they quoted was 119 Euro’s we declined saying that was far to expensive, they then advised us that there was a special offer of 79 Euro’s during June, so we had some of that.
The puddle of water at the reception desk and the “Warning Wet Floor” shows how wet we were!
Once in the room radiators on full, everything wrung out and hung over the radiator, (windows opened, it was a bit hot). By morning everything was dry.
Next morning back on the bike and down through counties Kilkenny and Wexford to Rosslare. Kilkenny roads were really quite good, didn’t really notice until we hit the county line with Wexford, really noticed it then though, the surface dressing through Wexford was awful, all breaking up with potholes everywhere! They at least had the decency to put up signs saying bumpy surfaces and they weren’t kidding!

We had a 9:30am ferry crossing. Due to the three hours decamping and packing the bike we had decided to get a hotel or B & B at Rosslare, as I pulled into a hotel to check for vacancies, (they were fully booked) I felt an ominous grinding from the rear brakes. I thought it might be a bit of gravel from the poor roads.
I pretended not to hear it until after we had found a bed for the night, at a lovely B & B a couple of hundred yards from the Hotel.
I then checked the rear brakes and it was the lining completely gone from the inner rear disk pad with the consequent terminal effect on the disk! I had not been checking the pads for life as the bike was serviced two days before the trip and one of the items supposedly fitted was rear brake pads! Due to time constraints I had no chance of getting pads and a disk in Ireland before our ferry, so I gave M & P direct a call, they had an aftermarket disk and pads in stock so I asked them to put them to one side for me and that I would be arriving early afternoon and I would be fitting them in their car park.
Since returning I have contacted the dealer who did the service, they are suitably mortified and have apologised for the “Human Error” they have also offered to meet part of the cost for the new disk.
I will see what percentage they offer later this week!

We crossed over to Wales on schedule and had a gentle (rear brake less) cruise straight up the A40 and the M4 to M & P at Swansea. I changed the disk and pads in their car park and received excellent support from the staff there, I really cannot praise them enough! I will certainly use them again and would heartily recommend them to everyone.

The delay due to the brake issue meant we were a bit pushed for time as we were scheduled to be at a Pagan Wedding ceremony, in a field just south of Bath, the ceremony was due to start at 7:00pm (Pagan Wedding, Midsummer night).
We arrived at 20 to seven the tent was up and we were both changed before seven PM, how’s that for efficiency!

After a quite noisy night, we crashed out at 12:30 but the music was still going till six the following morning, to be honest we both only heard about 3 tracks after going to bed, shows how tired we were!

The following morning up at 07:00 bike packed in record time, about two hours. Then back on the road, we were only concerned with getting home so it was motorway all the way, I had no inclination for any back roads by now.

I have been really impressed with the ST2's tractability and adaptability, even though heavily loaded she was really solid through any twisties, admittedly my loading is to blame for the light front end on the first day but I’ll just put that down to experience. During the best part of 2000 miles she weathered evreything we threw at her, and you can't blame the bike for the brake pad failure!

Noteworthy if you read this, you said you always go for a "Hard Roof", any future touring will be hotel or B & B, its just too much hassle packing everything up the next day and thats not saying anything about the weight!

[northworthy]

Masher
Grand stuff -and a stoic performance by you both in those tricky incidents (slippery pants n no back brake). I've never used M&P but they are in my log book now.

How was the ferry service you used re motorbikes loading n securing - I've only been on the Holyhead route and I'd rate that as only OK.

Yep hard roof touring is best - less time lost mornings and evenings means more happy miles and more time at the bar.

So Masher - where to next??? Be good to see you in the Alps matey

[Masher]

Originally Posted by northworthy

Masher
Grand stuff -and a stoic performance by you both in those tricky incidents (slippery pants n no back brake). I've never used M&P but they are in my log book now.

How was the ferry service you used re motorbikes loading n securing - I've only been on the Holyhead route and I'd rate that as only OK.

Yep hard roof touring is best - less time lost mornings and evenings means more happy miles and more time at the bar.

So Masher - where to next??? Be good to see you in the Alps matey

Just can't express how impressed I am with M & P, especially in todays world where personal service seems to be an item of history!

Stena Line are the ferry operator, I have no complaints but as you are aware I have no previous history for a benchmark.
On the CAT going out they wanted me to put the bike on the sidestand but I had discovered that the slightest slope combined with the load and she tried to fall over! (That caused me a sweaty moment I can tell you), so the bike was on the centre stand they put two pads overlapping in the centre of the seat and strapped her down, I got a wheel wedge and got it nice n tight under the rear wheel.
The return trip was on the ferry, the strap had a fibre tube around it to protect the seat and no additional pads, it distorted the front of the seat and it took a day to return to its original shape. Not too bothered as we intend getting the seat modified or replaced with a Gel seat (seized bum and thighs after an hour and a half).

Any future touring will be "hard roofed" and I have every intention of touring Europe but no firm plans at this stage, our next scheduled break is at my brothers place in Crete for a week so wont be taking the bike for that!

I keep reading your descriptive posts about the Alps and it does make my mouth water, it WILL happen one day, when it does I will certainly try to hook up for at the least a beer!

[Ghost]

A very good read, you must have kept a diary to recall all of that detail.

[Masher]

Originally Posted by Ghost

A very good read, you must have kept a diary to recall all of that detail.

I had to refer to the oracle for some of it, Kathy has a much better memory than me and I couldn't remember the names of the first few sites we stayewd at, but I determined to put it all down on paper very soon after we got back because for me the details blur very quickly. The act of writing it down helps to firm it in memory as well so definitely worth writing it down.

[moto748]

Nice piece, Masher.

Good to hear about the helpfulness on M&P in an emergency.

The Ring of Kerry's great. A mate of mine used to live in a little cottage a few milEs out of Blackwater.
Road surfaces weren't the best the last time I was there, though. They may have improved since.

[Masher]

Originally Posted by Masher

Next day we did the tourist delight of the Kerry Ring, that's a favourite American tourist coach tour destination. Remember the coaches always go anti-clockwise, so you go clockwise. Just watch out for the bump at Blackwater bridge! the bump was about as long as the bikes wheelbase, it dropped about 9" across 2 feet then rose up about 15" then back down about 6" to the normal surface, I was doing about 30-35 MPH bright sunlight sharp shadows on the road from the trees and I didn't see it until too late I only had time to brace..... I thought I had broken the back of the bike, Kathy thought I had broken her back. Thankfully there were no physical or mechanical injuries, just some psychological ones that required a strong cup of coffee and a fag!!
We both felt the Kerry Ring as a tourist destination was a complete waste of time.

The Ring of Kerry's great. A mate of mine used to live in a little cottage a few milEs out of Blackwater.
Road surfaces weren't the best the last time I was there, though. They may have improved since.

Hi Moto748
see the quote re the ring of Kerry, other than the bumps the surface wasn't too bad but not that good either. The Ring of Kerry was very pretty but I didn't feel that it lived up to it's reputation especially in comparison with the Ring of Bearra and the Ring of Dingle, two major highlights were Heally Pass (see pictures), and the view from the tunnel on the N71 from Glengariff up to Kenmare, the road surface was pretty good on that part of the N71 as well!

[Masher]

OOppss Pictures didn't upload, probably too big I'll resize them and try again!

[Masher]

Hope this works, yep thats got it.

Dont forget to resize!!!!!!!

[mahout]

Well done Masher,

A great write-up and some cracking pictures.

Sorry to hear about your brake issues. I trust that the dealer does the honourable thing.

Come on now, travelling in a cage to Europe? Nah, travel light and use cheap BnBs. I'm addicted, and done many a trip of France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Spain. If you can do Ireland and its mixed weather, you'll love Europe.

If I can help at all with any future planning for such a trip, do let me know. Oh, and Northworthy is a "Diamond Geezer" and tremendous resource too.

Take care, and enjoy a pint or two on the strength of your tales.

Best regs

Mahout.

[Masher]

Originally Posted by mahout

Well done Masher,

Come on now, travelling in a cage to Europe?

Thanks Mahout

"Hard Roofed" is a phrase that Noteworthy coined referring to using B & B's as against under canvas. I am also now convinced that this is the way to go! I have every intention of touring Europe on the bike but I doubt that I will get the chance this year.

The Dealer has today credited my account for the cost of the disk, which is fair, although no compensation for sitting in a car park in the pouring rain changing disk and pads!
They have apologised blaming "Human Error", we know it happens you just hope it doesn't happen to you!

[mahout]

SorryO.

I must confess I do like my little luxuries, a warm dry comfortable bed and local produce breakfasts. Also good to develop the schoolboy French, German, Spanish etc..

Good that the dealer did the honourable thing re the disk and pads. I trust it wasn't one of the Colchester dealerships. (Lets not go there).

Huge grins and great memories. Get planning the next one. As I've offered to others, I do have plenty of old receipts for decent BnBs and cheap hotels. Always happy to share or recommend any good ones.

Enjoy.

Mahout

[Masher]

Originally Posted by mahout

SorryO.

Good that the dealer did the honourable thing re the disk and pads. I trust it wasn't one of the Colchester dealerships. (Lets not go there).

I am afraid it was but I wont dwell on it as they have always been fair with me and I have no complaints regarding their prices, I have never felt ripped off!

Rest assured when the next trip (I'm thinking Black Forest, Alps possibly into Northern Italy), is being planned I will be polling the site for info and reccomendations!