from Kinsale to Bantry --- moving along the coast

Our last posting was in the port town of Kinsale in an internet cafe. This morning we are in a County Cork library in the town of Bantry, and have now in our possesion a county cork library card! From Kinsale we rode south along the coast to Conakilty, passing the birth place of Michael Collins. We pitched our tent in a farmhouse camping site, overlooking the Conakilty bay. White swans glided serenely across the water's surface while the moon shed light on the incredible amount of dew gathering on everything before our eyes. Our bicycles, tent, panniers, and much else became saturated in water without any rain. Over the night, a nearby camper's dog snatched our bag which contained our kitchen clean-up set-- soap, sponge, antiseptic. We later found the soap in the field but were at a loss for the rest. Morning also took us into town for a couple of Irish coffees and a visit to the post office.

From Conakilty we rode through lush farmscapes into Skiberdeen, rolling in just a wee bit late for a street-bowling tournament sponsored by Murphy's Irish Stout. We purused the village looking for a place to eat and sleep, finally hitting a Centra market and riding out of town a mile or so to an unexpected but quite impressive hostel. The Mill Hostel let us pitch our yellow tent in the back yard, adjacent to a tyre swing, a creek, and an archery course. We later found out that evening that the hostel was owned by Michael Murphy--the first Irishman to accend Mt. Everest. Our stay at the mill was greatly enhanced by our befriending of June, a woman hailing from Cornwald, England. We talked into the night, sipping lemon liquer and opinionating on all matters. She snapped this photo for us:

From Skibereen we rode a short distance to Baltimore and took a ferry to the Isle of Cape Clear-- a cloudy and wet, but absolutely gorgeous island in the Celtic Sea-- one of the few places where the population speaks primarily Gaelic. It was raining when we arrived and when we set off the next morning, but armed with our rainjackets and thick wool socks, we were able to explore the land. . .finding all sorts of exotic specimen. A village dog escorted us around the lake and to the cliffs along the crashing ocean. It was an enchanting misty fog-ridden evening and we dreamt well to the sounds of the water. Another ferry took us to Schull in the morning. As the only two passengers, we were given a personalised tour of the islands and their histories from the swaying boat. In Schull we shared a well deserved meal of fish and chips, and set off up the hill towards Bantry.

This last ride was spectacular. We rode through rolling hills, watching the land transform from flat farmland into rocky hills surrounded by grasses and moss. This transformation we also saw in the sheep--from dainty little lambs into robust wooly beasts. At a roadside market in the village of Durras, we met our first cycling tourists--two women from Germany riding a tandem. Susan has been loving the Brittish sweets here, and insisted on carrying in one of the panniers, a big glass jar of Branston pickle. Lastnight we stayed in a B&B--the comforts of which were just short of heavenly. We ate a breakfast of Potato Cakes poached eggs and ham, and now we overstay our welcome on the library computer. Heading north to Glengariff today, soon to enter the famous ring of Kerry. Much Love.