Republic of Ireland Day 7 Castletownbere.

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Day 8. Castletownbera. 112km
Nice night at the Smugglers Inn at Waterville despite the noisy golf party who ate after us in the restaurant and bellowed on way into the night. The weather was wild overnight and we had a bad forecast for today. However, it set off dull and dry and apart from one quick shower we had a great day with quite a bit of sun and enough wind on our backs to make us smile. We took our photos by the Charlie Chaplain statue in Waterville ,as we do by the Eric Morecambe statue in Morecambe. After the first big climb out of Waterville we had the greatest views ever of he coastline with its many rugged islands and had to stop many times. We had two large climbs before hitting Sneem for our first break at 11am of coffee and chicken pie (just in case). As we left town we came across a small jetty where I stopped last year and was accosted by two young Japanese girls who had been following me in a car Fromm Doolin several days earlier and wanted to meet ’that man on a bicycle’. We then continued on the Ring of Kerry to Kenmare for a lunch of coffee and pancakes before heading onto the Beara Peninsula and over a few more hills to Castletownbere. The Cottage Heights B&B is on the edge of town and is a great place to stay. We had an early meal at the Murphy's Restaurant in town followed by a look around the largest white fish port in Ireland and the second safest harbour in the world to Sydney in Australia. We were surprised how many fishing boats there were, around 20 or so, compared to our decimated fleet in England where you hardly see a handful of boats. We now understand how badly we have been treated by our neighbours who organise the quotas. The food in Murphy's was very good and reasonably priced and can recommend it both for the range of food, quality and price. Now to bed at 10pm after 112km and 1200 m of climbing ready to do another day along this wonderful coast.

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Photos

Which one is Charlie?
Waterville.

Kenmare

Murphy's Restaurant.
Castletownbere.

Kelly's Bakery
Sneem

Macarthy's Bar
Castletownbere