Ireland the South. Day 13

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Day 13
Luck was with me again today. I seem to have the luck of the Irish. Last week as I was travelling south the prevailing wind was north west. This week
As I travel north the wind is from the south west. I am sailing along. I had a good run through Wexford with the sun in my eyes as I crossed the river with some very nice views of the city. The coast road was undulating but only needed my 'granny' ring twice all morning. At Killmuckridge I stopped at a nice cafe where it appears they get a lot of cyclists since there was a pump and spare tubes in a box outside. I had the biggest scone ever with raspberry jam and cream. I will never lose weight. The sun continued to shine as I dropped into Courtown, which is a tourist town with a small harbour. I nearly bumped into a van driver carrying a tray of bread across the road to the cafe, who told me he had been following me all morning. If he can't go faster than that he could get fired. Ha. I found that Gorey was a town I could have missed and I cannot say much more for Arklow. I dropped down the hill to the far end of the fishing docks which was occupied by rusting boats and one which was sunk in the water with just half showing and which looked like it had been there for years. The industrial buildings also looked run down with boarded up windows and grass in the gutters. Further up the river there were some private yachts and boats in much better condition and some quite nice riverside houses. The town itself looks a bit rough with Paddy Power betting shops, arcades and takeaways. Luckily the sun is shining, otherwise I may have painted a poor picture of the place. I had a nice light lunch at a riverside cafe called Coffee4you. That's two good things about Arklow already. There is hope yet. Woodenbridge Hotel is supposed to be the oldest in Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. If so it has been rebuilt at some time. I am actually in the lodge across the road, which is quite nice with a good shower. I put my bike in the room for the first time since I could not find anyone to ask for a place fir it. I am happy for it to be with me as it is quicker to get away in the morning. The ride seemed very easy today but I guess it must have been the tail wind since I rode 82k and climbed 1000m. Before dinner I walked along the river for quite a way and visited the WWI War Grave Memorial Park just across the road, which commemorates 1,200 Wicklow men who died. Makes my whinging about the hills seem a bit pathetic doesn't it?

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Photos

Irish Post Box
Emerald Green

Kate's Cafe
Kilmuckridge

Woodenbridge
Made of stone.