Blogs from County Donegal, Ireland, Europe - page 3

Sorry for the delay in getting this out. I had typed it while on the ferry from Belfast to Scotland this morning and lost my wifi connection when I was saving it! Yea I know it sounds like "the dog ate my homework" but man I was not a happy camper! Before I start a quick shout out to my daughter Jennifer - she did a Sturgis SD trip with her motorcycle girls they trailered the bikes then did a number cool rides while at the largest Harley rally in the world. She must get that wonder bug from her Mom?. Once again I had good enough weather to wear the non rain gear. About 1/2 the ride was on the "Wild Atlantic Way". The Irish took a page from the US "Route 66" concept only ... read more

The next day, I woke up feeling excited that I was back on the bike. Granny Ann greeted me in the morning and said, “Last Supper”! Will it be the same Irish breakfast?” We smiled at each other interpreting that as “Last Breakfast”. I said yes and I got the same sumptuous meal with added fried mushroom in it. As usual, I did not finish the big breakfast and ended wrapping myself a ham sandwich for my next escapade. Granny Ann even asked me to bring mandarin oranges which in hindsight was a treat as I rested on the trail. It was bitter sweet leaving Trade Winds B&B. I spent 3 nights in the area, the hosts were friendly and accommodating. Most of all, I had what I considered a priceless view: The beach surrounded by ... read more

The Backroads and Beyond Tour designed by Ireland by Bike Team had a biking break after 2 long days in which there would be 2 days of hiking. I thought it was well architected, it was a good way to slow down on the pedal and see Donegal's beauty on foot, on top of Europe's highest peak. The first hiking destination is to Sliabh Liag (Slieve League). I woke up the same day, had my traditional Irish breakfast prepared by Granny Ann, and was up and ready by 9am. I got a call from Nora in the morning saying that my pick up time would be around half past 11am. Forecast said that around that time, Slieve League weather would become better and less cloudy. With 2 hours in my hand, Granny Ann suggested I walked ... read more

The Dreambeagh B&B where I stayed for the night was a scale up compared to The Bridges B&B. It was a good Irish house and the owners, Tom and Fil, welcomed me and gave me my keys. I came to know that their daughter now lives and works in Toronto and that they plan to visit her (another Canadian connection!). Seamus, the owner of Ireland by Bike, had delivered my luggage ahead of me to my new B&B while I cycled. He even carried the heavy bags upstairs to my room. Great service! My room had 2 single beds, a private washroom, my own tea/coffeemaker and a cable TV. The washrooms of B&B were 3 ft x 3 ft wide, typical by European standards, but quite tiny compared to North American standards. Obviously, space was a ... read more

Ireland By Bike:Backroads and Beyond Tour I’ve been to many countries but have never set foot in Europe and this dream came true with a wonderful experience in the Emerald Isle – The country of Ireland! Coming from Toronto to a business trip in India, Ireland was indeed the right choice to fulfill my “business with pleasure” adventure. My research brought me to Ireland by Bike Tour Company which offered tons of cycling tours that have rave reviews. As an avid fan of cycling and hiking, the Backroad and Beyonds Tour is perfect combination of what I was looking for: It combined ample amount of scenic cycling and challenging hikes in between. The tour explored the northwest part of Ireland, the County of Donegal. In my books, County of Donegal is a cyclist’s paradise. It looped ... read more