DAY 17 - Sunday / Westport, County Mayo - Galway - Westport, County Mayo - Bangor Erris, County Mayo - Surf Hostel, Bundoran, Donegal / 261 miles

03/08/2014 / Sunday / Westport, County Mayo - Galway - Westport, County Mayo - Bangor Erris, County Mayo - Surf Hostel, Bundoran, Donegal / 261 miles

After making ludicrous plans the night before to be up at 5pm to ride Connemara. I wake up completely knackered out, so decide I have to scrap these plans immediately and go downstairs to wake Alex to tell him to lie in then go back upstairs to slide between the sheets again and thank myself for allowing me this much needed time off and end up awaking at 10am, feeling far more refreshed.

Alex, Mike and Alexa decide to take a day’s rest and enjoy the area. I say my goodbyes for what’s probably the fourth time already and head out around noon. It’s spitting with rain so I take no chances and done all my wet weather gear.

Fig. 1 - See this sign? It means 'prepare to have fun!'.

Fig. 2 - One of the many lake I zip by.

I decided to do Connemara by travelling counter clockwise, and in the opposite direction to how I've been travelling on this journey so far and follow the coastal road West then south. Leaving Westport on the N59 I follow it South then West through the mountains and finally East back into Galway. It turns out that I had timed it just right. As soon as I left Westport the day brightened up and thanks to the rain clearing the air, the light was absolutely perfect and I think I enjoyed the best roads Ireland had to offer, even dare I say rivalling my home country of Scotland.

Fig. 3 - View I took from the N59 at Letternoosh.

On one occasion I pass a small group of lads walking alongside the road carrying Hurley’s, which are fashioned sticks, used in the traditional Gaelic game of Hurling. I park up a little further down the road from them, to take a few snaps of the view and as I was just about to head off, they pass by and throw a few questions at me about the bike and how fast it could go.

I climbed back on and as I pass them further down the road they waved for me to go faster, so I dropped a gear and with a fistful of throttle, blasted past whilst casually waving at them, much to their amusement, hearing them cheer, as I went on my way.

Arriving back in Galway with a huge grin on my face, I fuelled up and since it was a Sunday and there was only light traffic on the roads, it took less than an hour to be back in Westport and sat programming into the Satnav, my next route North-West around the Nephin Beg Range, though time was pressing as it was nearing 4pm already.

There was one thing I did notice today whilst traveling along, that since it was a Sunday I started to notice more Churches, with most being located near to the roads. One in particular stood out being located in the middle of nowhere and had a sign that caught my eye reading "stop in and pray", like some kind of drive-through service and at the time a single car, just happened to be pulling in, as I blasted past. Whereas most of the others had a more traditional vibe to them, with their car parks stuffed full for that day’s service. Another thing in Ireland I also noticed was the lack, seemingly, of any military. There was only the one uniformed soldier I saw and that was at a funeral.

Fig. 4 - North-West area of county Mayo, this illustrates the seeming flatness.  

The North-West area of county Mayo I found to have its own distinctiveness, however I found it, for me personally to be very unique in a flat dull sort of way, especially after the delights of Dingle and Connemara. At Bangor I fuelled up at a friendly locally run fuel station, where the owner clearly knew most people that used, it by their first name. I was starting to flake a little bit and couldn't help admitting my feelings towards the landscape to the lady owner, who looked a little disappointed at me but agreed that it would be best to avoid it, if I was already feeling tired. After fuelling up I felt that the extra 1.5hrs it would take just to navigate the coast, just wouldn't be worth it. Having got back and checked on Google maps I feel happy with my decision, it wouldn’t of added anything to my trip.

I stopped at a services, for a quick bite to eat and as well as toping up the tank, and got nattering to a couple of bikers that had turned up, who it turned out where on a biannual rally that they’ve been to for the last few years. They ask where I'm heading for the evening and recommend a campsite at Bundoran, just past Sligo. I plot this it into my GPS and set off due East through Ballina following the B59 to Sligo then the N15 to Bundoran. 

Fig. 5 - Ben Bulben, Nr Sligo, I take a few quick pictures of as I ride past.

At Bundoran I find the place completely uninspiring, it had the feel of a cheap seaside resort. But it was darkening and not having many options I find a Hostel and choose the 10 euro option, to bed down in my tent in the back garden rather than the 25 euros for a bed, that needed cleaning before I could use it. Once pitched up I settle in for the evening, popping in to the house to use the kitchens microwave. Whilst eating I could hear the other guests, chatting away in the living room and as I look around the kitchen I spot a few bits of surfing paraphernalia. So I presumed the other guests, might be here for the surf. Once fed I grab a beer, out of my bag, that I'd been carrying around for a few days and sit with them in the living room. These guys where clearly serious surfers. I chat with them for a while and it turns out they've been waiting a week so far, to catch some good waves.

There happened to be, not surprisingly, a didgeridoo in the corner. One of them was tried to give it a go, but couldn't get a sound other than hot air. I've a 'didge' at home and though I haven’t mastered the circular breathing technique yet, I can certainly make sounds.

After an hour I drift off to bed but not before I quickly use their Wi-Fi, to update myself on any news of my friend’s adventures that day.