Wild Atlantic Way on bicycle. Galway - Dublin via Achill, 706km.

Reznorek

Hey, guys, I rode Wild Atlantic Way on bike, started Wednesday 8.07 in Galway, yesterday (16.07) returned to Dublin. Cycled 706 km in nine days, wild camping mixed with B&Bs. Last two days of trip cycled The Royal Canal Way from Cloondara to Dublin.
Planned a short, four-day vacation, it turned out that I spent nine days in the saddle, a real adventure in a beautiful country.
Bike: GT Grade 105, Panaracer GravelKing 35mm TLC tyres. Photos taken with Samsung S10.
A few photos I took on the way.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/U51quG4zVDxwvHSH9
Enjoy

Eamonnator

Well done, great spin, lovely photographs.
Can you expand a bit on the route that you took, particularly your route from Galway to Westport, please.
Was this the first time you undertook a trip like this?
Fully loaded, how much does the bike weigh?
What gearing have you on the bike?

Reznorek

Eamonnator wrote: »

Well done, great spin, lovely photographs.
Can you expand a bit on the route that you took, particularly your route from Galway to Westport, please.

Thanks.
I used Google Maps and from Galway to Westport cycled as close to the coast as possible. Westport to Achill lovely Great Western Greenway. I didn't really plan anything, every morning I opened maps and it was like "ok, let's go, we'll see how it goes today" Loved so much that decided cycle back to Dublin instead taking train as initially planned. From Cloondara took Royal Canal greenway, camped one night near Mullingar.
It was my first long trip, before i did one, test overnighter at Ennereilly Beach.
Don't know how much loaded bike weighted, but I guess it was about 18-20kg, the bike itself is 10kg.

MojoMaker

Where is this beach Reznorek?



https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPmybNM5I0E0rFbNRvcCia0UEJYiuzEh5ZJ1m4rBgfhjJv2n9fckJfqxTciPxrVNg/photo/AF1QipOikGYiEmhtJb6y7Ux2NO-hbGXIl1DskxaBrDgW?key=dUFGV3VVTkZtOTJzNEVYRENaUl9zVmxadmk1aWRB

Reznorek

It's Dog's Bay
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dog's+Bay/@53.3846896,-9.8591411,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x485a39141a943d4f:0xf83845d4cdaf160d!8m2!3d53.3788742!4d-9.9617672

Muppet Man

Fantastic. Love the idea of making it up as you go along. How many punctures?

magicbastarder

i can tell by the photo of your forearm that you had some wet weather.

Reznorek

Muppet Man wrote: »

Fantastic. Love the idea of making it up as you go along. How many punctures?

Zero punctures I'm using Panaracer GravelKing Plus TLC 700 x 35, they're puncture resistant.

magicbastarder wrote: »

i can tell by the photo of your forearm that you had some wet weather.

The first day in Galway was raining, I thought that I experienced heavy rain on the road, but a couple of days later on my way to Achill, I experienced REAL rain, cycled whole Great Western Greenway in a storm, soaking wet I've found overpriced B&B, €90 for a room without kettle ,

wheelo01

Great going, we truly live in a beautiful country and what better way to take advantage of it than this?

njburke

Looks like you had a great trip, photos are fabulous. Dare I ask, what's in the sink?

Reznorek

njburke wrote: »

Looks like you had a great trip, photos are fabulous. Dare I ask, what's in the sink?

Thanks.
Took the opportunity of sleeping in B&B and washed my shirt, socks and underwear

Thargor

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fHP_Aq_YNPPVCl7MzHSeWTiZbqhqg7vULLFDFuFTPtpfom9hNkRpWTUrxQE7h3lsM9g-xIZf_mZbkHpGao6QuuhR1BfTSG-zpUYjcf7eMFWEMEK_XvgI5rFF5LWrD5NXEcR7RfeoBNYB9dGUwz6mp4mQ=w1668-h938-no?authuser=0

Jesus that just sums up rural planning in Ireland doesnt it? What can improve this stunning area of natural beauty? Stick a generic bungalow in there...

Thargor

Thargor wrote: »

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fHP_Aq_YNPPVCl7MzHSeWTiZbqhqg7vULLFDFuFTPtpfom9hNkRpWTUrxQE7h3lsM9g-xIZf_mZbkHpGao6QuuhR1BfTSG-zpUYjcf7eMFWEMEK_XvgI5rFF5LWrD5NXEcR7RfeoBNYB9dGUwz6mp4mQ=w1668-h938-no?authuser=0

Jesus that just sums up rural planning in Ireland doesnt it? What can improve this stunning area of natural beauty? Stick a generic bungalow in there...

But only if you have family in the parish

Slasher

Wow! what a great trip. A beautiful part of the country. Great photos - Thanks for sharing them.

Nice bike. Do you mind if i ask: what is the carrier at the back of the bike - the one at a 45 degree angle? i don't think i have seen one of those before.

Thanks.

Reznorek

Slasher wrote: »

Wow! what a great trip. A beautiful part of the country. Great photos - Thanks for sharing them.

Nice bike. Do you mind if i ask: what is the carrier at the back of the bike - the one at a 45 degree angle? i don't think i have seen one of those before.

Thanks.

Thanks.

It's a Z Adventure R11 saddle bag

thebourke

what was the toughest part of your journey?

Reznorek

thebourke wrote: »

what was the toughest part of your journey?

Three things come to my mind
- climbing up to see Keem Bay
- the evening when after pitching the tent near Connemara National Park I reheated dinner and it turned out that I didn't have a mosquito repellent, those little flying leeches almost ate me, a nightmare
- Cycling Great Western Greenway from Newport to Achill in a storm

thebourke

whats the great western greenway like?

themighty

Well done, looks amazing. Definitely one for the bucket list.

Solid excuse for a new bike too;-)

plodder

Reznorek wrote: »

- the evening when after pitching the tent near Connemara National Park I reheated dinner and it turned out that I didn't have a mosquito repellent, those little flying leeches almost ate me, a nightmare

The worst experience I ever had with mosquitoes was there. I literally had to run down the mountain to escape them, but rest of family was not affected at all.

Sounds like a great trip though.

Reznorek

thebourke wrote: »

whats the great western greenway like?

It's ok, really easy, even boring compared to what I saw before cycling mountains, lakes and all that beauty but it's a great route for families with children or less experienced cyclists.
I have to say, after cycling all those mountains, fairly busy roads cycling Greenway was a rest

a148pro

Reznorek wrote: »

Three things come to my mind
- climbing up to see Keem Bay

When I saw the photos I thought "fair play to him for getting over to keem with a touring bike". Tough enough climb on a road bike with no kit. But worth it for one of ireland's most dramatic beaches. Can you imagine being there with the basking sharks cruising around during lockdown?

It's funny, I agree totally with you re the greenway and posted similar on the other thread.