Day 7: Kilrush to Doolin

A short day in prospect today, as we headed for the trad-music hub of Doolin.

A lively session of folk fiddle, flute, guitar and accordion, with Guinness as accompanist: it doesn’t get more Irish than that.

Well, unless it rains. Which it did, as soon as we set off from our accomm of Crotty’s pub (pic). Just as well it was a short day.



On the plus side, it only rained once today. On the minus side, it did so for five hours. Torrentially. We got totally soaked. Our tactic of stopping to shelter under petrol station canopies had no effect except to make us cold and wet, instead of steamy and wet, as we were when cycling along (pic).

We stopped in Melton Mowbray, sorry Milltown Malbay, for cafe and cream cakes. We dripped all over their floor but were no drier when we left.

Finally the weather started to clear as we got to the Cliffs of Mohair, sorry Moher (pic).

These turned out to be made not of angora goat products, but of cliff. They’re fairly impressive, though the visitor centre was a bit full of visitors for my liking.

We stopped for a look round, and marvelled at the extraordinarily steep, high, dramatic, breathtaking prices of food and drink. And the cliffs.



The final leg to Doolin took us down a delightful little lane looping to the shoreline past a castle turret thing (pic). It was built some time in the past by someone of local note, and is now regarded as one of the buildings in this part of Ireland.



The sun came out at last. As usual everyone else was miles ahead of me (pic). I always make sure to take a camera with a good zoom lens, so I can photograph the other cyclists with me.



Our accomm was a cracker, a chunky old farmhouse converted into a best-practice modern hostel. We dried off with a pot of tea and sandwiches in the pleasant garden (pic). What could be better after a rainy day cycling.

Then we went to the pub opposite for an evening of live music and drink. What could be better than to have another cup of tea? Well, we could think of a few things.

Miles today: 38
Miles since Mizen Head: 338