A NATIONAL PARK & ON TO DINGLE
Wednesday 9.19 ~ Killarney National Park, 30 km
Another sunny day in Ireland! I pick up a map of the Killarney National Park and am excited to ride today without panniers. My route takes me to an abandoned abbey with an old graveyard where I eat my bread and cheese while walking around and reading the gravestones. I visit the Muckross House and Torc Waterfall. The highlight is the 10 km up and back ride to Denis Cottage. I feel like a real bicyclist taking the up-hills fast, without downshifting, and also standing - which is now easy to do without the weight of the panniers.
On the way back is Ross Castle followed by an evening ride along the river path to town. Back at the hostel I take a nice hot shower and appreciate that there are only three of us in this bright cheerful room.
Just around the corner is a good vibe pub with three guys playing banjo, guitar and accordion. It’s not like they are performing - they are simply playing together and enjoying themselves. It feels good to spend the evening here in the company of my roommates.
Thursday 9.20 ~ Killarney to Dingle, 66 km
It’s a big ride day. It starts out overcast, but I know it will clear and I’m thankful its not raining. I pick up my bicycle from the bike shed and notice I have a flat tire. The friendly guy at the hostel recommends O’Sullivan's, which is one my way out of town and a short distance to push the bike. It only takes ten minutes to repair and I pick up a replacement tube - all for 8 euro.
I take the R563 out of town to Milltown. It is still chilly and I notice a nice café, where I warm up with a coffee and a mixed berry and apple tart that I can’t resist. I flip through a magazine and see that Sophia Christine Murphy is giving a presentation at a book store in Dingle. Her grandparents started the first Waldorf school in Stuttgart, Germany, and she will be talking about her new book on the Steiner/Waldorf philosophy. I decide I’m going to attend!
It’s a short ride on the N71, and then the N86, to Dingle. It’s easy ups and downs to Inch which is about half the way. I see a bicyclist ahead of me with panniers. I push myself to catch up. as I am curious as to who) else is traveling alone this time of year and what their story is? It turns out Ann is on a long weekend holiday from Wales. We bike together and stop for lunch at a café overlooking a wide expanse of beach with cars, dogs, cows and a windsurfing cart.
After lunch, Ann rides ahead of me and out of site. I get to Dingle by 4:30 and find the Hideout Hostel that Monica recommended. All the dorm rooms are booked and they just have one private room left. I take it as they will have a dorm room tomorrow. I’m relaxing in my room when I hear a knock at the door. It is the proprietor and he asks me if I want to share the room. I look out and see Ann! That’s great! He initially turned her away and then remembered that I wanted to share - so he got creative. Ann normally stays at B&B’s but decided to try this hostel after another place she checked didn’t work.
We clean up and I invite Ann to the Sophia Murphy presentation. Sophia Murphy is also an accomplished flutiest, so the intro is a quartet playing music from Midsummer Night’s Dream. Sophia shows slides from her grandfather’s life and the Waldorf school he built in Stuttgart.
We head to the Dingle Pub for dinner and live music by a solo guitar player. Afterwards, we check out the Courthouse Pub which has a flutist, violinist and guitar player. It’s a great vibe evening in a town full of musicians!
Irish life is so easy going and fun!