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The route took us thru the national park, which is a network of single tracks and several passes.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8729/1...d9401e0a_c.jpgFILE0988 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5466/1...028cff4e_c.jpgFILE0992 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7668/1...3cabf64a_c.jpgFILE0989 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8854/1...fb6bc495_c.jpgFILE1226 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7778/1...523a8016_c.jpgFILE1261 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
England has a network of 1000 miles of canals. They were used for 40 years to build the railway and then abandoned. Now they have been restored for leisure craft. These 20 locks span a 2 km stretch and it takes all day oneway.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5461/1...fc2ecaec_c.jpgcardiff 23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7716/1...6d35f807_c.jpgcardiff 24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Cardiff is the capital of Wales and at the city center is the castle of course.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8755/1...54eca7da_c.jpgcardiff 30 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8897/1...73f54a31_c.jpgcardiff 37 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Lampeter
From Cardiff we went the long way to Lampeter, which is northwest.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7795/1...730470a2_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-05-11 at 9.05.55 PM by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We crisscrossed the Brecon Beacons National Park. This included a few high passes on the windy moors. https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5329/1...b6a9961e_c.jpglampeter 1 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8808/1...da0e666e_c.jpglampeter 3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8800/1...1238fccb_c.jpglampeter 4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
There were a lot of single-track lanes to explore. Finally we made it to the coast at Aberytwyth and from there we went south and east to Lampeter.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7756/1...895b9059_c.jpglampeter 5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7669/1...267a6bde_c.jpglampeter 9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5338/1...3476938c_c.jpglampeter 7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Pembroke
We had a short trip to the ferry dock at Pembroke, but we managed to make a day of it by taking the scenic route.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5453/1...f9b0380e_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-05-21 at 11.59.26 PM by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7754/1...1a08dbc7_c.jpgpemboke 2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5326/1...35997252_c.jpgpemboke 4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We went back and followed the coastline south to St. David’s, where there is a very nice Cathedral complex that was originally founded here in 589. The present Cathedral was built in 1181.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5346/1...87cd2192_c.jpgpemboke 5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8839/1...2eb3178e_c.jpgpemboke 9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8852/1...957948d1_c.jpgpemboke 13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7658/1...d4b1d897_c.jpgpemboke 16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Ireland
From here we made for the Ferry dock for Irish Ferries. You check in at the kiosk and get a boarding card. The UK police check your passport before you bord. To get on the ferry you actually cross a bridge like ramp over the loading cargo trucks. The ferry attendants take care of the strapping of the bikes. This is a four-hour slightly rough crossing to Rosslare Ireland. We had booked into a hotel 20 km up the road and so we arrived in daylight.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8852/1...cd8f1dd3_c.jpgpemboke 19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5457/1...a890cd22_c.jpgpemboke 21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8802/1...382d132b_c.jpgpemboke 22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8840/1...2a7774fa_c.jpgpemboke 25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5329/1...47a68579_c.jpgpemboke 28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5329/1...fe3a50c1_c.jpgpemboke 23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8803/1...9a2c15db_c.jpgpemboke 31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Rock of Cashel
We are on a bit of a tight time line and so we are trying to squeeze as much of the island as we can into about 5 days. Today we are headed to Killarney in 284 Km.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7665/1...ee921a45_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-05-11 at 10.07.40 PM by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Riding here is much like Wales, it is desperately pretty and full of tiny single lane roads and good secondary roads. We did take the highway to get the 140 KM to Cashel so that we would have time to explore the ruins at the Rock of Cashel. https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7769/1...24c42b0f_c.jpgFILE0066 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This 9 th century fortress was the home of the Kings of Munster, who rules from the hilltop. https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7756/1...ac0178f5_c.jpgkillarney 4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8820/1...d9947503_c.jpgkillarney 22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The site was donated to the church in 1101 at the time of the building of the “round tower”.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8816/1...d05e2e5b_c.jpgkillarney 23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7759/1...76bdd391_c.jpgkillarney 35 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The larger ruined Cathedral was added in 1235. https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8886/1...f1b9b55c_c.jpgkillarney 7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7746/1...7118265a_c.jpgkillarney 10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7761/1...6d4b2429_c.jpgkillarney 3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7778/1...02ef1f77_c.jpgkillarney 12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7746/1...e5a69cd7_c.jpgkillarney 6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The 9 th century chapel has been sealed under a metal roof, while the stone roof has been removed, repaired and reinstalled. Thousands of years of rain were threatening its collapse. The drying out period has lasted 5 years. Prior to this the chapel walls were black because the rock was so wet. The drying out has also revealed the frescos on the ceiling.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7747/1...48b94c51_c.jpgkillarney 27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7751/1...206f920f_c.jpgkillarney 24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8874/1...f0cd1658_c.jpgkillarney 31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This was a center for teaching and many smaller abbeys like the ruins in the distance surrounded the rock. https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7758/1...937fc700_c.jpgkillarney 2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Ring of Kerry
From here we continued west and south to the touristy town of Killarney.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8860/1...72be14ce_c.jpgkillarney 38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Killarney is the gateway to the 179 km Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Penninsula. The coastal sections of these routes are part of the wild Atlantic way, which is a 2500 km scenic driving route. https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7720/1...315fbe05_o.jpgimages-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5349/1...d5b0d9b0_c.jpgScreen Shot 2015-05-17 at 11.48.08 PM by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7736/1...35dd628b_o.pngScreen Shot 2015-05-19 at 9.34.28 PM by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Leaving from town you head up over the mountains on a narrow road, which is dangerous because of the non UK drivers who tend to panic in corners and head to your side of the road! This leads you to the “ladies view”.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8879/1...5946116f_c.jpgFILE0088 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7770/1...751a9de3_c.jpgkerry-dingle 1 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Once you hit the ocean you hug the shore most of the way around the ring.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8868/1...296c7be1_c.jpgFILE0074 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7740/1...a142559c_c.jpgkerry-dingle 3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7771/1...bcf55ecb_c.jpgkerry-dingle 4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7745/1...a0a9323a_c.jpgkerry-dingle 5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7771/1...1dd3fe1f_c.jpgkerry-dingle 9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8800/1...916e2212_c.jpgkerry-dingle 11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7762/1...eb058817_c.jpgkerry-dingle 12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8826/1...d8884059_c.jpgkerry-dingle 14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8842/1...dbb7b877_c.jpgkerry-dingle 18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8790/1...bb5e0126_c.jpgkerry-dingle 21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7759/1...202c8e23_c.jpgkerry-dingle 22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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