Planning My Dream Trip to Ireland – part 4

With my Ireland Dream Trip deadline coming closer, I now have to start making some decisions.

After a week of researching, I’ve now decided to concentrate on two parts of the country: Cork and Dublin.

I picked these two spots as they were the reasons I wanted to go on the trip in the first place.

The area around Cork and Kenmare is where I dreamed of cycling. I want to see tiny thatched-roofed homes, sheep on the roads and green hills. I want to cycle through places with names like Ballylickey, Glengarriff and Moll’s gap. And if I have time, I want to see the purple mountains.

Doesn’t it sound lovely?

But I also want to walk the streets of Dublin and feel the energy of their capital city. I know I would feel like I missed out if I didn’t at least spend one full day in Dublin checking stuff out.

IF ONLY I WAS MORE FIT

Then I found it. After days and days of search I found the perfect cycling trip.

It’s three-days long which is exactly what I wanted and located in Kenmare right by the purple mountains. It’s put on by the Park Hotel Kenmare in Kerry. Check out the Park Hotel Kenmare website.

Even the hotel looks dreamy.

Moll's Gap

Unfortunately, it’s for advanced cyclists, which I admit I’m not. While I’m certainly not a beginner and have worked my way up in preparation for this trip to 18 mph, I’m no Lance Armstrong – especially when there’s hills involved.

And there are hills on this trip. Big hills.

• Day one is 60 km where you climb 262 meters to Moll’s Gap.

• Day two is 108 km where you climb 334 meters to The Tunnels. I don’t know what the tunnels are, but they sound cool.

• Day three is another 77 km where you climb the Gap of Dunloe and climb Moll’s Gap again. That day sounds a little painful.

Somewhere in the Gap of Dunloe

I think I could make it through the route if it was just me or a group of beginners, but they do say this route is for advanced riders and I would hate to ruin someone’s vacation because they had to wait for me to catch up.

Also, it sounds like you have to bring your own bike (like true cyclists do) and not rent one from a little shop on the corner.

Sigh…maybe if I email them and see if they have anything for someone at my level.