From Galway To Guinness: 9 Reasons Cyclists Will Fall In Love With Ireland
From TravelAwaits.com
By Joan Sherman
Lots of people have Ireland on their “bucket list,” and we were among them. Biking the Emerald Isle offers beautiful countryside and scenic views along a dramatic coastline.
My husband, Dean, and I combined a trip to Ireland with our love of cycling and booked a June VBT biking vacation: Ireland: Galway & Connemara Coast. This was our third VBT trip, having traveled with them to Acadia National Park and again to Slovenia, Austria, and Italy. Spectacular trips!
If you are a cyclist, here are some reasons why I think you’ll fall in love with cycling in Ireland.
1. Epic Scenery
Part of the joy of biking is being in the scenery. You’re not cruising along on a narrow road gazing out the window as you fly by, you’re on a bike, and you’re in it. Of all the things to love about cycling in Ireland, at the top of the list has got to be the epic scenery and landscapes. Here are two of the many highlights.
The Wild Atlantic Way
It was thrilling to bike along the western coastline called The Wild Atlantic Way (WAW), the longest coastal route in the world. It’s named for rugged Atlantic storms that roll in along the western coast. The WAW covers some 1,600 miles from the northern Inishowen Peninsula to the southern town of Kinsale in County Cork.
The Burren
The Burren is a large limestone plateau along the west-central coast of Ireland that was shaped by glaciers. The name “the Burren” comes from the Gaelic Boireann meaning “place of stone,” and at about 200 square miles, they aren’t kidding. It is truly unique among all the landscapes we saw. We hopped off our bikes and took an uneven, craggy walk to enjoy this unique, rugged beauty.
Photo by Nils Nedel on Unsplash
