Sidmouth

Thanks to my sister-in-law's loaning me her bike I decided to check out Sidmouth, it being the nearest seaside and for some reason that was reason enough...

39.5 miles, 1007m height gain

Given that I was no more than 5 minutes or so stationary in Sidmouth, I regret I cannot recommend the place. It seemed to me that it was a typical, rather tired looking British seaside resort. And resort equals tourists and tourists are anathema to me. What I strongly wanted to do was to cast aside the bike (but what would I say if it had been pinched?) and explore those red cliff-tops. My map confirms there is a coastal foot-path up there somewhere.  Or, had it been warmer, to plunge into the sea at some suitably distanced spot.

Looking East

Looking West from the promenade East end

The river Sid (what a name!)

The weir was in a park, complete with bike-way, that followed the river for several miles. When I stopped to take my photo a passer-by informed me that I had "just missed the otters". Had I been a few minutes earlier...?  Clearly my 5 minutes at the sea front was excessive. It seemed a strange way to great a total stranger, and reminded me of the time, long ago, when my daughter announced that she had almost seen a fox. 

Summit near Hembury on the way back

Kippure

Bike ride: 57 miles, maximum 39.7 mph, average 11.1 mph (because I was tired when I started!). Blessington, Cloghleagh Bridge, Sally Gap, Kippure, Glenmacnass, Larragh, Wicklow Gap.

Upper reaches of Shankill River

At Cloghleagh Bridge I stopped and walked upstream (last time I went downstream to the Liffey) and was suitably impressed by the accessibility and many pools some deep enough to swim in.

Looking back down the Shankill to Cloghleagh bridge

There are many pools like this, some deep enough to swim

At this point I turned back. Why do humans destroy what they are given?

Resuming my journey towards the Sally Gap I stopped again because this part of the Liffey valley is so beautiful.

My favourite part of the Liffey valley

Same, looking back, a bit further up

That's the river Liffey, now but a stream

I turned left at the Sally Gap summit to explore Kippure. There were zillions of notices forbidding close encounter and besides the private road to the top was very steep so I did not quite make it to the top.

The TV mast on Kippure

View from same - you can just make out the sea

That pointy thing to the right is the Sugar Loaf mountain near Bray.  Then is was mostly downhill all the way to Larragh.

Much needed lunch stop on the Military Road

At Larragh I refuelled and started the ascent, stopping a bit further up than usual for my customary stop to regain breath. The idea was to find some more adits but no joy and motivation for further exploration was ebbing by this stage.

Clear water near Turlough Hill (there were fish)

St Kevin's way crosses here

Bike to coast

First whole day bike ride this year and I ache!  One of my favourite routes: Blessington, Manor Kilbride, Sally Gap, Roundwood, Wicklow town (a brief swim), Brittas Bay where I met up with my daughter (who drove there) and had a longer swim and suffered bad cramp, Rathdrum, Larragh, Wicklow Gap and home again. Distance 81.9 miles, Maximum speed 43.3 mph (descent from Sally Gap - awesome and scary), average speed 11.5 mph, total ride time just over 7 hours.

Morning sun on Sally Gap road 

Resting, half way up to Wicklow Gap 

Last lake swim this year?

Saturday, work on the new boiler is drawing to a close, so after lunch I ran along the lake shore and had a quick dip - the water is noticeably cooler so my swim was a few strokes out and back. Meg's attempt was even feebler: as soon as she sees me turn back she's out like a shot. Then biked to Joanne's to see her smoke damage, Larry came too but rather slowly and it rained so together I got rather cold. Painted a door for Joanne then cycled back and Larry's bike broke so he had to be rescued. Got back just in time for dinner (thank you Caroline) so my much longed for hot bath had to wait.

Bike ride and seals

Today I cycled to via Annamoe to Wicklow town, then to Brittas Bay, then back via Rathdrum. Total distance 71.5 miles, maximum speed 41.9 mph. Reason? A free Sunday and reasonable weather possibly the last chance of a long bike ride this year. Destination? I hadn't been to my favourite sea location this year so I thought it was about time I did. And where is that? Possibly Wicklow's closest guarded secret! But I will show some pictures...

Wicklow's closest guarded secret

How many seals can you see?

There was a whole bunch of them just here
 but they took to the water before I could snap them

All except this old codger...

Old codger closeup, growled when I got close

And on the other side of the bay this young chap...

who, it seems, I woke up

and then he humped himself into the sea

Showing the deliciously clear water (and a seal)

More seals

So then I had a short swim. In spite of its proximity to Wicklow town one can usually get away with swimming naked here and so I did, not wanting to get my shorts full of sea water which would cause blisters when cycling. The swim was very short because I was a bit cautious of the very nosey seals.

On the way back to my parked bike

First view of Brittas Bay

Brittas Bay beach

There were too many people at Brittas Bay so I could not swim, not wanting to get my shorts wet, and anyway it had become overcast and a bit chilly. So after a short promenade I ate my lunch and started the long return journey. The climb to Wicklow Gap is long...

Five mile point

Five Mile Point

This was my first proper ride using the new Trek bike. Statistics: 67.75 miles, max speed 40.9, average speed 11.2 mph, total time including stops about 8 hours. Neck a bit sore, legs a bit jelly like, and ready for bed!

The map shows the route near the destination - over the Wicklow Gap, Laragh, Annamoe then turn right, Sandwich at Tomriland crossroads, left before Tiglin, right onto R764 then follow magenta lines in map.

The sea was very cold - I was in and out in a flash!

Five Mile Point looking south to Wicklow Town

Looking sort of north

Train approaching from Arklow at high speed...

My return followed the green lines on the map through Newtown Mount Kennedy, left onto the Roundwood road with its insane uphill, purchasing some sustenance in Roundwood then back over the Sally Gap and Blessington.  Oh the bliss of reaching the summit!

Five Mile Point sort of marks the beginning of the Murrough, a coastal wetland system which stretches about 15km north of Wicklow Town, and probably deserves exploring.  There are some pretty pictures of it here.

Lake drive

The circuit around the Blessington lake via Ballyknockan and Lacken is known as the "lake drive" and was this afternoon's short bike trip: 17.6 miles, maximum 32.9 mph, average 13.2 mph. Meg was looking peeved when I got back so I ran with her the 3.5 mile Tulfarris loop. Then a large dinner to offset all the good done.

Second use of new bike

Distance 35.2 miles
Maximum speed 29 mph
Average 10.9 mph
Route - not very interesting*, but some nice daffodils
Weather - supposedly high 15'C but windy so felt like zero
Highlight - hot bath on return home
Pictures - none
Track - HTC gave up half way, new battery is ordered

* Dunlavin / Baltinglass

Saturday

A typical Saturday with Ali still away.  I lay in bed enjoying being warm and not having to get up too early. Usual cereal and mug of tea to jump-start my body into action. At 0900 prompt I join my son-in-law removing hardcore from the tunnel. You may ask why was there hardcore in the tunnel but this is too public a place to explain. Lunchtime thankfully eventually relieves us. After lunch I do some quick summary research on the subject of bicycles. You may ask why bicycles? Well, I am going to buy one. I have never purchased a new bike for myself before and did not anticipate that it would be so difficult. Last Saturday I checked out a bike shop in Newbridge; during the week I have been doing the inevitable internet research.  So today I biked into Blessington (7 miles) to check out the new bike shop there. The proprietor Tom gave me a lot of his time and pretty much sold me a Trek 1.2.

Then back again, change from bike gear to running gear and take the dog for a 5 mile run.

Back again to put the final coat of emulsion on our bedroom wall where the damp got in, only to find that the paint is bad - I'll have to buy some more. So I took a bath instead.

Finally to the kitchen. I have had plans for a lump of what looked like cheese that has been lurking in the fridge since Ali left. You should never keep cheese in the fridge. You should never wrap cheese: it needs to breathe. Mr Cave hmmmmm! taught me that much. This lump was very well wrapped and in the fridge. On releasing it from its prison behold it was a strange grey colour.

Cheese?

After removing a 3mm layer all round it resumed the normal yellow colour and became the major ingredient for dinner. Regrettably not as good as my mum cooked it.  Slice potatoes, par boil, fry in butter and olive oil (my mum would have used lard), grate cheese over and grill.

Cheese on saute potatoes

Followed by some apple pie and another large red mug of tea.  If I die from cheese poisoning - well there will be no more antonalyptic.  BTW have all my readers discovered yet why I chose that name?