Three Weeks Ireland by Motor Bike
May 16th - 19th; Tramore, Co. Waterford
(Details and references see at the Time shedule).
May 16th 2000
We arrive at the reserved B&B in Tramore, almost the weather turned again
and the sun is shining (unbelievable this Irish weather). Although, we are
wet and dirty from this rainy trip, Mary (the lady of the house) gives us a
warm welcome and shows us our room en suite (wonderful room - a white dream).
As we are afraid to enter this nice room with our wet and dirty clothes, we
asked Mary for a possibility to dry the clothes. We hung up the clothes on
the line in the garden. Meanwhile we had a cup of tea and looked around the
pretty garden, the clothes looked dry and we put them from the clothes-line
into our room, despite the gloves, which should be dry after dinner (which
was a great fault, as we did not consider the changeable Irish weather).
So we left the B&B for the city center (approx. 1 1/2km).
We entered a fish restaurant and had an opulent dinner. We left the restaurant
for the B&B, which is located on the top of a hill, so we can loose some
calories. But this Irish weather changed again and heaven opened for a great
rain-shower and we wear only sandals and did not have an umbrella with us (we
even did not packed such an untypical holiday accessory for this trip). So we
decided to leave the calories with us and take a taxi.
After arrival - what a mess, we remembered our gloves still hanging on the
clothes-line and in meanwhile also wet inside. So, good night!
May 17th 2000
Good morning Tramore! Theoretical the rain could start each
second. The sky is darkgrey till black, but here and here the sun is looking
between the dark clouds.
After a "full Irish breakfast" for Christine (ugh, I do not eat
these strange sausages, but the rest tastes delicious) and Pan cakes (of course,
Wolfgang is having a feast) with maple sirup for me, we discuss to relax today
(thinking about the wet rain gloves) and to look for Knockeen Dolmen (a celtic
grave - let's say big stones - would be wonderful to have some in our garden)
and to go shopping in Waterford (the next bigger town - Mary told us) to buy
some warm sweat-shirts.
Mary gave us a perfect description to find this Knockeen Dolmen, but we passed it.
We ask a farmer's wife and she told, that we should go back 100 yards.
Wolfgang on the motorbike and I decided to walk (after all we did 1800km on
the bike during the last 4 days - that's enough). But, we learned during the
forthcoming weeks, that we cannot trust the given distances (either by Irish
nor on signs), even calculate the double, than you are approx. on the right
side.
Christines walking with her biker boots ended in getting a blister.
But after a while we see a gate, but It's looked. What to do?
We meet a farmer and asked him and he told us, don't care the padlock, climb
the gate (thank's, but I refrain with my motorbike clothes and considering
the cold - also a Jeans and 2 T-shirts on - like an expedition to the north
pole). Wolfgang can take pictures and can show it after return to Germany.
After half an hour (already thought Wolfgang was in trouble or getting lost)
we started for Waterford and accompanied by light rain. A nice town, small
streets and not so easy to find a parking place for a few hours. We walked
through a pedestrian precinet looking for boots (for me, have only the big
biker boots and Sandals, which are not rain-proofed). No problem, to find
some - we had a nice talk with the owner of the shoe shop, who likes BMW
motor bikes and German sausages. But we could not find appropriate leggings
and a warm sweat-shirt for Christine (not really astonished about, as it is
summer time). As I had forgotten my swimming trunks (at this time, we did not
know,that there is really no need to have one on this trip), we bought one,
not looking really nice, but sufficient.
We are hungry, not surprised as it is already 2.30p.m. we ordered in a
typical pub by luck the last chicken curry for Christine and garlic mushrooms
(little bit too much garlics and also too much butter). And then, we buy the
most important thing for Ireland: an umbrella!
May 18th 2000
Another day - weather same as yesterday morning. We met new
guests - Brian and Judith (Babs) from England and have a nice talk during
breakfast.
Today, we decided to take the R675 besides the coast to Dungarven.
Words cannot express how beautiful this route is. And here, the dark-grey/
black clouds gives a dramatically mood as well the falling of the light rain
and sunny parts between. The most favorite route of all during our trip, much
more beautiful than the Ring-of-kerry (we have seen afterwards), being worth
to pass it twice or more, only to enjoy it.
Back to Tramore via Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir - nice old towns. For lunch
we stopped at a small cosy pub on the road for a sandwich with ham, cheese,
onions and tomatoes - quite tasty. Christine recognized (after waiting 30
minutes to enter the toilets), that it was really sparkling clean, which she
did not expected here. We reached Tramore and our B&B at tea time.
Traditionally in Ireland and also England you find a water cooker as well as
tea, coffee, sugar, milk and sometimes delicious chocolate cookies in the
room, so you can prepare it on your requirement.
Afterwards I decided to look for the next dolmen - direction Dunmore East.
Christine decided to abstain from this trip, remembering the odyssey for
Knockeen Dolmen. Despite of this, one Dolmen even looks like the other - big
stones, no don't call me a philistine, it's true!
And I really passed the same x times. To find Knockeen Dolmen was much more
easier.
I returned at dinner time and we decided to have it in the golf club
Restaurant in front of our B&B, where we met Brian and Judith. They
suggested us a fine meal and we had a nice evening together. We left the golf
club earlier than Brian and Judith, as we had to leave next day for our next
planned stop-over.
May 19th 2000
Nachdem wir beim Frühstück Adressen und
Wegbeschreibungen ausgetauscht, gepackt und uns ausgiebig von Mary und allen
anderen verabschiedet haben, geht es wieder einmal weiter - nach Killorglin.
Zu bemerken wäre noch, daß Brian beim Frühstück recht
ruhig war; er war wohl bis spät in die Nacht in einem Pub versumpft und
hatte keinen Schlüssel dabei, so daß er den Hausherren aus dem
Bett holen mußte - what a shame!).
>Bei relativ schönem Wetter, man staune, fahren wir über
Lismore, Fermey, Mallow (ab hier wird die Strasse wieder schlechter (mein
armes Genick!) und Killarney nach Killorglin.
In Lismore bleiben wir am Lismore Castle kurz stehen und dabei entdecke ich
einen Wegweiser zum Golfclub. Nachdem Brian und Judith auch nach Killarney
unterwegs sind, vermuteten wir, daß sich diese im Golfclub aufhalten (was
sich im nachhinein als richtig erwies). Ich habe noch von der tollen Brücke
Fotos des Castles geschossen. Nachdem der große Park erst am 14.30 h
zu besichtigen war, fuhren wir weiter.
Killarney enttäuschte uns, da wir durch eine riesige Baustelle, tiefe
Schotterpiste mit zufließendem Verkehr durchmußten (diese
Schotterpiste sollte nicht unsere letzte sein - da bekommt man ein Training
gratis).
April 6th 2015
