I cant believe it! We woke to blue skies. It was still a cool 8C but what a stunning morning.
It was not to last long though.
I’ve said it before and its worth repeating. This countries roads are amazing. There seems to be new road surfaces everywhere. It makes for easy driving. The road from Waterford follows the N25. It is a pleasant start to the day. I could see that ahead a heavy bank of black cloud lurked. The road meanders through green and undulating countryside. Rolling hills of pasture lands dotted with dairy cows reminiscent of the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand slid past.
There are toll roads in Ireland. This was not one of them. Most of the way the speed limit was either 100 kms/hr dropping to 80 at times down to 50 when passing through towns. Some of those towns reminded me of France with their little houses and brightly painted shops.
We took a rest break in the small seaside town of Dungarvan. It is really worthwhile taking a punt and leaving the main highway now and then to explore these little places. Dungarvan is very pretty. The road snakes around the harbour and is dominated by the Anglo Norman 12th century castle and the imposing Saint Augustines Catholic church atop a hill at the exit to the town.
The road to Cobh leaves the Cork bypass and drops by winding tree lined roads to the harbour. The sea is ever your companion now. This road is the first taste of the narrow roads that lie ahead. But with little traffic it poses no real challenges. Just take it easy.
We stopped for the night in a motorhome parking bay right on the sea front not a stones throw from the small cruise terminal where I have docked a number of ships. We set off early from Waterford to arrive in Cobh before lunch giving us time to have a wander around the town and for Debbie to visit the Cobh Titanic and History museum covering the mass emigration to the USA following the Great Famine. The first photo below is of Annie Moor. The statue is located on the quayside at Cobh and I have a miniature of it at home given to me when I first called at the harbour on my own ship back in 2004. Here is her story.
We got back to the van just in time for dinner. Just as well. This was the view only a few minutes later
That was the end of day 4. Tomorrow the plan is to head down to Kinsale town and onto the lighthouse. This marks the official start of the Wild Atlantic Way and is the most southerly point of Ireland. Then it will be onto a spot for the night in a campsite somewhere close to Clonakilty. The domestic chores of laundry and so on need doing.
Distance travelled today: 73 miles.
Total distance so far: 279 miles.
Woodend Wanderer 