It was a restless night for both Andy and I. It was a warm night. We left the window open to get some air. But, the traffic noise in the street outside caused some disturbance.
After a breakfast of porridge and fruit that Andy had acquired yesterday we set off into the morning.
Today’s journey was a run into the Wicklow mountains. When planning today’s leg I had heard that they were beautiful and had to be seen.
Taking the R413 we set off east through the Coillte forest. The dappled sunlight passing through the trees canopy was wonderful to enjoy. A light breeze ruffled them above us. The smell of damp vegetation wafted through our visors. No better way to start the day.
We skirted south of the wonderfully named village of Ballymore Eustace into the equally splendidly named village of Hollywood. We just had to get a photo.
We are now on the R756 that starts to climb gradually up into the hills. The scenery changes with altitude. Brockagh Mountain looms overhead to our left.
Oh Ireland Ireland! What have you done to us? Your landscapes enchant. Your people are warm and sincere. Memories are forged for a lifetime.
Windswept in the Wicklow Gap.
We stop at the Wicklow Gap to soak up the scenery. To stand and stare.
It is bleak and windy. The purple heather carpets the flanks of the hills all around. This is what touring is all about. Get off the bikes to stand and stare. The road now descends to the southeast. We arrive in the pretty town of Laragh.
Time for a coffee at a lovely little café adorned with flowers in baskets and tubs.
Refreshed we take the old military road, the R115 and start to climb once more heading north.
The road winds and twists its way next the Glenmacnass river up the valley.
Again deciduous trees give way to conifers. They in turn give way to brackens and finally to heather moorlands. We stop at the Glenmacnass waterfall to take some more photos and look back down the valley.
You would be forgiven for thinking you were in a Swiss Alpine meadow.
The road continues its upward trajectory and crosses open moorland where sheep graze. They rather like wandering onto the road as well. In the middle of nowhere, the road turns hard right onto the R759.
It winds its way along the eastern shore of Lough Tay. It sparkles down in the valley way below. Its dark waters are lightly ruffled by the wind. Surrounded by an artists palette of colour, this is the stuff of stories.
The road starts its long descent to skirt the Vartry reservoirs. It then passes through the pretty town of Roundwood. It continues in a southerly direction on the L1076 into deciduous forest again. The dappled sunlight is back. The wind has gone. We chance upon two traditional caravans pulled by large horses. We stop to let them pass by so as not to frighten the horses with our motorbikes.
We continued on to Rathdrum to relieve the local shop of two ice creams for two weary travellers.
The winding roads and sun are taking their toll. We decide to stop in a very small park in Craanford. Strolling in the shade of the trees along the banks of the very small River Lask is just the tonic. We stop on a bench to take in the peace. We are approached by a man in an Ireland Rugby shirt. He asks about the bikes and what we are doing. He goes to his car and returns with two bottles of water for us, saying we must be thirsty. Paddy is our chance encounter of the day that restores our faith in humanity.
He is a chef in a local pub and stopped to phone his wife. He saw us and came for a chat. For 30 minutes, we chatted about this and that. Another genuinely nice person in this amazing country. Before departing, he left us another two bottles of water. He jumped in his car. He tooted, waved, and went on his way. Andy and I were speechless.
We have now arrived at our accommodation in Bunclody.
What an outstanding day this has been. Our tour nears its end and still produces days like today. Have we been on the best road of the entire tour? Quite possibly. Hard to tell. But oh my. We will be talking about today for some time to come.
Woodend Wanderer 