Wild Atlantic Way – Day 9

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I will admit to feeling a bit despondent yesterday, what with the bike shop in Kenmare being unwilling/unable to look at my bike. At first I thought about booking into a camp site, but the nearest one was 14km back the way I came. Because I didn’t feel like cycling back the 14km, I just ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 8

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Ireland was back to what I’ve come to accept as normal today, and the people I met along the way were all very friendly. Good morning! At some point, as I was cycling past a field with cows, as I often do, I shouted out “Good morning!” Yes, I’m one of those odd people who ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 7

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I make a conscious effort to try and avoid being negative, but the town of Bantry doesn’t rate well at all in my opinion. Bantry – best avoided When I arrived in the town, I saw a pizza place and decided to order food from there. It was well before 5pm, but I was bluntly ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 6

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Today’s update also carries more news from yesterday. After waking, and packing up, I took up the offer of coffee made by the two YouTubing couples. Video killed the radio star Now I’ve always known that obviously there needs to be direction of some sort when making a video, but I gained some first-hand insights ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 5

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Today was different: for the first time on this ride, I had nobody to meet. Like cycle touring normally is (for me, at least) I was on my own. I could stop whenever I wanted, and go as fast (or slow) as I wanted. That’s liberating. Having said that, meeting John Devoy and his wife, ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 4

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Just an update on my 4th day of cycling Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Remember, if you haven’t been doing so, you can follow my (glacial) progress in real-time (provided I have a data signal!) by viewing the Where’s Will Now page. On that page there’s a map that shows where I am at that moment, ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 3

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Today was a mixed bag! It rained last night, and there was soft drizzle when I woke. After packing up, I made my way back to the road, then set off cycling. I spent a good evening in the company of John and Sara Devoy, who kindly invited me to stay over at their home. ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 2

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Though this is Day 2, it is actually the first day of proper cycling. More trains! My day started with a bike ride to the station, to catch a train to Cork city. The real cycling started from there, but it was still a short day. I just made it onto the 09:00 train from ... Read more

Wild Atlantic Way – Day 1

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Today was all about getting to Dublin. Cork city, in County Cork. However, things didn’t go to plan. I belatedly discovered that there were rail strikes on for today, and that meant my very early train to Birmingham was cancelled. I quickly discovered that my only real option was to travel the day before. To ... Read more

Cycle Touring Insurance

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In a perfect world, nothing ever goes wrong. Sadly, we don’t live in a perfect world, and in the real world, sometimes things do go wrong. This is where insurance comes into play. You? Or your bike? It’s really important to understand that you get two types of insurance: 1) Insurance that covers your bike ... Read more

Let me introduce you to the UK

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There are people who love to slag off the UK, pointing at miserable weather, bland food, and numerous sea-side resorts that are well past their sell-by date. Don’t listen to them! Sure, the UK does get a lot of rain, but that’s why it’s so lush, green and filled with rivers. If you think British ... Read more

How much more do you need?

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All your life, you were taught to be striving for more. More money, more respect and recognition, more achievements, and yes, more consumption. I’m not here to lecture you, but I want to ask you some pointed questions. No, you don’t have to share your answers with me, or anyone else, for that matter. However, ... Read more

An Older Cyclist

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MRI scans of the legs of a 74 year old sedentary man, and a 70yo triathlete.
There’s a reason why some of the rides I organise are called “Travelling Ouballie” rides. If you don’t know what an “ouballie” is, or how to pronounce it, I suggest you go read this post first, as it explains it all. The fact is time marches on relentlessly. We’re all getting older – you may ... Read more

Four Ferries & Freedom

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Remember all those holidays you had in Cornwall? Remember how stunning the county is? There’s a reason why around five million people flock to Cornwall each year! Green rolling hills, quaint seaside villages and stunning beaches are just some of the many attractions Cornwall offers. Your Cornish adventure This year, I’d like you to experience ... Read more

Competition – with a twist

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During my upcoming Irish Adventure, mostly following the Wild Atlantic Way, I’ll have the good fortune of meeting John Devoy, and spending time with him. In fact, we’ll do a short stint of cycling together. John has been on numerous adventures in his life, and he wrote book about his biggest adventure. He cycled from ... Read more