Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts

2012-08-23

Ireland Bike Tour - Post Bike Tour Slide Shows

After the bike tour we stayed in Ennis for a few days and took a bus to Limerick for a day tour.

The most interesting observation we made was that while Ennis had narrow streets with one lane one way traffic and narrow sidewalks, much of Limerick had wide streets with one lane one way traffic and very wide sidewalks. And both towns had portions of their centre cores that were pedestrian only.

While in Limerick we visited King John's Castle.


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The slide shows above portray the streetscapes and scenes of Limerick, followed by King John's Castle. The slide show below features those wonderful red Irish flowers in Ennis.


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2012-08-19

Ireland Bike Tour - Cycling Day 6 Slide Show

This was the longest ride of the tour but not too bad as far as hills go, except for the last ride into Westport, up and down and then back up and down again. Lots of scenery but not too many photo stops because of the long ride and then drive back to Ennis in the van.


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The slide show above starts with the obligatory photo of a rainbow in front of a mountain and features more of the Irish landscape, including hills and streams, and of course sheep, as well as the Irish famine memorial.

2012-08-09

Ireland Bike Tour - Break Day Slide Show

We took today easy, went for a walk near the lodge on Lough Inagh in the morning and managed to talk Jeff into driving us to the Kylemore Abbey in the afternoon where we explored the grounds and the remarkable gardens. There is some real interesting history about this place.


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The slide show above features the mountains and landscape near the lodge followed by the Kylemore Abbey and gardens.

2012-08-06

Ireland Bike Tour - Cycling Day 5, Sheep Shearing, Flowers and More Slide Shows

If you’ve ever been to a county fair or watched a movie about Australia you have seen sheep sheering, but usually with electric shears. In this part of Ireland they use hand shears and probably sheer the sheep faster and cleaner than with the electric ones. This was a great day for photos, including a good number of flower close-ups. There was a really great mountain behind our Lodge that I was so tempted to try to climb up.


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The slide show above features more of the Irish landscape including ruins, mountains, streams and beaches, as well as sheep and sheep shearing and ends with lovely views from our hotel.

The slide show below features Irish flowers.


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2012-08-04

Ireland Bike Tour - Cycling Day 4, Discovering Ireland's Sheep Slide Show

Today was a day at the beach as we stopped at a wonderful little beach along the route, as well as made a visit to the lovely town of Clifden. More scenery, and did I mention the sheep. The sheep in Ireland seem to have priority over the roads, followed by bicycles and then cars.


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The slide show above starts with a view from our hotel dining room followed by views of the grounds, then it's on to the landscape with an emphasis on geology. We have our first encounters with Ireland’s sheep, as well as stop for a visit to a lovely beach. Final views are from our new hotel room window followed by a visit to the town of Clifden.

2012-08-02

Ireland Bike Tour - Cycling Day 3, The Aran Islands Slide Show

Most of the day was spent on one of the Aran Islands. It was a great day for photography as it was actually sunny and there was so much to photograph, from a remarkable fort to literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of stone fences from millions of stones dividing up the tiny allotments that people had to tend to survive from farming. Did I mention the dolphins swimming around in the harbour beside the ferry, which unfortunately we took no photos of.


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The slide show above is mostly concentrated on the remarkable landscape of the Aran Islands followed by some photos of the mainland landscape ending at The Cashel House, a lovely country inn sitting beside Bertraghboy Bay.

2012-07-27

Ireland Bike Tour - Cycling Day 2, To The Burren Slide Show

Today we did a circle route through the remarkable Burren, a landscape that almost defies description, although parts of Ottawa's Lime Kiln Trail with it's underlying Limestone hints at it. And, of course it's Ireland so there were more ruins. This was the second hardest climbing day of the tour.



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The slide show above starts with a view from our hotel room and covers more of the Irish landscape, more ruins of churches and castles, cemeteries and stone fences and finishes going through the remarkable geology of the Burren.

2012-07-26

Ireland Bike Tour - Cycling Day 1, The Irish Landscape Slide Show

Today we got setup on our bikes with our self-guiding instructions so we could ride on our own while Jeff went ahead with the van and then would mysteriously appear on his bike cycling towards us to make sure we were not lost. We rode to the Cliffs of Moher which reportedly has spectacular views, but all we saw was fog. But after the longest climb of the trip, 220 metres, we were not riding back up there again no matter how sunny the next day was.



(select 720p to view in high definition and full screen to view full screen)

The slide show above features the remarkable Irish landscape including those famous stone fences, a scenic beach, ruins of castles and a remarkable old cemetery, but no photos of the Cliffs of Fog.

2012-07-25

Ireland Bike Tour - Ennis Slide Show

We arrived a few days early and got to know the town of Ennis which was full of stone walls, first thing we noticed, and lots of local shops and pubs - no Walmarts or big box stores. The only chain store we noticed was a large Irish department store, Dunnes. The other big attraction is the Fergus River.



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The slide show above features:

The Old Ground Hotel
Residential Streetscapes
Ennis Friary (being restored)
Fergus River
Ducks along the Fergus River
Downtown Ennis
The Suburbs (1960s style houses rather than 1860s style houses)

2012-07-23

Ireland Bike Tour Overview

In recalling our wonderful bike tour of Ireland at first it seems like one long uphill ride in the rain, the green being the only constant. But actually every day was different with many different landscapes and varied geography throughout the over 300 kilometre route. We even had some dry and sunny days with fluffy white clouds.

So let us look at it day by day as described officially in italic with my recollections following. (Click on images to enlarge)


Pre Bike Tour Visit to Ennis

We arrived a few days early and got to know the town of Ennis which was full of stone walls, first thing we noticed, and lots of local shops and pubs - no Walmarts or big box stores. The only chain store we noticed was a large Irish department store, Dunnes. The other big attraction is the Fergus River, which undoubtedly I will post photos of when I do the day by day photo posts.

Arrival Day (Relaxing)

The tour begins in Ennis just north of the Shannon Airport. Most flights coming from North America arrive early in the day so you will have plenty of time to relax and shake out the cobwebs. We have a welcoming dinner awaiting your arrival, so you can meet new friends, peruse your tour itinerary, and have your trusty metal steed readied for the journey ahead. Tonight we'll stay at The Old Ground Hotel.


On the first day we were somewhat concerned when we never did get to meet up with the rest of the group to get our pre-ride briefing and our bikes setup. But at supper time, when me met our guide Jeff, we discovered that we were the group and the three of us had our own personal guide.

Cycling Day 1 (easy to moderate)

We will depart from Ennis today as we make our way to Doolin, the birthplace of modern Irish music. You will be spending two nights here, so there will be plenty of time to kick up your heels. Eight kilometers south of Doolin, you’ll find the towering Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most photographed natural attractions. Tonight and tomorrow night we're at The Aran View House Hotel.


Today we got setup on our bikes with our self-guiding instructions so we could ride on our own while Jeff went ahead with the van and then would mysteriously appear on his bike cycling towards us to make sure we were not lost. We rode to the Cliffs of Moher which reportedly has spectacular views, but all we saw was fog. But after the longest climb of the trip, 220 metres, we were not riding back up there again no matter how sunny the next day was.

Attractions along the way that we stopped to photograph included ruins, Ireland has lots of ruins, and a remarkable cemetery that I will post photos of in the day by day review.


Cycling Day 2 (moderate)

County Clare’s great attraction is the Burren, a rocky stretch of country with many reminders of Ireland’s long and storied past. In 1649, Oliver Cromwell dispossessed many Irish as his armies rampaged through the country, exiling them to this harsh and infertile land. We’ll cycle Burren today, enjoying the region’s stunning scenery and spectacular coastline.


Today we did a circle route through the remarkable Burren, a landscape that almost defies description, although parts of Ottawa's Lime Kiln Trail with it's underlying Limestone hints at it. Wait for the photos coming soon. And, of course it's Ireland so there were more ruins. This was the second hardest climbing day of the tour.

Cycling Day 3 (easy)

Today’s trip includes a short ferry ride to Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands. The natural beauty will quicken your heart, and you’ll be intrigued by the Irish passion for building stone walls to divide even the most inconsequential plots of dirt. We’ll cycle from the ferry up to the impressive stone fort of Dun Aengus — perched precariously on a dramatic cliff. After touring the island, we’ll ferry back to Rossaveel —a beautiful tract where Gaelic is still widely spoken — then on to Screeb, Gortmore, and Cashel. It’s a great day, ending at a lovely country inn sitting beside Bertraghboy Bay. Tonight's at The Cashel House.


A great day for photography as it was actually sunny and there was so much to photograph from a remarkable fort to literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of stone fences from millions of stones dividing up the tiny allotments that people had tend to survive from farming. Did I mention the dolphins swimming around in the harbour beside the ferry.

Cycling Day 4 (easy)

From Cashel we have a short day planned to Clifden, the main centre in Connemara. Our bike route will be along the coast of Ballyconneely Bay through Roundstone, Ballyconneely, and Ballinaboy. For the duffers among you, a beautiful golf course in Doonloughan sits along today’s route. Tonight we're staying at The Quay House.


Today was a day at the beach as we stopped at a wonderful little beach along the route, as well as made a visit to the lovely town of Clifden. More scenery and ruins, and did I mention the sheep. The sheep in Ireland seem to have priority over the roads, followed by bicycles and then cars.


Cycling Day 5 (easy to moderate)

We continue along the dramatic coast to Cleggan, Rinvyle Castle, and Kylemore Abbey before settling in on the shores of Lough Inagh, which is nestled between the Twelve Pins and Maumturk Mountains. Lough Inagh Lodge will be our home for two nights.


If you’ve ever been to a county fair or watched a movie about Australia you have seen sheep sheering, but usually with electric shears. In this part of Ireland they use hand shears and probably sheer the sheep faster and cleaner than with the electric ones. Along with photos I got some video of this special happening. This was a great day for photos, including a good number of flower close-ups. Watch for them to be posted later. There was a really great mountain behind our Lodge that I was so tempted to try to climb up.

Break Day (relaxing)

This morning you'll wake up in one of the prettiest places in the world — Connemara's Lough Inagh Valley. Your options include a visit to the Kylemore Abbey; a loop ride around the Maumturk Mountains; a hike in the mountains; or perhaps you would prefer to hire the local fishing guide and try your luck fishing, and drinking in the scenery. You decide and we make it happen.


We took today easy, managed to talk Jeff into driving us to the Abbey where we explored the grounds and the remarkable gardens. There is some real interesting history about this place.

Cycling Day 6 (moderate)

Our last day-- but oh!-- we end with a bang! We will leave the comforts of our inn and make our way to Leenane before heading north between the Mweelrea Mountains and the Sheeffry Hills enroute to Louisburgh. It’s such a gorgeous ride, and a fitting end to your Ireland adventure!


This was the longest ride of the tour but not too bad as far as hills go, except for the last ride into Westport, up and down and then back up and down again. Lots of scenery but not too many photo stops because of the long ride and then drive back to Ennis in the van.

Post bike tour: Ennis and Limerick

After the bike tour we stayed in Ennis for a few days and took a bus to Limerick for a day tour. The most interesting observation we made was that while Ennis had narrow streets with one lane one way traffic and narrow sidewalks, much of Limerick had wide streets with one lane one way traffic and very wide sidewalks. And both towns had portions of their centre cores that were pedestrian only.

Concluding Thanks

We would like to thank our guide Jeff and everyone at Pedal and Sea Adventures for a wonderful holiday in Ireland, seeing it in a way that you could never do by car or bus.

2009-05-08

Gatineau Parkway: A Cyclists Dream or A Drivers Nightmare

In an earlier Fifth Column I stated:

A few weeks ago I was driving home from mountain biking along the Gatineau Parkway when I noticed just how little room there was for cyclists and motor vehicles to share the road. If I wanted to pass a cyclist I had to hug the yellow line, a dangerous thing to do if traffic is approaching me and only possible if the oncoming traffic sees the cyclist on my side and moves over to give me room, and impossible if there are motor vehicles and cyclists on both sides of the road. At one point I just had to follow behind the cyclist till it was safe to pass, fortunately he was moving at about 40 km/hr.

This can create very dangerous situations, especially if there are impatient drivers. Drivers should, however, be aware that, although used as such, the parkway is not a commuter route, it is a scenic route for tourists and residents to use to enjoy the park scenery and has a speed limit of 60 km/hr.

In many ways the Gatineau Parkway is a wonderful route for cyclists, scenic, winding and hilly. It could be a world class cycling route and a major tourist attraction and economic benefit to the region, if the safety problem was solved.
The National Capital Commission and The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also aware of the safety problems and they have announced their solution, according to an article in the Ottawa Citizen which states:
Don't ride your bicycle in double file, in "packs" of more than 15 or speed through stop signs this summer.

The National Capital Commission and police are cracking down on cyclists and motorists in Gatineau Park as part of a share the road campaign prompted by the increasing number of traffic violations in the park each year.


RCMP Const. Suzanne Lefort said cyclists who ride in double file or in groups of more than 15 face $95 fines. Cyclists who run through stop signs face $15 fines, plus the loss of three demerit points if they have a driver's licence. Also, cyclists were warned about speeding last year, but this year they will be ticketed.

Drivers who exceed the speed limit by more than 40 km/h could have their vehicles impounded for seven days.
This has led to considerable reaction from the cycling community, including Letters to The Editor from Mike Abraham, Matt Surch, Alex MacKenzie and Avery Burdett.

Matt Surch describes the Gatineau Parkway as a road cyclists haven:
Cycling is a healthy practice with a rich tradition in the Ottawa Valley, home of the country's two oldest bike clubs, dating back to 1882. More than just a sport, cycling affords pleasurable movement through the city and its surroundings.

On any given day, hundreds of cyclists, many in their retirement years, seek the challenge of the hilly Gatineau Parkway to recreate, to live, on the bike. Many users ride the parkway more than once a week, for years.

Some ride alone, others in groups. By riding side-by-side, conversation flows. Other groups with a more competitive bent enjoy the parkway for its promise of training gains and the opportunity to practise road tactics such as drafting, working together as a group.

Yes, road cycling is in fact a team sport; working together to cover ground faster is the magic of cycling.

The parkway is special -- it is a haven for cyclists because it is a parkway; low car speeds are appropriate. Cyclists outnumber any other user group in the summer, including drivers. We feel like the parkway is our oasis in an otherwise hostile cycling environment.

Unfortunately, the NCC does not acknowledge cyclists on the parkway as a recreational user group. Instead, we are being treated just like traffic.
As the last quoted sentence indicates, the NCC does not see it that way, and that is the crux of the matter – should the NCC Parkway be seen as just another commuter road or as a recreational route for cyclists.

Of course the Gatineau Parkway is not just another commuter route. You don't close down a commuter route for a whole season, banning cars, and let a recreational user group use it as their own. But that is what is done with the Gatineau Parkway in the winter for cross country skiers. That does not stop people from using their vehicles to access the ski hills or trails or other recreational facilities. And it certainly contributes to tourism in the National Capital region and the local economy.

The Gatineau Parkway already has the hilly terrain that serious road cyclists love to ride and train on. So why not apply the same logic to the summer season, ban cars from the Gatineau Parkway, and take advantage of an even greater opportunity to turn the National Capital Region into an international destination for cyclists, not to mention providing a wonderful opportunity for local cyclists to develop their skills. It is such opportunities and facilities that produce Olympic Gold Medallists.