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Gill DewdneyGill Dewdney
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traveled in 17 countries Read more
  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 28

    Cannock to Home

    May 29, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Uneventful journey back home, no engine management lights since Holyhead on the way out, back on the drive and kettle on at home for a “nice cup of tea”.

    Post script on the engine light - booked in at Fiat dealer, diagnosed faulty sensor (weren’t allowed to trust the Irish diagnosis), parts ordered on unknown (long?) delivery but arrived the next week and fitted under warranty in about 15 minutes judging by how long it was in the workshop.Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 27

    Dublin to Cannock via ferry to Holhead

    May 28, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Adrenalin pumping we were up and off before others were awake on the site, satnav prep’d with city centre route and going with the local knowledge, “to be sure”. On this occasion, thank goodness for the satnav as a few of the turnings weren’t obvious but we got there with time to spare…..and no tolls to pay…..result!
    Uneventful ferry crossing with some reading and canasta playing then back onto land, past the CL where we’d stayed on the way out and had the RAC out for the engine management light, on through Wales to our CL near Cannock.
    Bit of a confusing challenge getting to the CL through a park homes site with some tight corners, but made it we did. Relaxing evening with some chatting our elderly next door neighbour, also using the site as a stopover but heading north back home from holiday for a funeral.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 26

    Galway to Dublin

    May 27, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Starting the long journey home with first leg across Ireland from Galway in the west to Dublin in the east ready for ferry tomorrow morning. We found the site on the outskirts of the city and quickly got set up before heading off for a walk around the grounds(it was in park land) in the late afternoon sunshine.
    We’d asked the park warden about getting out of the coded gate before official opening time and the trip into Dublin docks as we’d heard about busy traffic in the mornings and we didn’t want to late for the ferry, it was an early enough start already. There was a motorway route right round Dublin but the warden said at that time on a Thursday morning he’d go through the middle (gulp) to avoid the motorway toll chaos. Food for thought tonight, not to mention checking the route he’d recommended on the satnav.
    Early bed to ready for the early morning dash.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 25

    Galway

    May 26, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    A fun packed long day today culminating with a moonlit walk back along the prom from the show to our campsite.
    Rain again in the night which continued when we got up for breakfast but by the time we were heading for the bus stop at the site entrance it had stopped, even though it still looked threatening. Got to the bus stop a bit early, as usual, but so had two others. It was a bit of a scenic route but for two of us kids sat at the front on the top deck it was fine and even had a display so we knew when to get off. Boy was the town busy, lots of French and Americans, plus groups of youngsters (uni students?) wandering round. The coffee places all looked crowded but then we spotted a little place down a back alley, virtually deserted but serving Lavatt coffee. Nice young couple running the place and coffee and cake excellent. We did wonder if they were a bit off the track to make it pay. Needn’t have worried, by the time we left it was humming too, pity the toilet blocked though!
    Back out onto the street to start the Voicemap walking tour app, which we seemed to start at the end and we followed it backwards, but that worked ok if you cancelled the occasional warning that “you seem to be lost” alert and followed the onscreen map. Lots of interesting stuff about the history of Galway and the 14 original families or tribes that used to run the place but then decided to head west to the Caribbean or America before they were persecuted too much by the English.
    A quick bite of lunch in a shopping precinct, that’s also where the public loos were, before heading out to the lake dock upstream of the weir where we were catching the boat. It was out of the centre in a bit of a ramshackled area so we hadn’t expected to find a nice b&b with cafe. Pity, it would have been more “twee” than the precinct.
    Onto the boat for a 1 1/2 hour trip up the Corrib river (Ireland’s shortest) and into Lough Corrib with points of interest and ruins being pointed out by the captain. With all points of interest covered we turned at the halfway point to quietly retrace our route back to Galway and take in the scenery. The crew put on an Irish coffee making and Irish dancing demo to break up the journey.
    Back on dry land it was off to the “oldest traditional pub in Galway”, Finnigan’s, for a meal, Irish stew of course and a glass of cider for Gill and a pint of Guinness for Tony. The food, and drinks, were excellent and not expensive, then back to the site on the bus for a “chill” before the show.
    The traffic in Galway centre is an absolute nightmare and the bus was 25 mins late getting to our stop but we got back in plenty of time.
    After a “nice cup of tea” we were taking the 25 minute walk back along the prom to the theatre.
    The show was traditional Irish music and dancing, very entertaining. Walking back along the prom a naked lad came running towards us, turns out he’d been skinny dipping (must be crackers in these temperatures or fueled up on alcohol) and his mates had run off with his clothes and he was chasing after them!    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 24

    Travelling from Westport to Galway

    May 25, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Just a travelling day. A prompt start to make sure we arrived in time to get a site because the Galway sites don’t accept advance bookings and we needed to be close for the show tomorrow night. We arrived to find loads of space and were given a pitch right on the sea front with views across the bay.
    The afternoon activities consisted of walking along the pedestrian prom, which finished the other side of the campsite boundary by our pitch, to check out the theatre for the show, checking the bus stop and route into Galway, downloading a walking tour app of Galway and booking a boat tour, all for tomorrow.
    More fresh cold wind and cloud but we were under cover whenever it rained.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 23

    Westport House, Town and Quay

    May 24, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today we decided to visit Westport House and a good and amusing guide took the tour. Westport House was built over 400 years ago by the Browne family. In the 1500’s there was a tower house on the site which belonged to the infamous pirate queen and chieftain Grace O’Malley. Owners of the current house included family members who’s fortunes came from the plantations in Jamaica that were manned by slaves and a later owner brought about the emancipation of slaves in Jamaica. The last resident marquis, Jeremy, his wife Jennifer and 5 daughters kept the estate running with various tourist initiatives such as the campsite, renting out Gypsy caravans, self catering cottages, a zoo, and a children’s adventure park. Difficult financial issues in Ireland resulted in the family having to sell the property and land and under new ownership a large amount of money is being put into restoration and development. The marquis title has gone to a male family member in Australia.

    After the tour we walked into town to look around then down to the quay for supper in The Helm - a very delicious meal.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 22

    The Great Western Greenway

    May 23, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We woke to the sound of rain and checked 2 weather websites which gave contradictory weather reports. What to do??? We decided to go for it and it was gong to be one of those rarest of days, when you battle into wind to get to somewhere and when you head back the wind is in the same direction and blows you home. We cycled a short way to join the Greenway and then the rain started so out with the waterproofs but the rain quickly stopped. By the time we had cycled the first 10 km and reached Newport the sun was out. We stopped at Kelly’s and had delicious coffee, scones, jam and cream and struck up a conversation with another cyclist. He had lived here for 15 years having married an Irish girl and on his day off cycled to Newport for breakfast. He lived in Westport Quay and recommended The Helm for us to eat tomorrow evening and even rang his brother in law who worked there to check it would be open. He also recommended a cafe in the next place Mulranny which was 18 km away. We found the cafe and, as we had been told, there were magnificent views across the sandy beach and Clew Bay. Another coffee and shared scone. We continued on another 12 km to Achill, in fact just a little further, as there was no notice to say we had come to the end of the Greenway. Lack of public toilets drove us into another cafe for tea and a shared croissant but it was fortunate as the heavens opened when we were in the cafe.

    The whole route had magnificent scenery and passed through rocky moorland, peat bog surrounded by hills, gurgling streams, tarns, sea inlets, beaches of golden sands, an array of wild flowers, cattle, sheep and a variety of birds. There was a “picture” at every turn. The track was mainly a disused railway route, traffic free, great surface and signage.

    We returned back on the same route stopping at Mulranny station where we found public toilets so we’re able at last to eat our picnic. We stopped again at Kelly’s, eating inside this time to warm up and read a very interesting article about the father of Grace Kelly, the actress and later Princess Grace of Monaco, who was an emigrant from this area who settled in the US. Grace came back to Newport together with Prince Rainer and they bought some land and built a holiday home but sadly she never saw in completed as she died in a car crash.

    55.26 miles cycled in total with 1,614 ft of climbing. When we got back we had supper, washed up and were ready for bed.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 21

    Rosses Point to Westport

    May 22, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    On the move again today. We have nominated the site at Rosses Point as being the best so far, good and clean facilities, excellent view and easy access to bus into Sligo town.

    As we started on the road, the rain started, but that made today a good travelling day. We stopped in Ballina at Lidl to stock up on groceries.

    Our next stop was at the Irish Museum of Country Life and Turlough House. A helpful guide explained there were just 2 rooms in the house to look at, the parlour which gave an insight into the life of the upper class life style and the second room was an art exhibit of sacks with glass potatoes depicting the potato famine of the 1840’s. The museum was a modern building with an audio video introduction and a number of well set out displays illustrating country life in the past in Ireland. The essence of life seemed to be to provide nearly everything from nature so making chairs, baskets, even fancy dress costumes from such things as wheat. People worked long hours and had few comforts. Electricity and, later, telephones didn’t start to be common place in rural areas until well into the 1970’s. There were plenty of customs that often revolved around the growing season. Tinkers who travelled around in the summer months were very welcome as they either provided or repaired items such as tin buckets hence the name Tinker.

    We arrived at the Westport site, settled in and checked several weather sites on our mobiles trying to decide if Monday or Tuesday would be best for cycling the Great Western Greenway.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 20

    A Ride Around Lough Gill

    May 21, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    A much better weather forecast today, no rain all day, back on with the cycling clothes and bike out ready for the day’s ride. No rain, the route put into the garmin and we were off. Must have been operator error that had gavster instructing us to do a u turn continuously for the first 5 miles but then he got the hang of it and to be honest we had a map so he was only really needed to record the journey.
    It was a scenic ride so only one stop of significance, Parke’s Castle, which had been extensively renovated after 300 years of abandonment and decay. There was a very good audio visual presentation about this site and other ancient sites around the area, burial mounds, Irish tower houses etc.
    The guided tour was delayed to let us finish the AV presentation, but then the 4 people on the guided tour were the 4 in the AV theatre. Seamus, the guide, told us all about the castle and it’s beginnings with O’Rouke family, the leader being executed for helping a Spanish Armada captain and crew to get back to Spain in 1588. The castle was then given to a Captain Parke of the English army together with 1000 acres on condition he protected it for the crown. His daughter, who inherited the castle, and her husband decided it was too difficult/dangerous to live there and abandoned it to live in their other home, Lissadell House. So started the 300 years of decay.
    Continuing around the Lough, stopping for picnic lunch and back home to complete a 37 mile ride.    Read more

  • TravelerIRELAND 2022
    Day 19

    A Day in Sligo

    May 20, 2022 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    It wasn’t supposed to be a day in Sligo, we even put on our cycling clothes ready for a cycle round Lough Gill assuming the rain, if not the howling wind, would abate before our planned departure. Having consulted the weather forecast, yet again, we found that rain was due on and off all day, yet again! So after checking out what to do in Sligo and the bus timetable it was off with cycling stuff and on with civvies, including waterproofs, of course. Just then it brightened up and stopped raining but we didn’t fall for that one and continued with the “Day in Sligo”.
    The bus came on time, we were there early, and the bus stop was a couple of hundred yards from the the site gate by the obligatory, in this area, WB Yeats hotel. Three Euros for 2 seniors into the city centre 30 mins ride away, bargain.
    Once there we called in at the local museum (free entry) quite interesting with stuff from prehistoric days to the present with a lot of stuff on the separation of Ireland including information about Countess Markievicz of Lisadell House, a revolutionary nationalist who took up arms but also became the first women elected to the British House of Commons. In addition, of course, displays on WB Yeats.
    Wondering around town we came across and old fashioned department store and round the corner the parched entrance to the store’s cafe/restaurant (Lyons Cafe). Time for lunch, we opened the door went up the quiet stairs and as we opened the door to the actual restaurant we were hit by a cacophony of noise, the place was packed and humming. We managed to find one of the few free tables and Tony queued up for the food, pork including crackling, only allowed on holiday! The food was very good so, once fed and watered, we were back on the streets and checking out the local cinema, the new Downton Abbey film at 4.25 so we booked two tickets. In fact they were the only 2 booked tickets but another 5 people turned up for the performance. We did a walking tour around the town which included the remains of the old gaol where Michael Collins was held and the Sligo Priory.
    After the film, we were back out on the streets for the 7.25 bus home, 3.80 Euros this time?
    It did rain on and off all day but we managed to find shelter when we needed it and we’re happy with the revised plan. Tomorrow for the Lough ride.    Read more

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