Day 27: Belmullet to Ballina

June 10, 2024

Variety makes the kilometers go by

After a good night's rest, we set off under partially blue skies this morning. We're happy to report that the partially blue sky lasted all day. We're still plagued with a northerly wind that is quite chilly, but my captain says it's manageable.

The Talbot Hotel sure didn't look this bright when we pulled up yesterday!

Leaving Belmullet we were on a main road, an R with 3 numbers road, and there was very little traffic. We finally turned onto the smaller L with 4 numbers road and enjoyed almost no traffic. We rode along more peat bogs, and more sheep, with glimpses of the ocean at a distance.

A monument with no explanation. However, this is the tool used to cut peat by hand.

This guy was so friendly. He got lots of scratches from me.

About halfway through today's route, we stopped to explore Céide Fields, a Neolithic (Stone Age) site that is claimed to contain the oldest known field systems in the world. It's thought these fields were developed about 5500 years ago and have been buried under the bogs since. It's possible that there are over 100 kilometers of stone walls hidden beneath the peat bog. The visit was very interesting.

Atlantic crashing into the cliffs below us.

The second half of today's ride was on small farm roads. We saw sheep and cows, horses and donkeys. We discovered Lackan Strand where they have horse races on the hard packed sand. This sport dates back a couple of centuries when farm horses were used. Today, thoroughbreds are raced here and the dates and time change based on the tides. This strand has historical significance, too. During the 1798 Irish Rebellion in County Mayo, three French ships landed at Kilcummin Beach to assist the Irish. The combined forces took the nearby English garrison without difficulty. They then moved on to Killala where they were defeated.

We rode by a field with several Belted Galway cows.

The Belted Galways were intermixed with other breeds.

Then we arrived in the village of Killala. This is the first village we've seen that had an "old" feel like French villages. We spent some time walking around and visited Cathedral of St. Patrick and the Round Tower. The cathedral was built in 1670 over the remains of a ruined Catholic cathedral. It is one of the smallest and oldest cathedrals in Ireland. The Round Tower dates back to the 12th century and is a testament to the historic distinction of the village as an ecclesiastical center. It is thought the tower was used as a belfry.

Cathedral of St. Patrick, Killala, County Mayo.

Registry of the bishops serving since 1622 to current day.

The door is about 3 meters above the ground.

We were cycling the last 15 kilometers and saw the ruins of Moyne Abbey. The final stretch towards Ballina was a blast to ride - rollers - which led to a well established trail system through the Bellock woods into the town of Ballina.

Bullock Castle entrance in Ballina, County Mayo.

It was a long day in the saddle, but the sun was shining and we had a great time.

Note to ourselves: The temperature was between 11 and 16 degrees Celsius with a northerly wind. Knees were worn all day and we traded off the vest and wind jackets. The sunshine definitely brightened our spirits.

Accommodation: The Loft in Ballina. The room is large and comfortable, but the shower doesn't seem to work very well. It was a drizzle, but we made it work.

Today's ride: 97 km (60 miles)
Total: 1,766 km (1,097 miles)

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