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August bank holiday weekend and a clear calendar — reason enough to load the bike and head north. The plan was loose: follow the spine of England up through the Peaks and Lakes into Scotland, find a ferry crossing, and see how far west Ireland could pull.
The first half traced familiar A-roads north through the Peak District and the Lake District before the landscape opened up into southern Scotland. From the Galloway coast the ferry dropped into Northern Ireland, and from there the west coast of Ireland unspooled south — Donegal, Galway, then Kerry, where the roads narrow to single track and the views make stopping mandatory.
Three nights in County Laois had a specific purpose — Electric Picnic, camped at Stradbally Estate with Blur and Grace Jones on the bill. The ride home via Wales was a good way to decompress. Fourteen days, roughly 2,000 kilometres.
Places visited
- Peak District, England — 1 night
- Lake District, England — 1 night
- Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland — 1 night
- Downings, Donegal, Ireland — 1 night
- Galway, Ireland — 1 night
- County Laois, Ireland — 3 nights (Electric Picnic)
- Cork / Kerry, Ireland — 1 night
- Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland — 1 night
- Dolgellau, Wales — 1 night
Stats
| Dates | 28 August – 9 September 2015 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 13 days |
| With | Solo |
| Distance | ~2,000 km |
| Route | London → Peak District → Lake District → Scotland → [Cairnryan ferry] → Donegal → Galway → Kerry → Kildare → [Dublin ferry] → Holyhead → Wales → home |
| Transport | KTM 1190 Adventure (2014) |
| Temperature | 7–18°C |
Photos
