5 day tour of the South West Ireland 500

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Not wanting to let them Scots fellas behind the NC500 have it all their own way I spent a lot of time putting together a 500 mile touring route around the 5 peninsulas of South West Ireland; the SWI500. This part of the world is just as beautiful, just as rugged, just as remote (in places) but definitely less congested than the NC500 can be and of course its the beautiful west of Ireland with it's temperate, gulf stream warmed climate, and, it's part of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Now there is some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel I've resurrected the tour I had to cancel last year. It’s a 6 night, 5 day tour, all of which you can do without having to cart all your luggage around as we return to the same base each evening.

The itinerary is as follows:

Sun 5th September - arrive in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, staying at the Kenmare Bay Hotel for the week. This hotel has been chosen for a variety of reasons;
- safe off street parking for the bikes at the front of the hotel,
- within walking distance (10 mins) of Kenmare town centre,
- it has an indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna, beauty and therapy treatment rooms all available FOC to guests.
- the food is good and the breakfasts are copious.
Sunday evening we eat together in the hotel - a kind of get to know everyone meal.
Mon 6th Sept - we head south, over the Cork & Kerry mountains (made famous by ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, Thin Lizzie and the Dubliners) via the Caha Pass to tour the Mizen & Sheepshead peninsulas
Tues 7th Sept - tour the Beara peninsula, traversing the Healy Pass
Wed 8th Sept - tour the Iveagh (Ring of Kerry) peninsula, with a variety of routes at our disposal
Thurs 9th Sept - free day - relax and explore Kenmare or suggested routes can be provided if you want to ride out.
Fri 10th Sept - tour the Dingle peninsula, taking in the Slea Head Drive and the Connor Pass
Sat 11th Sept - depart.

The tour is designed to provide relaxed touring days, no early starts, we’ll be leaving around 10am each day, no late returns and with several stops for photos, coffee/tea breaks and food; you even have me, a blow-in local, on hand each day to assist and guide.

Rooms have been booked on a B&B basis with the inclusion of a group 'get to know everyone' supper on the Sunday night. Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri nights people are free to do what they want and there are plenty of good bars and restaurants, of all standards, in Kenmare.

Costs : £790 per person on a single occupancy basis, if you’re bringing a partner then let me know as the cost/person will be less.

Included:
6 nights accommodation
6 breakfasts
1 evening meal
Dedicated parking outside the hotel (don't worry this is very low crime area, your bike will be safe)
Assistance of me as tour guide
Maps and route guidance instructions.

Not included:
Getting to and from Kenmare, although help, guidance and assistance with routes & ferries can be provided.
Bikes
Fuel
Tea/Coffee/Drinks/Lunch during the day
Evening meals on each of Mon-Fri
Travel insurance
Breakdown insurance

Payment:

£250/person deposit required when making the booking
Full balance due no later than 31st July 2021
In the event you have to pull out before 31st July you will receive a full refund of the £250 deposit
In the event you have to pull out after the 31st July deposits and any balance paid will only be refunded if your space can be re-sold.

There are 6 places available so don’t delay.
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HootOwl said:
A small team of us were planning to come over on bikes and ride the bottom of the WAW early September, but the continued dicking about by our government and the EU, meant we reluctantly decided we just can't keep hanging on in the forlorn hope things may just possibly open up again, or even if they do - when the hell will it happen?

Our original plan A was to go into Italy - that went tits up early doors (again), Plan B was always Eire - that is tits in suspension, we are now on plan C which is the land of the kilt. Feck knows whether we will really get there either, the world is mad.

It is fucking annoying though. I am one that needs certainty in all things or I go mad lol :(
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Land of the kilt will be fine unless you're a Manc :ROFLMAO: (fekkin joke that), land of the Leprechaun will be fine if you go via 'Norn Irn' but I get the confusion making plans nigh on impossible - this shit has to stop.....
 
Barry Hell said:
Land of the kilt will be fine unless you're a Manc :ROFLMAO: (fekkin joke that), land of the Leprechaun will be fine if you go via 'Norn Irn' but I get the confusion making plans nigh on impossible - this shit has to stop.....
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Not a single restriction here bar restaurants and bars are closed for inside dining, hotels are no problem and mountains of mainland UK cars moving about, I'd not listen to a thing your reading online or in the press they are a part of the collective sheep there are no stops anywhere ! Fighting Irish my bollocks bunch of spineless fuckwits considering we are the only country in Europe still not allowed to eat and drink indoors!! 👀
 
The skitz said:
Not a single restriction here bar restaurants and bars are closed for inside dining, hotels are no problem and mountains of mainland UK cars moving about, I'd not listen to a thing your reading online or in the press they are a part of the collective sheep there are no stops anywhere ! Fighting Irish my bollocks bunch of spineless fuckwits considering we are the only country in Europe still not allowed to eat and drink indoors!! 👀
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Ah but you can eat indoors (apart from being a hotel resident which is the 'legal' exemption from the ban). When Mrs P and I had a weekend away a couple of weeks back for her b'day, we ate in the hotel the first night but the 2nd night we decided to chance our , as the weather was good, and see if we could get a space outside somewhere. No such luck, everyone else had the same idea and all outside space was full. Anyway, one of the staff on one of the establishments asked us 'would you mind eating indoors?'. We looked at each other, said no, and entered the pub/restaurant. Inside, the table were all spaced out, segregation between them, but f@@k me, the place was full, just a table for 2 left. So we ate indoors and all was fine. On departing we looked into the other drinking/dining establishments along the Main stree as we walked back to the hotel. Each one was the same, loads of people dining indoors. We kinda figured that if one was doing it they all were. This was Kenmare, co. Kerry. There must be 50-60 dining places and each was doing the same. The Gards must be fully aware of it as you can't really not know about it, but clearly turn a blind eye. It's a farce, it really is.

@HootOwl if you've been vaccinated you'll be fine, here and anywhere else in the EU after 19th July (y)
 
HootOwl said:
A small team of us were planning to come over on bikes and ride the bottom of the WAW early September, but the continued dicking about by our government and the EU, meant we reluctantly decided we just can't keep hanging on in the forlorn hope things may just possibly open up again, or even if they do - when the hell will it happen?

Our original plan A was to go into Italy - that went tits up early doors (again), Plan B was always Eire - that is tits in suspension, we are now on plan C which is the land of the kilt. Feck knows whether we will really get there either, the world is mad.

It is fucking annoying though. I am one that needs certainty in all things or I go mad lol :(
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This was exactly what my plan was, but I long since gave up on Italy, more because of the dicking about of the EU and not being confident every country would be open, which looks to be prophetic.

I always thought Ireland was a good bet and although it wasn't the full 2 weeks, The 1 week jaunt that popped up out of the blue, organized by @West Cork Paul will hit the spot nicely. (y)
 
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West Cork Paul said:
Ah but you can eat indoors (apart from being a hotel resident which is the 'legal' exemption from the ban). When Mrs P and I had a weekend away a couple of weeks back for her b'day, we ate in the hotel the first night but the 2nd night we decided to chance our , as the weather was good, and see if we could get a space outside somewhere. No such luck, everyone else had the same idea and all outside space was full. Anyway, one of the staff on one of the establishments asked us 'would you mind eating indoors?'. We looked at each other, said no, and entered the pub/restaurant. Inside, the table were all spaced out, segregation between them, but f@@k me, the place was full, just a table for 2 left. So we ate indoors and all was fine. On departing we looked into the other drinking/dining establishments along the Main stree as we walked back to the hotel. Each one was the same, loads of people dining indoors. We kinda figured that if one was doing it they all were. This was Kenmare, co. Kerry. There must be 50-60 dining places and each was doing the same. The Gards must be fully aware of it as you can't really not know about it, but clearly turn a blind eye. It's a farce, it really is.

@HootOwl if you've been vaccinated you'll be fine, here and anywhere else in the EU after 19th July (y)
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Great to hear common sense prevailing and thanks for the tip 👍
 
Noobie said:
A dodgy accent, a pair of crocs and a ever filling guiness pint glass seems to be all you need.
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Dodgy accent - Check, I've got one of those

Crocs - No - Will Adidas Sambas 👟 do? 🤔

Ever filling Guiness glass - Check - I'm a master of not getting a round in. 😇
 
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