This morning was to be one of the highlights of our Irish trip, riding the loop from Dingle along Slea Head drive, regarded as one of the Ireland’s most stunning routes.

The morning was bright and sunny, and a local walked last as we set up our bikes and said it was going to be a great day.

The following photos are of Dingle Harbour, beautiful reflections.

We climbed to leave the harbour and head towards Ventry, and Ventry Harbour.

Lots of donkeys todays, outnumbered horses.

Views towards the North Atlantic Ocean and neighbouring Iveragh Peninsula.

An interesting stone building being used as a restaurant. The food van was just opening offering coffee and lobster.

The old building behind the donkeys were used during the famine to house two families. They were constructed by the Earl of Cork.

Heading further south you can see Blasket Island group, last inhabited in 1954 when population numbers dwindled and for safety reasons the last families were forced to leave. Day trippers now visit, and you can camp overnight. The area is a grey seal breeding colony.

This section of road took us by surprise as we rounded a bend.

A beehive hut. There are many of these scattered around the Dingle Peninsula. Their age is disputed, but scientific evidence states the eldest no older than 700 BC…..so,they are pretty ancient.

Slea Head is marked by the white crucifixion statue.

Now we are on the western flank of the peninsula with different views.

Louis Mulcahy operates an amazing ceramics facility at Ballyferriter. Lucky I can’t carry much on the bike!

Gallatus Oratory is a chapel that has several interpretations. Opinions vary including an early Christian stone church, a 12th century romanesque church, a shelter for pilgrims, a funerary chapel built for a family.

One fact that is agreed, it was discovered in 1756, and each stone have been cut on every side and end so that they fit together perfectly.

There is a free way in via a back road and walkway, but I took the paid route.. you walk up a paddock and through a gate and this is the view.

We needed to get back to Dingle for lunch to head off to our accomodation in Tralee. It was goodbye to the western coast and then headed inland cutting back towards Dingle.

After lunch we retraced some of our previous day route and then new ground to travel to Tralee. The road was very rough and pot holes and our bums and arms were unimpressed.

Neither of us felt like climbing Conor Pass so had chosen the lower altitude route. a series of photos from the afternoon.

With about 30 km to go, we did see the west coast again. We also met a Swiss cyclist at a lay by with his maps open, a bit lost. He was heading to Kilkenny but he was on the wrong road.

He either needed to backtrack and turn, or go to a Tralee and head back. Not sure what he decided to do, but it does show how important gps mapping is in not getting lost with cycle touring.

We are in Tralee. It was another great day, 102 km, 960 m climbing. The temperature got up to 25c today and I finally have a leg tan despite sunscreen.

We had another great meal at an Irish pub. Predominately I have been having fish dishes, as fish is local and been really nice.

A few quirky photos to finish.

Thanks for reading 😊❣️