Seeing Ireland on two wheels

SIMON CALDER says Ireland is best enjoyed by bicycle.

Rain? Wind? Hills? The true enemy of the cyclist is none of these. It is boredom, which is why riding a bike in Ireland is never a disappointment. Ambling around Dublin, or setting off from Baltimore at the southern tip of County Cork to Malin Head in Donegal, cycling is the best way to see Ireland.

On two wheels, you experience the country at an appropriately gentle pace. Sure, the climate can be challenging, but even if you are heading into a gale, distances are not overwhelming. Ireland is the perfect size for people of moderate fitness and ambition - but there are plenty of challenges for those wanting to push themselves, rather than their bike, on and off road.

Renting a bike is easy almost anywhere and, with Raleigh running a nationwide rental system, the bikes are well-maintained and sporty. Or you can use an operator such as Irish Cycling Safaris, which offers group excursions or self-led tours.

Where to ride? The short answer is get out of Dublin, fast. A columnist in the Irish Times described it as "a maze of pock-marked streets that have sunk to a state of decrepitude unmatched by any other major European city".

For a long weekend, head south from Dublin into County Wicklow into the mountains, or along the coast, or ideally a bit of both. With a little longer, you could continue south into Wexford, and journey to Britain from the port of Rosslare or take the train back to Dublin.

Taking a south-west course from Dublin leads you through gentle country to the town of Kilkenny, from where you can drop down to Waterford and a series of superb coastal roads to Cork.

Cheap flights and ferries direct to Cork open up the possibility of a few days' riding there. Once free of the city you can enjoy remote roads with little traffic. Kinsale is the obvious destination for the first or last night, with plenty of places to stay and fine restaurants.

The west coast has some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe, and plenty of cheap and cycle-friendly places to stay. The road from Glengariff north through the Caha Pass to Kenmare should be tackled only by those with the legs for a 304m ascent and the brakes for the descent. But once across, the west of Ireland opens up to you.

The Ring of Kerry makes a good two or three-day ride. Across the Shannon, the Burren offers good mountain biking plus access to the Cliffs of Moher. Cycle west from Galway into the prevailing Atlantic wind to start a circuit of the Connemara coast, which can be continued into Counties Mayo and Donegal. The further north and west you go, the wilder the countryside becomes and the thinner the traffic.

Ireland comes to a natural conclusion at Malin Head comfortably close to Derry airport, with links to Manchester and Stansted, if the long haul back south doesn't appeal.

- INDEPENDENT

Irish Cycling Safaris