Day 16 - Lahinch

Dad is in Lahinch staying in the Youth Hostel. He would have camped but couldn't find a campsite. He has had a lovely day on the bike today ... weather has been great and he has cycled most of the day without his jacket.  Weather is around 15/16 degrees but being by the coast there is normally a bit of a breeze.

Last night he got chatting to a few people in the pub. Met a couple of lads who had been to the horse racing and coincidentally one of them was named John and the other had the surname Allen !  He'd also seen a builders van in the day with the name of John Allen. I'm starting to think John Allen is a bit of a common name in Ireland !  He also managed to watch the Arsenal game in the pub last night - I hope he wasn't doing his usual ... a drink for every goal scored !

This morning he set off about 9.00 but had a bit of a wait for the ferry from Tarbert and got chatting to man who recognised straight away that Dad came from Stoke-on-Trent. Apparently this man's mother had come from Hanley and they got chatting about the "hole in the wall" oatcake shop ! The ferry across the Shannon Estuary took about half an hour. Cycling for the day started about 10.00 and the first place was Killimer (the ferry port) and then onto Kilrush where he stopped off for coffee and a bacon buttie. There are normally dolphins in the bay but Dad didn't see any. From there he headed for Kilkee which is nice sea-side town with a lovely sandy beach.  He then headed onto Doonbeg where he stopped for lunch ... but the best he could find was a shop, so lunch comprised of a packet of biscuits and a bottle of coke !  After lunch he headed onto Milltown Malby and then onto Lahinch.  He's already been for a walk about to suss out the pubs and has eyed a pub that does an Irish Roast beef dinner (he needs feeding up after just biscuits for lunch) so he is off there tonight.

He has passed quite a few cyclist today and yesterday going in the opposite direction. There is just one rider and a support car. I've tried to have a look if I could find out what is going on and can't find anything but if anyone knows if there is some sort of event on, then let me know.

Tomorrow he is heading towards the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin.