Dan and Tracy's cycle touring blog: Ireland day 9 Galway to Clifden

Today started as usual with a fab breakfast and the usual briefing along with the requisite amount of faffing, ensuring that once again we were amongst the last to leave. Heading west from Galway along a busy (for Ireland) road, we were able to make good time.

We arrived at the brew stop after about 90 minutes. Time to use the facilities, girls use the bush on the left, boys the one on the right.

Another day, another Irish beach. Another Irish poet inspired.

Brew stop. Peanut M&Ms are our new go to snack, but Tracy was still hoping for Tunnocks

Once off the main road we entered the Conamara region of the West coast. It was stunningly beautiful, with very light traffic.

Blue skies and a tailwind...

...a good day to be in the saddle.

At times we felt quite remote, never more so than when we slipped past on a closed road. The Italian motorcyclists tried the same thing - it didn't go well. Up in the wilds, the only human activity seemed to be the vestiges of the peat cutting industry. A very limited endeavour to fuel the isolated homes that only have this ancient fuel as a heat source.

Squeezing past the first barrier doesn't mean you'll get through the second.

Despite being on the middle of nowhere, finding a place to pee was quite challenging at times. High vis clothing makes hiding quite difficult - it being the opposite of camouflage.

Tracy earns the award for the wildest wee - heading for the nearest hiding spot, she stepped straight in a bog

Stunning scenery

Judith on the charge

Ingrid with her seemingly permanent smile.

Eventually we reached our lunch stop at the Zetland hotel. A very warm Irish welcome with soup and sandwiches aplenty.

View from the hotel

A short leg to the village of Roundstone for ice-cream. Kev misheard the name of the place about 15 times, although he never has problem hearing the offer of a beer in a crowded pub.

Muir and Joe

Ice-cream at Brownstone? Pound stone? Groundstone?

We rode on through more beautiful countryside, eventually reaching the afternoon brew stop, cunningly positioned by the beach. Tracy was as excited as a small child, since Mark had managed to bag some Tunnocks since the morning stop.

Tough life this cycling

Looks like we cycled to the Seychelles...

... although not without casualties.

Arriving at Clifden we discovered that the Station House hotel was far posher that expected. We showered and chilled before heading out for food at the Willow Tree. We discovered Margot and Alison on the way there, having gone directly to the pub - eating's cheating apparently!

The food at the Willow Tree was exquisite, but on the pricey side. We will need to live on Tesco meal deals in our last few days in Ireland!

Beautiful presentation...

...so let's have two courses

We were heading back to the hotel, but got waylaid by some of the rest of the Peak Tours crew. Guinness, good company and live music. Excellent end to a fabulous day. We will no doubt be paying for our late night in the morning.