Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 September 2026

DMC island or Ireland trip…? Stena took the strain for most on a Thursday morning ride across the North Channel, to a breezy and showery Belfast, via some cultural sights and down to Newcastle. Hutt Hostel is very nice if a little short on the details like curtains and could use better kitchen equipment. Not to worry, Ruth left a glow(er)ing report after we left!! The town is nice, perched at the edge of the sea and Mourne Mountains which had to wait until the rain eased on Saturday. Friday was a true wet weather day with AJ,K visiting Bru na Boinne in Ireland proper and others taking in some National Trust sites and coffee shops. Saturday was nice but windy the odd shower passing through, and we all managed Slieve Donard (highest mountain in Ulster) with R,T,I continuing on to Slieve Bernagh with its impressive Tors. Nice hills but as I’ve realised from other visits to the Emerald Isle they fizzle out into endless fields and hedgerows. We all split on Sunday, A,J following an ambitious (but undoubtedly rewarding) road trip around the coast, cliffs, beaches and antiquities, ending south of Galway. Ruth and Iain dropped Toni into Belfast where he took in a Murals tour, Ruth and Iain drove 220 miles and 5hrs to arrive at Westport via an ascent of Nephin, to meet Sandy, Greg and Alex off to see family.

Westport for a hill Island in the mist (Monday), Connemara in the rain and mist (Tuesday), though Ruth stayed in Lennaun and had a fantastic sunny Wednesday cycling here. Iain and Sandy enjoying Slieve Liath cliffs followed by Errigal in Co. Donegal and a cross country afternoon dash for the evening Ferry back home.

Definitely go back but it’s a long a boring drive to Connemara no matter which way you go! Christy Moore wrote a song about the airport at the Knock, not sure he wrote about endless hedges and fields. But the coast and mountains when you get there are fantastic and well worth it!

• Report by Iain