Solo Bikepacking Across Ireland ☘️ Wild swimming and camping in an Ancient Irish Woodland

In May I set out on a 2 day adventure across Ireland, travelling by train from Dublin to Galway, and then cycling back to Mullingar. The main purpose of this was for a test adventure before I set out for a week-long adventure across the Alps (video coming soon). It served its purpose and I learned plenty!

I lost access to maps and ended up blindly navigating as the sun began to set to try and find anywhere to camp. A very difficult task in Ireland which is nothing more than a patchwork of farms, unsuitable for camping. Ireland only has 2% of land designated as forest, and just 0.2% of land as our original biome of temperate rainforest.

At the end of an extremely long day with little food I followed a rainbow until I stumbled upon such a rainforest. Delirious with tiredness and hunger, it was a very special time being transported to such a magical place.

0:00 – Let’s Go
1:13 – Intro
4:18 – Lunch Time
6:30 – Out Of My Head
9:19 – Big Mistake
11:51 – Camping
18:40 – Day 2
21:11 – Athlone to Mullingar
26:45 – Director’s Cut

Music:
Never Tire of the Road – Andy Irvine
Out of My Head – Rory Gallagher
Sailor’s Bonnet – The Gloaming
I Don’t Want To Ride Your Aul One Any More – The Deadlians