Island Hopping – Solo Bikepacking Across Great Britain and Ireland

In May 2024, I set off on a solo bikepacking trip through England, Scotland, and Ireland. A journey powered by pedals, curiosity, and a healthy dose of improvisation. I signed up for an adventure, and I got exactly that.
This trip had it all: serene lochs, annoying bike problems, slippery bogs, mysterious stone circles, surprise encounters, Viking cities, warm pub music, but foremost breathtaking landscapes. Plans were made and then joyfully abandoned in favor of detours, delays, and the occasional deadlift over a fence.
From ferry crossings to the depths of Glen Etive, from castle views to tire disasters, and from Couchsurfing to unexpected wilderness survival moments – each day brought its own rhythm, challenge, and beauty. I condensed the full ride into short daily segments, each under two minutes, in the hope of inspiring other bikepackers, nature lovers, or anyone dreaming of an open-ended road.
This film is part memory, part chaos log, and part love letter to the wild and wonderful isles of the UK and Ireland.
In case you want to contact me regarding questions, route tips or whatever, you do so best via Instagram: JonasOnHisBike
Link to the Balkan Video from 2023:
Tour de Balkan – Solo Bikepacking from Germany to Greece
The original route:
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1560101909?share_token=a1IDhXJT1DlB2CrEV8Fd9jK7I6nKYgnuwb9moz4fRcmQcLFnOO&ref=wtd
The route with a bit less less adventure:
https://www.komoot.com/tour/2326865525?share_token=aWdZhQEMMd396ByfxXwXSwqt3uafu7hh7pkbHhpdyeumOY8oYB&ref=wtd
Also special thanks again to Dr. Peacock for giving me permission to use “Trip to Scotland” – the anthem I listened to a lot next to “Trip to Ireland” of course 😉!
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:29 Preparations & Arrival
1:32 England
9:58 Scotland
30:11 Ireland North of Galway
41:15 Ireland South of Galway
58:59 Wales and return journey

this is the story of a bike packing journey across the UK and Ireland with lots of sun but also rain bo coasts sheep castles and pups i make this video to inspire fellow adventurers to share some love for the wild beauty of these islands and to not forget any of it myself the whole trip boils down to under 2 minutes per day before heading out changing tires and adding fresh tubeless sealant gave me a feeling of security which unfortunately let me down several times changing the stem and tendlebars and taking the almost obligatory photo were also part of the final preparations then finally 20 relaxed kilometers to the ferry near Amsterdam gave me another opportunity to mentally say goodbye to the continent i left the Netherlands similarly famous for the amount of rainfall as the UK and Ireland on a sunny day looking back perhaps this was an omen for the luck I would have over the next 4 and 1/2 weeks without this video evidence hardly anyone would believe that I dodged major weather lows with sometimes destructive floods several times by luck with only three out of 30 really rainy days so welcome to the sunniest bike packing video of the Isisles of Rain after a fairly convenient night land was in sight on the next morning the first few days have taken me through the national parks North Penines Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District with disembarking the ferry in Newcastle upon the real journey began leaving civilization behind on the beautiful cycle path of the Derband Walk this was the first time I was enjoying the stereotypical view that I had envisioned to encounter i also had my first contact with other typical elements of the landscape keep and the landscape in the north benines changed to heatland the north benines were also characterized by descents and climbs with 16 to 20% in quick succession [Music] [Applause] the transition to the Yorkshshire Dales was via a welcome change of road surface [Applause] opening and closing gates to prevent sheep from escaping became a multiple times per day thing for the entire trip in the morning I had set myself the goal to reach the Tanhill Inn in the evening after more than 100 kilometers it’s the highest in in Great Britain which not only rewarded me with a I would want to say surprisingly great vegetarian dinner but also a fantastic view to wake up to [Music] after packing up I continued through the Yorkshire Dales [Music] bridges were nature’s way of saying get up and push [Music] respect the land yo well I respected the land however shortly afterwards the country or rather the route was no longer nice to me kumud probably thought it was doing me a favor with this shortcut it might look like that on the map but as soon as you have to push up a mountain for 2 hours you start to doubt the time savings [Music] and then I suddenly encountered like-minded people i can understand that it would have been more fun on a mountain bike and downhill but fortunately once reached the summit the descent was faster than the ascent [Music] restocking calories was highly important [Music] the day had some more imperfect path prepared for me or at least I had prepared them for myself [Music] unfortunately somewhere great especially once I reached the lake [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Some more pushing but more enjoyable with this you [Music] this tree felt so iconic in this moment it stood there so unsuspecting and not warning just before I had to climb the hard not pass with multiple 25% segments and a 30% segment offering great views to both sides with this bike packing setup I had a good excuse why I could not make every segment of it [Music] the way down was also very steep and curvy if you have disc brakes remember to release the brakes from time to time to avoid overheating after days like these you look forward to a campsite with a cold shower and serve dinner [Music] the first highlight of the next day felt very special the reflecting mountains from the other side on the black water were simply picture perfect however the next hour was less of that soon after the start of the apparently hiking trail I could not cycle anymore and continue to drag my bike uphill after remaining optimistic that a path would still to be found despite the initial difficulties I soon had to accept that this was not the case after all this experience showed me that it is okay to turn around if the path doesn’t just seem bad but actually is bad carrying the bike back down and taking a 30 km detour that is how I found myself one more time passing the mirroring lake luckily the detour allowed me to stop at a bakery with a coffee and mint cake which is a specialtity of Kendall heat [Music] [Music] up [Music] Finally beautiful forest trails again first just rideable then shifting to adventurous always remember no pain no view gain [Music] then I spent the evening and night next to a Scottish couple they eagerly educated me about political tensions between Scotland and the UK and independence movements of Scotland the next highlights were Kalile the Scottish landscape and Edinburgh [Music] due to time and my motivation to continue cycling I just had a peak inside the castle of Kali basically directly behind the Scottish border in the middle of nowhere I ran out of water so I asked a woman watering the garden instead of her quick refill I was also invited inside for a coffee and to exchange some life stories [Music] usually I do not like having such a long road without changing directions and soon I met Phil who had a lot of fun anecdotes to share this made 2 hours of the path we shared short while so squash was your marriage story actually moreover he cycled the same route in 17 years so he prepared me already very well for the Buddhist monastery we would be passing together [Music] [Music] meeting some more cyclists along the way to in Lethan after they watched my bike while I jumped into a supermarket to get myself some dinner I quickly found a beautiful camp spot to rest after another 125 km of cycling to make use of the legal wild camping in Scotland starting the day in such a scenic setting gave me the illusion of a carefree ride ahead but that illusion didn’t last long at the first climb I realized my right shoe wouldn’t uncip i lost a screw somewhere along the way just to keep things exciting there was absolutely no signal except for one oddly specific spot like a secret phone booth in the middle of nowhere so there was no way to check for bike shops no way to reroute i had hoped the descent after the summit would be an easy one wishful thinking instead I was welcomed by a bo and deep mud that soaked my shoes and socks within minutes riding became a test of balance and with that shoe I eventually fell luckily onto the softest patch imaginable after that pushing my bike worked better than riding for a while i kept alternating between cycling and pushing depending on what the trail would allow the path down was steep rocky and far too risky to ride with one foot locked in place [Music] riding through puddles turned out to be like riding through sand going fast might feel risky but it’s often the safest bet unless the puddle is trying to eat your front wheel in which case detouring becomes very appealing on the way into Edinburgh I caught a glimpse of Arthur’s seat rising in the distance but first things first getting the shoe situation sorted the bike shop didn’t have the part I needed for sale but in true heroic fashion the owner took a screw of his own shoe just so I could ride on after dropping my stuff at my couch surfing host’s place and hanging up my soaked laundry I set out to explore the city by foot the rain had rolled into the city as well it suited Edinburgh perfectly giving it that atmospheric moody charm sadly I was too late to get into the castle looking for shelter I ducked into a bar and ended up meeting an Australian traveler together we explored a bit more of the city then I continued hiking up Arthur’s small seat a mountain offering rewarding views over the city a small seat is for people like me who just don’t have enough energy left after a day like that next on the route were parts of the Scottish Highlands scotland [Music] getting out of Edinburgh was a gentle escape into the green Scottish hills [Music] my first mission post Edinburgh was survival based acquiring the legendary smitch this mitch repelling miracle is considered essential from May to September when the infamous highland midgetes form clouds the size of regrets and now check out the midgetes this they don’t spread disease but their itchy bites can turn even the calst person into a frantic windmill [Music] while waiting for my delicious lunch one of the staff gave me a spontaneous crash course in coffee roasting i basically learned more about coffee in 10 minutes than I had in 10 years of drinking it perth was not exactly bike friendly with such blockages [Music] [Music] within a short period of time there were almost all variants of possible path surfaces [Music] after another 120 km a kind woman offered me a place to freshen up just a quick cat lick but enough to feel human again then it was time for a gourmet bike packing dinner bread baked beans hummus and a generous squeeze of Sriracha thankfully it only rained during the night and not the next morning as partially seen on my tent’s footprint my tent was covered with a lot of slucks but better than having had them inside nearly needless to say when wild camping you should always take your trash with you even if it takes more than 20 minutes of carrying it to the next trash can and then just when Scotland started to look like I imagined Scotland the panorama stick broke due to heavy clouds hanging over the Karan Gorm National Park I cycled around it via an old military road close to the highway which I now think I shouldn’t have done due to the feeling of having missed out on some beautiful highlights at least there was fuel and the view was still great [Music] additionally here I at least met multiple bike packers to share a few kilometers with [Music] the next few days would be characterized by some very inconvenient route planning even though starting beautifully with incredible Less the here shown highest peak was also the start of the first undesired adventure after Fort William was Gleno which is a famous Scottish highlight Glenai was stunningly beautiful but also isolated for reasons the part after that was beautiful but not as exciting anymore day eight the unlucky day [Music] after passing three lofts consecutively I was soon at the probably most famous one the Loch Ness it is best known for its inhabitant Nessie but should be more known for its beauty and dimensions of nearly 40 kilometers in length and due to its depth of up to 230 m being the largest lake by volume of the whole Great Britain containing more water than all lakes of England and Wales combined cycling along it was really beautiful on its south side the fairly calm street led a bit away from the lake up a hill creating the perfect spot for a snack [Music] on the way back to Loch Ness there was first L terif to pass [Music] it felt very rewarding to see the lock from the other side before having a break in Fort Augustus but then because the weather was so good I was ahead of time and the highlights were looking very promising I decided to take one optional detour the entrance to the trail just warned of severe damage from a recent storm i thought there would be nothing to worry about the path also started like nothing unexpected just without signs of other humans for a long while but a pink castle soon after the path got a bit too steep to continue cycling the views on the Loch Ness and White Hill views nearly made up for it [Music] despite the puddles being annoying I stayed optimistic going downhill even when your bike computer wants you off an extremely steep climb doesn’t feel great and I started to be a bit more nervous however I love seeing God’s rays and I’ve never in my life seen them in such a setting after having finally reached the summit the view to the other side also opened up in an incredibly beautiful light however descending was not easy due to large pebbles and rocks on its steep way i could not decide whether to feel awe or increasing restlessness as the steep climbing and pushing in the heat made me run through 2 and 1/2 of my 3 and 1/2 L of water in an instant without internet connection but previously downloaded route I saw a couple of houses on the map looking forward to refill my water crossing these kinds of puddles also lowered my mood but what did even more was finding the settlement deserted starting to feel more nervous about my water situation I prepared myself to continue cycling the other 35 km until the next village but suddenly the gravel street just ended in a grass path seeing a body on the map along the planned and only path I also hoped to find water there thus I decided to continue through the book occasionally cycling but mainly dragging my bike and myself over drainage channels cycling adventure they said scenic views they said no one mentioned bo tracking endurance training reading 12 km to your next turn usually means no change of road surface until that turn at least [Music] once the sun has set over the hill I decided to continue the next day and make use of all the accessible water by washing off the sweat of the day and using my water purifying filter I luckily had another day another chance after having my oat mix with nuts and fruits for breakfast I had enough energy to continue on the path and after refilling my water as it’s never sure how long it takes to the next possibility also that concern was solved then I kept on pushing my bike over rocks and around puddles for hours again [Music] [Applause] once I wanted to cycle again I realized I lost one of my cleats to click in my pedals somewhere in the book as it could have already happened the day before it would have been a pointless attempt to try to find it again [Applause] there’s nothing like rain to remind you that things can always get worse after hours into hiking I made contact with a real hiker he told me to continue for another hour until I might be able to cycle again and another hour until I would reach more civilization encountering an unopenable door made me think of the classic bike packing triathlon ride push and deadlift they say obstacles make the journey memorable for me they just make me question my hobbies the hour continued with challenges and despite scenic waterfalls I did not want to see water on the road anymore however the hiker was right and there was a cyclable path coming up which suddenly led into a paved road in the valley formed by a glacier now called Glenroy by then cycling without locking my shoe to my pedal was very low on my concerns list i can’t remember ever being so happy to be on tarmac [Music] at its viewpoint i made my first human encounter besides the hiker in 20 hours up there I met a Dutch German couple I could bond perfectly with due to my official nationality and place of living they were so kind to take another behindthe-scenes clip for me rolling down the dead end street for cars or for me the street toward civilization again then after finally being back on track after the decision for the detour and restocked again I was braced again for the next off-road adventure to avoid the path next to the highway [Music] once I finally reached Fort William I found an amazing friendly forthcoming bike repair store who was able to replace my cleat and fix my pedal however from there on I had to cycle nearly 30 km next to the cars until reaching Gleno but I was still able to enjoy the view in between [Music] arriving at a campsite in Gleno I could do laundry and after tumbling my clothes I could hang them up a bit unconventionally for the final drying when starting the day into another highlight of Scotland it seemed like everything of the day before could have been forgotten but I had not forgotten the problems of the last two days so I asked several locals if my route would cause me any trouble and they said like Kumut did that only the first 200 m next to the upcoming land might be challenging but the remaining distance would be fine but until then Gleno felt very surreal to me but unfortunately more people thought it was worth a visit and the car street was full of cars but was very happy to turn into the one-way street leading to Glenn Eye however right at the head of the glacial lake the 41 section started optimistically looking forward to the end of the 500 m walk the walk turned out to be more like a dragging my bike over canels and puddles than walking again and then through more vegetation [Music] [Music] and also as discovered at night applying tick and antibuck spray to myself was either too late or insufficient but most notably walking now since 4 kilometers it’s very likely that it’s time to go the remaining half of the hike and bike extreme stretch continue to be as before pushing and carrying the bike why don’t you ride a bike why don’t you ride a bike why don’t you ride at least this time it wasn’t raining and the scenery was postcard perfect but then suddenly like during my prior trip through the balcon at the border between Montenegro and Albania there was an actual path suddenly appearing out of nowhere from then on I was able to enjoy the views and gimmicks again left and right of the path one rare viewing of another fellow cyclist i wish we would have exchanged potential spots for wild camping as I was then looking for a spot myself I could only find super rough or super steep ones apparently I was not the only one around here looking for a place to spend the night and enjoying the view once I found a place I discovered six ticks on myself so I left the tent for literally 5 seconds to get tweezers and then I found literally hundreds of midgetes inside my tent trying to kill a few with my towel there were still way too many left to have an unharmed night luckily this was the only night with a flying nightmares I had during the entire trip gave me a weird feeling to visit these ancient tombs canels far above sea level really fascinate me despite being used to them from the Netherlands after two rough nights I was looking forward to a campsite but the only campsite around only offered glamping but no space for tents i happily accepted that fate as it felt deserved and was good for recharging and washing [Music] starting the next day with nice views and a strong being finding its way to stay alive the plant not me i’m not that strong of course there are fries next to mac and cheese in Cample Town i was eventually glad to not have found a wild camping spot resulting in spending the night with a whiskey and beer connoisseur I met in the hostel who was here for a whiskey festival educating me about the major differences between Scottish and Irish whiskey then did we just see the monster of the Les or was it just a seal after hours of pushing and paddling this evening felt like a perfect goodbye to the great Isle early next morning it was time to set sail for the Emerald Isle the land where allegedly rainfalls in equal measure the sail in my case was a speed boat for pedestrians and cyclists if it would be legal to play I would have played Paul McCartney’s and the Wings Mullofkin tire now however it is about this most southwestern tip of southwest Scotland within the first minute I set foot on the Irish island I knew I was there thanks to the known beer company delivering to its local distributors which certainly was too early for me so I just had a non-bachelor party breakfast that long day would lead me through a Game of Thrones location the famous giant sk way and along the scenic north coast but eventually after a beautiful climb you’ll find out what has happened here the start was characterized by stereotypical Irish landscapes [Music] this TV show shooting location was very immersive but apparently was also very famous two buses coming here for the 500 m long street i would have not called Danserik a castle anymore up next was another probably too famous highlight of Northern Ireland generally very impressive the Giant’s causeway is basically nature’s way of showing off its legal skills it’s made up of roughly 40,000 bezled columns most of them neatly hexagonal but some rebels out there decided to be four five seven or even eight-sided because symmetry is overrated they have been standing around here for about 60 million years but the last 40 of them as a UNESCO World Heritage site [Music] some of these stone towers stretch up to 12 m high it was time for the classical question what are all these other people doing here the Irish coastline continued to not disappoint also the next so-called castle was more of a castle than the one before [Music] prone for terrible misprononunciation Mananan Mleier is in Gaelic mythology a warrior king of the otherworld and a sea god for me at this moment he was more the god of the view [Music] afterwards climbing up the mountain bin I got an even more spectacular view north back down was straight but stressfully steep while enjoying the blissful descent through the forest I’ve got my first ever puncture and tubeless tires after reading and following the instructions of the manual and the ones in the YouTube video I felt like I managed to plug the hole but then without extra valve tightener something you should definitely bring my pump unscrewed the valve thus I found myself pushing again towards my incredible forthcoming couch surfing host who was there to pick me up the next morning he brought me to a bike mechanic who helped me replace my tire to be braced for the next adventure leaving Derry felt quite adventurous due to the remaining feeling from the day before it was also the wetest day of the trip so far [Music] in V i was hoping for a both house which was closed according to the firsthand contact provided by my host also it was actually illegal to cycle through the park so I took a detour around it i was highly looking forward to a hostel but contrary to Google Maps this was not a hostel anymore not the first Statue of Liberty I’ve seen in a garden but this one had a better view i decided to surrender and take a hotel for the night it was way over budget but okay for one night despite the supposed to be recovering night I felt very sick therefore I cut the route a bit and was very glad for my warm shower hosts to provide me with a comfortable bed in Donigal after still checking out the city’s highlights I was having an 11-hour fevery sleep which was apparently enough for my body to recover the next days would cause me to pass a lot of coastline this horseshoe bend a few kilometer beautiful circle through more Buckland and Wild Nef National Park some more nature and also some streets up to Galway [Music] first seeing the Glenn Horseshoe from afar already before cycling the impressive loop which was certainly worth the detour [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] i had kind of forgotten what traffic feels like [Music] looking for more than an hour for a wild camping spot but sometimes it’s worth the patience [Music] sheep can jump but apparently also struggle with a fence like this [Music] i have a big passion for cycling through green tunnels if you haven’t noticed in this video so far and this day was particularly full of beautiful specimen [Music] and many other examples of nature reconquering its place in our world [Music] another thing I learned throughout the last experiences is that if you have the opportunity to do so ask for refilling your water you might get more than water like a long chat [Music] traveling through the Wild Nefan National Park was probably the nicest off-road track detour I had in Ireland hey [Music] remember when you see shots like this from hikers or cyclists they took some awkward extra time to take this shot since the cycling trip through the Balkcon the year before I still had some accumulated fear of dogs waiting for me on the street [Music] the sheep pass was another low traffic alternative leading towards the do i can’t help but promise it’s the last time I point out the weirdness but beauty of taking these shots [Music] at the lock there was the opportunity to dawn my waterproof leg sleeves even better there was the extremely surprising opportunity to find some super tasty grilled sandwiches at a food truck in the middle of nowhere this extra energy was really helpful to cycle around the Killer Fjord in rain and wind i then realized I wasn’t the only poor soul cycling around here apparently there was a cycling tour happening on this miserable day after this rainy and extra exhausting day I was very content to spend a night in a hostel another day another weather thus I decided to take the 30 plus km detour through Bokand however weather changed quickly and this would have been a very nice beach for a refreshing dip in different conditions due to the annoying weather and heavy wind I thought I make a good decision by following the main street for 40 km instead of climbing over another hill range during the two stressful hours watching for cars I really regretted this decision but eventually I reached Gway after checking in the hostel I walked through the city and because I could really wipe with Gway I decided to take my first and only rest day of the trip [Music] thus by foot I could discover the city differently noticing things I hadn’t the day before like these Irish colored trash bags and then also joining an organized pup crawl which was really worth the while [Music] from Gway the next major highlights until Dingle were the moonlandish landscape Burnon cliffs of Mohare and Kilkkey and the bridge of Ross [Music] as you roll into the Baron National Park it’s like you’ve left Earth and landed on the moon this rocky wonderland is a vast expanse of limestone pavement it started forming about 350 million years ago when this area was chilling near the equator under a warm shallow sea over time the remains of marine organisms settled on the seabed eventually solidifying into the limestone we see today tectonic movements lifted and folded these limestone layers while the last ice age glacier smoothened the surface another lesson learned when finding a pump in the wild test it first as this one was only dispersing mud in my tire some average highlights during this day some descents some chain problems some road blocks some fellow bike packers some snacks and some colorful houses these cows have one of the best views imaginable the famous cliffs of Mo to the one side and the sea to the other side [Music] did I miss a meaning to this spotlight maybe a pot of gold [Music] after a night at a nature camping site I could continue enjoying the Irish cliffs [Music] i had never seen a horse in a front garden like this [Music] and then I found myself again in a scenario in which I would make cows unintentionally uncomfortable with my mere presence next lesson learned when catching my tent trying to fly away don’t get distracted before finalizing the pitch [Music] then it was time for the next ferry from Kilimir to Tarbert i like that the explanation was in English Irish and then German they know their target culprits nowadays windmills make me feel like being back in the Netherlands the path leading to Dingle started beautiful but after over 100 kilometers having such a steep climb is not the thing to look forward to [Music] the view during the climb was still enjoyable but nothing compared to the incredible descent [Music] [Applause] [Music] the day ended even better when I rolled into Dingle a place known for its stunning coastal views charming streets colorful houses and most importantly pups with live music after a quick supermarket stop for dinner I checked in at a hostel then naturally after a day in the saddle I did what any responsible bike packer would have done refuel with a pint and some good tunes [Music] [Applause] the evening out was very fun with a lot of random interactions with strangers one of the best kinds of interactions in my opinion it was not the best recovery plan and then the next morning came right early relentless however nothing humbles you faster than hopping back on the bike after a night out if you can party you can also cycle as I pedal up the first mountain my legs and head were protesting with every turn of the crank i realized something i needed the force to get through this right luckily my next stops had plenty of it because I headed straight into Star Wars territory from rocked cliffs to out of this galaxy landscapes this area hosted some epic scenes from a galaxy far far away [Music] here [Music] it was barely wide enough for a car and a bike luckily I was not by car and getting stuck like others on this two-way street [Music] passing Dingle again before having this view of the Kerry Peninsula i had already planned to skip Carry because of the high number of tourists [Music] nevertheless I was held up in the tourist streams [Music] it had been a while since the last real off-road experiences and bike problems [Music] i was hoping to find refuge in Killer Knee Park but the tourist season was in full swing on this bank holiday weekend [Music] so I let Google Maps take me to the nearest not already fully booked campsite [Music] after Kenmare I discovered the Ring of Bar the southwestern points of Ireland and the south coast to Cork [Music] besides avoiding other tourists shortening the Kerry Peninsula had the advantage of cycling straight through the gap of Dunlow a stunning mountain path carved by glaciers during the last ice age this narrow winding route had been here for 25,000 years shaped by ice and time the road itself dates back centuries and was once a major route for traders and now for struggling cyclists questioning their life choices midclimb and some energetic hikers in their 60s who seem to have handled the incline way better than me the views incredible descents and stone bridges made every pedal stroke worth it these were moments of enjoyment before the wheels turned against me the tupless tire leaked drastically again but the tire plug action seemed to have worked good enough for the moment i still decided to try to change the tire in Canmir i was eyeing with a bike shop but they didn’t have what I needed and wouldn’t have a mechanic in for three more days which in bike packing time is basically an eternity so I contacted a couple on warm showers something like couch surfing for bike for some tools and a bike stand while fixing my tire these heroes without caves came and helped while performing this action in the city park I had to think of my dad’s second favorite phrase there’s nothing more permanent than a temporary fix when I patched the inside of the wheel with a blister plaster before adding the tube and indeed it worked for the rest of this trip at least for this wheel [Music] with a mix of excitement and mild fear I cautiously pedal onto the ring of Barra hoping my tires and my nerves would hold up along the way I stopped Ura Stone Circle a Bronx Age relic that like many in Ireland still keeps its secrets what exactly went down here no one really knows but standing among these ancient stones it’s easy to imagine rituals gatherings or maybe just the Bronx Age version of a really intense team meeting i prefer upcoming cyclists over dodging cars cycling across the stunning Barra Peninsula I was treated to breathtaking views of the neighboring peninsulas rocked cliffs endless ocean and winding roads that made every climb worth it [Music] until one sneaky patch of gravel in a curve was all it took for me to go from soaking in the scenery to inspecting the road up close thankfully only my pride took serious damage and after dusting myself off and pretending it never happened I was back in the saddle of course going downhill is always fun until the next incline lurks around the corner and you realize you didn’t shift gears in time wishing you had planned ahead especially with a worn out cassette [Music] i made my way to Zshen Barra a peaceful monastery perched on the cliffs great healthy breakfast with view towards the most southern peninsula of Ireland [Music] again [Music] cows eyeing me suspiciously but that was not the main reason for the congestion [Music] then being on this peninsula I had views from the most southern west place I could get with a closed path to the real end i accepted the need to turn around and find a place to stay for the night luckily there was a nice one close by [Music] the next morning I saw my camping spot from the other side of the bay before continuing along the southern coast of Ireland some more beautiful examples of green tunnels on that day [Music] in the 16th century this ruin was used to store grains for nearby flower mills and now provides a high-end bike and a scenic break for an exhausted cyclist [Music] shortly after another ruin was impressing me this time this ebie in a tiny village the old head posting a golf club now first glimpses of Cork from a distance looking forward to a chill evening [Music] after checking into a hostel I set off to explore on foot following recommendations from a friend who ironically was the main reason for this trip until I found out after booking my fairies that he’d be leaving just before I arrived classic timing cork had plenty to offer but I found myself missing the charm of the smaller Irish towns still the beers tasted just as good and the music hit just as hard some things in Ireland luckily are consistent [Music] the last highlights in Ireland were a kind family and the water for greenway the next morning feeling fresh and ready to roll I pedal out of cork with high spirits that lasted about 10 km right when I was just far enough from the city to make walking back a nightmare I hit a patch of broken glass on the main road my second tupless tire decided it had enough of this trip slowly hissing its way into uselessness without a bike shop or gas station inside I first tried my luck at Loer Brothers of Charity that charity didn’t extend to stranded cyclists in need of a pump so I kept walking hoping for a miracle elsewhere i found the miracle in the form of a kind-hearted family who let me wash out my tire in their garden and once again employ the blister plaster survival method on my second tire if it worked once why not twice [Music] my first intentional stop was the Artmore round tower once used by monks as safe havens from Viking raids climbing up wooden ladders and pulling them inside when things got hairy [Music] dangar itself was a charming seaside town perfect for a quick restock and my favorite dish not bananas but paneer butter masala from Dungarvin I hopped onto the Water for Greenway a 46 km trail built along an old railway line this meant no cars smooth riding and some of the best views in southern Ireland the day kicked off with a solid sandwich naturally accompanied by a generous side of crisps [Music] along the way I cycled through tunnels over vioaducts and past rolling farmland [Music] i forgot to add that the trail was lined with nice artworks dismantled railway tracks abandoned stations and nice old bridges and then eventually rolling into Water Fort Ireland’s oldest city founded by Vikings in 914 [Music] [Music] further along the south coast I reached Tinsern Abbey a beautifully weathered ruin standing since the 13th century [Music] then arriving in Rosair I saw my ferry luckily not leaving but standing ready for the departure next morning to the UK so I enjoyed the last night in Ireland the early morning of the bonus day started with a ride to the ferry [Music] after 3 hours on the ferry to fish guard I had a last long ride by cycling through Wales to car math [Music] wales reminded me quite a bit of Ireland with still some nice additions for a closure and some last climbs before I would return to the flat lands of the Netherlands [Music] heavy now crumble and breaking [Music] into cycling the VO drrome in Kathan with a loaded bike was another fun experience after a night at a campsite outside of Karthan I took the train to London and then Colchester to friends of my family close by to the ferry home after hasty getting myself a coffee before the train ride I found out that I was scalding my hands for nothing because the train got cancelled these new secondderee friends I would see in the evening also recommended me to step out in London to cycle 10 km through the city for sightseeing instead of taking the train [Music] it was a great recommendation just in the heart of London I was then caught up in the masses of tourists and in a free Palestine demonstration thwarting my personal goals of catching my train [Music] but I didn’t want to shorten my sightseeing tour because of that as you’re riding with different train companies in the UK I was not sure about the tolerance if you miss a train due to a delay or cancellation caused by one of the other companies the night with the reels [Music] despite this delay I just caught it finally after a nice and cultural evening with another bike packing enthusiastic couple it was time to get up early one last time to catch the train to the last ferry to really end the trip my originally planned route and a route without the dramatic segments can be found in the description i really enjoyed helping some fellows who contacted me after my video through the Balkcon last year thus feel free to do so as well if you have any specific questions thanks to everyone for watching my so far longest solo adventure