The Boyne Valley and Galway

We stayed at a farm hostel above the River Boyne Valley, honing our birdwatching skills and getting the full Irish farm experience. The next day we cycled over to the Brú na Boiné visitor center to check out Knowth and Newgrange. We left Slane on a rainy day and passed over the Hill of Tara before winding through farmlands back to a campground on the outskirts of Dublin. The next day we took a train to Galway, where we are staying now before heading out to the Connemara peninsula.

The tombs at Knowth.

One of the ~42 decorated stones that make up the base of the main Knowth mound.

Newgrange. This is the opening that lines up with the winter solstice.

This stonework at Newgrange was laid like this ~ 3000 BC. Before the great pyramids, as the guides liked to point out.

The River Boyne

Slane Castle

Megan at the shrine of the Rainy Cyclist

Can you spot Alex's head?

At the Hill of Tara a gentleman explained the meanings embedded in the mounds.

The Mound of the Hostages at the Hill of Tara

The Fairy Tree / Wishing Tree at Hill of Tara

Ernie enjoying a picnic lunch at Tara

The Green Man

Becoming a better bike tourist often means faffing and futzing about with your bags to get the weight settled well. Fortunately Ernie is very patient.

A visitor at our campsite outside Dublin

The Royal Canal

Train one...

Train two...

What do you do when you're at your third train change of the trip and have a 2 hour wait? Dry your tent of course.

This is the first time I've done my laundry at a gas station, but it was incredibly handy.

Another webcam spotting. This one has two. Check it out here.

The Crane Bar. A man on the street in Dublin recommended we go hear music here.

Great traditional music in a pub.

Swans aren't considered tourist attractions, but we liked watching them eat.

Ernie checking out the Bronze Age points in a museum

Galway is a very musical city, with really good bands busking and playing in pubs all over the place. 

The dream is real in a  tourist town.

Galway was a walled city, and parts of the old walls have been incorporated into a shopping centre.

Alex outside of our awesome accommodations in Galway, set to head out to the coast