4. By the Fergus to Killimer

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Conor and Marie arrived in Newmarket on Fergus about 9.30 a.m. They had been up at 3.00 a.m. to catch a 7.oo a.m. flight at Heathrow.

Our route was by the R458 and the busy N18 to Clarecastle. For most of the way a hard shoulder kept us apart from the other traffic. At Clarecastle we left the main roads and headed west, and then southwest, on the Mid Clare Way, all on tarred roads. There were dykes or seawalls along the estuary of the Fergus.

Our route took us by Lissan West and Islandavanna Upper and Lower (farms) and then on to the R473 to Killadysert where we stopped for lunch.

There was a raised and railed stone platform with two benches in the middle of the village where three roads met. We bought provisions in a local self-service shop and ate them in the sun with the quiet village traffic passing about us.

From here we took a minor road due west to rejoin the R473 near Kilmurry McMahon (village). Unfortunately this road had just been resurfaced by the simple expedient of dumping lorry loads of dry gravel onto it and leaving it to time and traffic to level it. Our two mountain bikes found the going a little wobbly. The tourers lost the will to stay upright.

Thus the R473 was welcomed like an old friend when we met it again. Soon we turned off on the R486 to the ferry terminal at Killimer.

At about 2.30 p.m. we boarded the ferry.

And relaxed.

And why not?

Above a sluice-gate on the Fergus estuary, in the vicinity of Clareen bridge
(ING R32 70)

On the seawall at the sluice-gate.

We saw many elaborate roadside shrines, and highly decorated grottos at the approach to towns and villages. The absence of vandalism was appreciated.

4. By the Fergus to Killimer

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