Ireland day 0001. Wednesday 29 September 2021- Arrival

Today’s summary	Arrival in Ardcath by car, via ferry from Holyhead to Dublin after overnight in Chester with friends
Today’s weather	Sunshine and showers, but calm sea crossing. About 9C

Today’s overview location (the red cross in a circle shows where Val and I are at the moment)		Close-up location

Commentary

So today marked the first day of our much-anticipated Irish adventure.

We’re going to be staying here for a while – and spending the first month staying in a small AirBnB in the village of Ardcath near Drogheda. We left the UK this afternoon on the Stena Adventurer and after a very smooth voyage from Holyhead, arrived in Dublin just after 6pm this evening.

A brief visit to the Tesco near Swords saw us stocked up with provisions for the next few days, then we headed up the M1 motorway towards Belfast, turning off just before Drogheda. Fortunately we were able to fill up with petrol en route, having driven all 300 miles / 500km from home in Amersham at 50mph / 80kph to save fuel in the light of the ongoing fuel crisis. There doesn’t seem to be a shortage over here, though petrol is quite expensive at €1.61/litre.

Our accommodation is a tiny stone barn, refurbished a few years ago by Colm, our host. You can see roughly what it looks like from the banner image at the top of this page. There’s just enough room to swing a cat, with a mezzanine sleeping area above the kitchen. The log stove was lit when we arrived, and the whole place is very cozy. It was dark when we got here, so we haven’t had chance to look around yet. First impressions are that Ardcath is tiny, with a few cottages and a pub – Bennett’s bar. The main road is small and you’d expect it to be quiet, though this evening it seems to be accommodating a steady stream of giant tractors pulling trailers piled high with potatoes.

The rain has started now, and the wind has picked up to gale force, so we will be sleeping with the elements pounding the roof a few inches above our heads, while we contemplate exactly what the coming days, weeks and months are going to bring.

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Our car safely stowed away for the journey	Leaving UK territory

Departing Holyhead – bright and breezy but the sea was benign	Ardcath’s main attraction – Bennett’s Bar

First dinner – brownies and red wine	Ardcath – a quiet place. Just us and Bennett’s Bar!

Looking back on Holyhead Mountain – site of many famous hiking adventures