Today was the day we crossed the pass over to Bantry Bay at a height of 350 mts. Luckily, the ascent was not very steep, we did not have to get off and push at all, and visibility remained clear all the way, offering marvellous views all around. Not many people live up here, and the traffic was purely local. This road was clearly not on the tourist itinerary, though it was in a very reasonable state of repair. The descent was equally gentle, and took us after about 20 kms into Bantry. Some sort of contest was going on here to do with sailing and seamanship which had collected a lot of international teams, a Danish one among them. Bantry is an interesting town with a nice, large town square which opens out to the sea. We visited Bantry House, a manor house open to the public and also offering accomodation. Perhaps luckily, they were full up, the price per person being 60 pounds in the summer season. We went on through the city, and were tempted by a sign on a side road to a B&B 2 kms away. It turned out to be uphill all the way, and when we finally got there, they had no vacancies. So, back to the main road, and a bit further out, we found our B&B for the night, a ramshackle old house but with a nice atmosphere.
Bantry to Crookhaven.
From Bantry, our plan was to cross over to the Mizen Peninsula and go as far out to Mizen Head as we could manage. The weather turned out splendidly, and the north coast of the peninsula had some great views of Atlantic waves breaking on the cliffs with a very satisfying roar and shower of spray. On the way, we met two Norwegian young people who recommended a detour from the main road passing by Dunmanus which we took.