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| My two companions/mon deux compagnons,Ricardo from Portugal and Nayroka from Brazil at the Start on Conyngham Rd Routiere Conyngham depart 7.30am Weather was 1C but no Ice very very cold/ Meteo 1C et Tré Tré Froid mais ne pas glace |
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| Myself and Nayroka |
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| Chilling out and getting some Coffee's 3 km from Trim,Nayroka was suffering badly from sore Feet because of the Cold/Nayroka suffre tré mal á le pied parce le froid et marche la voie et restez pour demi houre et consummere le Caffé et nourritee snack's |
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| Stopping for Coffee's and a Massage 3kmfrom Trim |
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| Young Foal ,Trim/Jeun Cheval |
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| First Castle to be Built it was destroyed by the Irish High King Rory O'Connor beside St Mary's Convent and facing the new Castle across the River Boyne. /1ere Chateau Trim Detruit par Haute Roi du Irlande Rory O'Connor proche Couvent Ste Marié sur le Gauche ,face le nouveau Chateau Traverse le Riviére Boyne. |
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| Boyne River/le Riviére Boyne |
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| myself /ce moi |
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| Nayroka par Brazil |
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| Ricardo par Portugal |
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| Trim Castle Built for the Norman Lord Hugh De Lacy AD 1160 /Chateau Trim Fabriquet pour le Seigner Normande Hugh de Lacy .AD 1160 |
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| The Castle is spread over a large section of Land/ La Chateau Trim Contenu un grande quantite de terre |
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| Sculpture in Batterstown Village mid point of our Cycle 22km from Trim and 23 from Dublin/Village du Batterstown ,Sculpture, ,22km par Trim et 23km par Dublin midi distance á le Ranndonée |
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| M 50 Motorway Castleknock/autoroutiere M50Castleknock |
Sunday 30th January, I belong to the Dublin Social Cycling Group and I go off on Cycles with them every so often.This trip to Trim was proposed by a Brazilian Girl and I said I would go Weather permitting. There was supposed to be at least 6 and 4 maybe's,the maybe's did not go and 3 of the yes's did not turn up so it was just myself and two other's .It was a freezing cold Sunday morning 1 Celsius when we met up on Conyngham Rd across from the Gates to the Phoenix Park at 7.30am. I arrived first at 7.15 am then the Brazilian Girl then a Portugese chap last.
We headed off eventually at 7.45am just as it was starting to get light off up the Chapelizod Rd ,then up Knockmaroon Hill I got off and pushed the last 50 metres then the Strawberry Beds on Lwr Rd. It was Beautiful Cycling along but very misty and gloomy in the Liffey Vally with the River alongside us. Then after 4 km we went up Rugged Lane,a very steep Hill for 1 km,I got stuck and had to walk up it while the other two went up it like Mountain Goats. I was just getting over the Flue and not feeling the best but it stil was very steep and would not have made it anyway.
On to Luttrelstown Rd then to Clonsilla then after a few more km to Mulhuddart then Clonee. Next to the Motorway Flyover on the M3 then on to Bracetown then we nearly ended up on the Motorway,very bad signage. Ever since they put in these Motorways in Ireland there is always a problem for Cyclists due to their Micky Mouse signs, they are alright for Motorists but not for Cyclists. We continued on to another Roundabout then went on a minor Rd with the M way running alongside us. Then we continued on another Rd until we got to Batterstown Village then eventually 3km from Trim.
We stopped at a Service Station because Nayroka's Feet was freezing and she had to walk around a bit to get the feeling back. Ricardo gave her Feet a massage and she put some Cling film on it to ease the Pain and we got some Coffee's and some Food in the Shop.
Then we Ambled into Trim and the Castle,lot's of foreign visitors and Locals viewing the Castle in spite of the Cold. After looking at the outside we went inside the grounds of the semi Ruin,it is very big and spreads over a good deal of Land and is the biggest Castle in Ireland. Built by Hugh de Lacy in AD1160 . There is the ruin of the first Castle to be Built across the Boyne facing it. This Castle was Destroyed by the last high King of Ireland Rory O 'Connor.
We had a great time in Trim and seen Loads of Cyclists on the Road in Meath mosly in two's or three's but one group was in a Peloton of about 3 Hundred.
On the way back Nayroka was suffering badly from her Feet and was not going very fast so after Batterstown things got steadly worse. Then by the time we reached Blanchardstown Nayroka had to get a Taxi back Home to the City. Ricardo had already went on ahead after leaving Batterstown so after Nayroka got the Taxi I was on my own. I decided to go back to the City a different way by way of Castleknock then through the Phoenix Park. It was Ghostlike in the almost Pitch Dark of the Phoenix Park with it's Victorian Street Lamps throwing out a very dim Light and the Park itself was nearly dark ,this was after 5pm. We had covered 90Km there and back 45.57KM each way.
It was a very enjoyable trip in spite of the Freezing Cold.
