We follow the coast road towards Galway alongside the massive bay. The local granite is a soft pink colour in stone walls, as huge glacier-shaped boulders in the fields, and tiny islands poking out of the bay. At the last little village school before Galway all the children stop their lunchtime play to chat to us over the wall. As they all speak only Irish they get a pathetic "hi!" in return from us. We find a fairly easy way through the city. It is easier on a bike than by car - there is congestion and queues everywhere. To the east we cross our path from our outward trip at Athenry, noticing this time the wall around the town and it's city gates. At the top of a hill, peat is being mechanically extracted over many acres, such a contrast to Connemara where we watched old couples cutting and stacking the peat by hand. Then on to complete 75 miles and reach Ballinasloe. It is much bigger than we expect from the dot on the map, with a long main street of dozens of small businesses. The vast majority are pubs, more betting shops than you would think could possibly be needed and, oddly, 4 Chinese restaurants! At the very end we find a fine stone Georgian B&B. After booking in we eat in large Hayden's hotel, where we are entertained by a brilliant Irish band, the accordion playing is particularly fantastic.
Four couples get up to dance and complete the most complicated fast moving dance routines that can be imagined. It makes River Dance look very boring and plodding by comparison.
I think we are the only non-Irish speakers in the place.
Tour miles to date: 641
Location:Screeb to Ballinasloe
