I have given up with the weather forecast every morning I look out the window or up through the skylight it is overcast looks like our typical winter’s day cold and drizzling rain. Late start today we are taking advantage of the free WIFI with downloads and backups. Long drive ahead of us today to Calor Gas in Whitegate past Cork to refill our second gas bottle, the Irish connection is different to the English and we were very lucky to exchange our other gas bottle. We are a bit annoyed as the gas bottles should have been checked before we bought the motorhome we could have been out in the wilderness with no gas.

Good start to the day a roadworks holdup just before we enter the first roundabout to N22 which will take us to Cork. After a few more roundabouts and through the outer suburbs of Killarney we are on our way looking at the countryside views of the mountain ranges through the thick buffer tree lined motorway with glimpses of farmland, forest, woodlands, cattle and sheep grazing, clusters of homes, B&B’s by the road and over many bridges rivers and streams all the way to Cork.

Thought I had missed seeing the high voltage power lines and odd wind turbines on the mountaintops in the distance. Now we are travelling through the County of Cork and the scenery has changed slightly not as mountainous but it was sad to see a large section of the forest logged the mountains looked so bare. The Derrynasaggart Mountains don’t look as high as the mountains we travelled through on the Ring of Kerry and there is a lot more forests and woodlands to farmland.

Passed through a really quaint town of Ballyvourney with the normal colourful buildings in the main street and if you are into toy soldiers the Prince August Toy Soldier Factory is there. The road has now changed from a dual motorway to a normal single lane winding road and it is very busy you need to watch out for semi’s and motorhomes coming in the opposite direction plus there are many sharp turns and corners to negotiate, as we going down the hills.

The views are a bit repetitious but not boring, came to the large town of Macroom driving by homes over a bridge and river before entering the main town of quaint old stone building including the beautiful Irish coloured buildings lining the street, ruins of an old castle. Nice place to stop for a rest and cuppa plus get supplies from Aldi.

Feels like travelling through Canada as we drive by lakes and rivers over bridges down a beautiful tree lined road fields of sweet corn, cattle and sheep grazing in the paddocks including a roadworks holdup where there were resurfacing the road, which is badly needed.

The sky might be overcast but it is quite warm in the motorhome as we are travelling along but there is not rush for the summer tops yet. Nice to travel through a flat countryside and roads with rolling hills in the distance not the winding mountainous roads we were climbing on the Ring of Kerry and it is nice to be driving once again on a dual motorway.

Richard didn’t want to turn off at Curraheen to Blarney to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle what a party pooper I did it back in 1987. On the big A40 motorway now circling round Cork which is a massive city and we need are wits about ourselves to be in the right lanes going over and under bridges including a tunnel under the river felt like being back in Canada.

We seemed to be travelling forever turned off at Carrigtohill for a rest topped up with diesel €1.189lt and directions to make sure we were travelling in the right direction, which we were. Whitegate is a small seaside village miles from Cork on the N25 motorway to Waterford and lucky for us Middleton was the next turn off to take us to Whitegate and the main depot of Calor Gas. Lots of gas refineries and industry here and around the bay but the little villages we passed on the way were ready beautiful. It took a bit of finding but Edward and the Product Manager Colin made us feel most welcomed with a cup of coffee and refilling our gas bottle €19.50 plus their contact numbers in case we need help before leaving Ireland. Edward being a local gave us a couple of places to wild camp on the beach. Should have followed his directions instead of the satnav shortcut down narrow lanes to Shanagarry, we could see the sea but not the road so we ended up further on at the hillside seafront village of Ballycotton where we parked for the night on the seawall harbour pier by the village.

Richard was in his element talking to all the people fishing off the seawall. Quite a busy little fishing harbour plus you can take tours from here.