About Us

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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Tuesday 10 July 2018

Slight mishap with the Beast



NO DATA ALLOWANCE!

Such a good day spoilt by the finding out that we have used the permitted data allowance here in Ireland. Our fault as we should have read the small print. Instead of the 40GB we are entitled to and as much Netflix, as we want to watch (which doesn't come out of our allowance) 3 stated very plainly that we had used more than the 'fair usage' stipulated in our contract. What we failed to realise was that we were only entitled to 13GB allowance here in Ireland. Will try to resolve ASAP.

Monday 9th
Miserable weather again, overcast with mizzle in the air. To the left of our parking spot was a high hedge and some very loud noises came from that direction throughout the night. Baying (donkey), crowing (cockerel) and the noisiest being a peacock! But it was another lovely spot and not another Motorhome came to join us.

Today we continued on the Wild Atlantic Way. Made it to Dingle and a good job we arrived before lunch. Found a parking spot with a fee of €1 an hour. After a couple of hours we left and by then it was wall to wall cars all trying to find a spot and of course there is always one that thinks he knows best!

Dingle Harbour.

He was convinced he would get under it! Had to reverse back in the end.
  Lunch consisted of fish and chips and a jeweller was found so Ian could have a new watch pin put in the strap.

Have I mentioned the roads??? If we thought the Ring of Kerry road surface was bad then parts of the Wild Atlantic Way was diabolical. We also had our first mishap in the way of a scratched wheel arch.


Awful road conditions.


Cobbles!!!

Amazing what is on the side of the road.

 Parts of the Wild Atlantic Way narrows to an almost one car width and Sod's law said one of these narrow places we would meet another car. And sure enough, we did.  So with me Hanging out of the passenger window shouting to Ian that he had only an inch or so to spare before hitting the wall and with Ian keeping an eye on the car trying to get past, the inevitable happened and the wall was scrapped. Breathing a sigh of relief that not more damage had been done Ian then looks in the side window to see the same car now having to confront another two cars and a coach! I think the car driver in the end reversed.


Breathing in!

Looking through the side window mirror

Same car...same situation


  Continuing along the coast road we eventually stopped at the Blasket Centre. Blasket is an island which once had a population of about 160. This fluctuated depending on families moving out to America during the Potato famine and later youngsters leaving to find work on the mainland. By 1947 many of the islanders had left and by 1953 during storms in which no supplies could be sent the last few evacuated to the mainland and never returned. All that is left is the derelict homes and the island is now left to the seals and birds.

Typical island cottage





Having only done about 70km we are at last heading North. Short-lived though as we have to go South to Dingle again to then continue North. Stop over the night was another glorious parking spot found in the 'park your vehicle for the night' app Just South of Feohanagh. Tomorrow we head for Tralee again to try and get some sort of pay as you go dongle for Ireland.





1 comment:

Angela said...

Hopefully your modem and phone is unblocked. Buy an Irish 3 phone sim, not a data sim. It will cost you €22. That includes €20 credit which will give you 'All you can eat' data (limitless). You can use it in your phone or modem.
Regards Angela.

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