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Irish weather is excellent for an active holiday. It is rarely too hot in summer, or too cold in winter, to cycle. It does rain quite often, but apart from a few mid-winter days, the sun usually appears for at least a little while each day. When it does, the countryside is transformed, and the streams turn to silver.

Nevertheless, don't forget to bring good raingear! The scenery is wonderfully varied. There are mountains - though they are not high by Alpine standards (anything over 400m is a mountain in Ireland). There are rich farmlands, and a dramatic coastline thousands of miles in length. There are castles by the thousand, Iron Age forts, prehistoric burial sites, cathedrals and churches, fine country houses and parks. There are woods to walk and picnic in, mountains to climb, many beaches (warmed by the Gulf Stream), lakes and rivers to fish. The countryside is full of pleasant, relaxed towns and villages, and most important, there are Ireland's welcoming people, always glad of a chat, especially in the pub in the evening. The pub is also the place to hear the best Irish traditional music, especially in the West. The cyclist can find solitude and great beauty by following the minor roads, which are often ignored by the motorist, to discover hidden beauty spots, secluded beaches and secret ruins.

Use the map of Ireland to find information about the country's different regions. Remember, though, that the information is by no means exhaustive! It simply gives a taste of what you can find. Any of the regions will keep you happy for a couple of weeks, and probably persuade you to come back to sample more of Ireland's delights for the cyclist.

A word about 'mountain biking'. There are plenty of forest tracks and rough lanes to attract more adventurous cyclists, but please be careful where you ride. Many of the most attractive wilder areas of the country have a surface of boggy peat and easily damaged vegetation. Even a single bike can cut a trench through that vegetation and start erosion that will eventually leave only bare rock. Please also avoid cycling on footpaths marked with a Walking Man symbol.

MAPS

Ireland is covered at 1:250,000 scale (quarter-inch to 1 mile) in four sheet. These are up to date, show most roads, and will generally serve the cyclist adequately. There are also 1:126,720 (half an inch to 1 mile) maps, but they are being superseded by a new 1:50,000 series and are becoming out of date. They are certainly useful if you are centre-based and cycling locally. The 1:50,000 maps are excellent.

TRAVELING WITH A BICYCLE

If you decide to visit a region quite distant from your point of entry, and do not wish to waste time cycling there, trains will always carry bicycles in the guard's van at a reasonable cost. If you arrive in your chosen area without a bicycle, you will have no difficulty hiring one locally.