Tour of Ireland: Stage 5

Report from Joe Wheatley Stage 5 - Tour Captain and Route Master

On Sunday afternoon, 16 August 2026, a group of Orwell cyclists successfully rolled into Derry, completing a challenging 4-day tour with, remarkably, zero punctures!.

This tour was the latest stage of an epic multi-stage circumnavigation of Ireland connecting major landmarks across the country, which started with the club's historic Stage 1 Dublin-to-Cork route completed back in 2021.

Stage 5 route hugged the jagged north-western coastline of Sligo and Donegal, with its spectacular scenery featuring beautiful beaches, harbours, rolling hills and towering cliffs.

•⁠ ⁠The Grand Departure: On Thursday, 13 August 2026, the 24-person peloton set off in 3 groups from the Riverside Hotel in Sligo to tackle the first of four legs .

•⁠ ⁠The Route: The group conquered a challenging 400 km terrain featuring some demanding climbing across almost 5,000 metres of elevation over the four days with overnight stops in Carrick , Dungloe and Creeslough.

•⁠ ⁠The Perfect Finish: The team arrived safely in Derry on Sunday afternoon with smiling faces boasting a completely flawless record with no flat tyres.

Here are a few pictures of the tour.