Touring Ireland... Suggestions/advice?

JimboPlob

Hi

A group of us are cycling from waterford to Galway. We will be mainly hugging the coast line.

Does anyone have any experiene of this, and any hints/tips on routes to do/avoid, places to stop, not stop at etc...

Any help welcome

Thanks

dylanfernley

best place for cycling in english speaking world, just go anywhere, as people for advice and the rest will flow, going round the coast can get tedious so an inland break is good, just go on the c roads and follow your nose!

Road Red

How long are you going for? How long to intend to travel each day?

Ness1

This is something I am thinking about doing next year with my son. Please will you post on here how you find it?

I was looking into this for this year and have been told cycling in Ireland is a nightmare - not sure whether to believe Irish motorists are significantly worse than they are here.

TheEnglishman

Stick to the road nearest the coastline - I did Cork to Limerick. It was brilliant - very very few cars, good food, decent enough camp sites and many many funny moments.

If you're going in summer take the best anti-midge spray/lotion you can get.

MichaelW

Dont miss out on the small peninsulars. The Ring of Kerry is a big tourist attraction with loads of coaches.
The road from Baltimore to Schull is boring but the ferry route stops at a small island.
Generally, hugging the coast is a good idea but dont bypass areas like the Burran in Co Claire.
Consider a trip to the Arran Isles.

Road Red

Ok here goes;

Take the Tramore road from Waterford and go the coast road to Dungarvan. Stick on the main road to Cork, turning off for Cobh, Cobh may be worth a visit, but use the Belvelley ferry to cross the river (avoids going into Cork, nice place but still just a big town).
Go through Carrigaline and cross country to Kinsale (very nice, busy tourist town). Head for Clonakilty (nice town, if weather is nice a trip to Inchadoney beach is worth it) through Harbour View and Timoleague. Continue to Roscarbery and then turn off for Glandore and Union Hall (must do route). From there onto Skibbereen, as mentioned Baltimore is a bit of trek from there, a very nice spot but you have to come back to Skibbereen again.
Onto Bantry, if you want a rugged trip around the cost I would suggest the Beara penninsula, or go directly to Kenmare over the Conor Pass. You are now in Kerry where there will be more tourists and all that goes with that. I would avoid the Ring of Kerry, it is spectacular but will be very busy. The ride from Kenmare to Killarney over Molls Gap is a great one.
From Killarney I would head straight for the Tarbert ferry, this will bring you into Clare where you will head West for the run along the coast through Kikee, Doonbeg, Miltown Malbay, Lahinch, (Cliffs of Moher worth a visit, The Burren also, there is a corkscrew section of road there!) and Lisdoonvarna. This area is the home of traditional music in Ireland. Then onto Galway.

Drink plenty Guinness, its great over there. just remember the following day not to be on the end of the line!

Enjoy

dylanfernley

Road red, done a similar route to the one you suggest, staying on minor roads where possible, superb country for cycling, the irish people are grand, always willing to help, whatever the issue, i can however reccomend a route from kenmare to killarney avoiding the main road, going over priests leap, the old route i beleive, on touring bikes its fine, rough in places but car free,the only time i ever got cut up in Ireland was once by a frenchman and once by a german who was on the wrong side of the road

Have found the interior to be a most interesting place, rarely visited by the 'tourist' and all the better for it

TheEnglishman

I found the 'most interesting place' to be the guy selling potcheen out of the back of his car in a car park on the edge of town. I do remember waking up in the middle of the night though thinking - sh*t I've gone blind!

We didn't cycle far the next day.

salsarider79

Road Red: Roughly, how many miles is that route, and how many miles did you do in a day?

I am aiming to do my first tour this year, but having never done it, I need the advise of someone who has...

p.s. Sorry to steal the topic....

random man

This is the route I followed from Cork to Galway along the coast many years ago:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53319510

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53319842

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53320178

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53320600

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53322958

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53323360

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53330662

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53331368

Road Red

salsarider79 wrote:

Road Red: Roughly, how many miles is that route, and how many miles did you do in a day?

Random man has provided most of the answers and some very good routes. Waterford to Dungarvan is about 35 miles, Dungarvan to Cobh (Pronounced 'cove' by the way!) about 45.

Have done very little cycling there actually, just from there originally.