Enniskerry - Glencree

RobAMerc

Hey guys,

I did the Enniskerry, glencree, home route last night.

Can I ask if anyone of the hills on the SK tour is as steep as that one out of Enniskerry towards Parknasilloge ?

One other thing is - is that the harder direction than climbing out of Rathfarnham to Enniskerry direction -

thanks
Rob

Chips Lovell

RobAMerc wrote: »

Can I ask if anyone of the hills on the SK tour is as steep as that one out of Enniskerry towards Parknasilloge ?

Haven't ridden the Sean Kelly climbs, but that one out of Enniskerry is very short. You can expect the climbs on the Sean Kelly to be longer

RobAMerc wrote: »

One other thing is - is that the harder direction than climbing out of Rathfarnham to Enniskerry direction -

I think coming out of Rathfarnham is harder, either up Edmonstown Road or Stocking Lane. It's a much gentler climb out of Enniskerry apart from that short steep bit.

RobAMerc

thanks

yea - I have done stocking lane a few times and its really tuff - but the pull out of Enniskerry just seemed endless - it

I might be a bit off colour though as I felt a bit tired from the get go.

will need to keep at it so if I am not going to disgrace myself on the SK tour !

Chips Lovell

Are you sure you're not going too hard at the start of the hill? You might be better off easing your way into it and then upping the pace once you feel comfortable.

RobAMerc

thanks - I will give that a try.

I am working on the basis that the ROK was a 6 on the tuff scale the SK tour will be an 8 ( mainly because of the 2 climbs ) and the Wicklow 200 the full beans (10), would that be accurate ?

Chips Lovell

Again, I haven't ridden the Sean Kelly, but based on what the guys who know the area have been saying, its as hard, if not harder than the W200.

RobAMerc

oh crap - better change that to train - ALOT more.

mcgratheoin

The initial bit out of Enniskerry is about as tough as it gets imo but the rest of the trip to Glencree is easier than the SK hills. Once you pass the right turn towards Glencullen (some seriously steep hills on that road too) it's more of a long drag than anything else. The Mahon Falls climb is definitely harder than that - I'd say that in terms of height & length it's similar to heading out the Military Road from Rathfarnham but the surface in the Comeraghs is nowhere near as good.

**edit** just had a quick look at the figures and they're fairly similar alright. The M50 to Glencree is a reasonable approximation of Mahon Falls but remember there's another stiff enough climb after that on the SK route.

Caroline_ie

mcgratheoin wrote: »

I'd say that in terms of height & length it's similar to heading out the Military Road from Rathfarnham but the surface in the Comeraghs is nowhere near as good.

Is that the 'hellfire climb'?

mcgratheoin

Caroline_ie wrote:

Is that the 'hellfire climb'?

Not sure Caroline - it may be - it's out Stocking Lane and the Military Road towards the Sally Gap - is that the "Hellfire Climb"?

lukester

mcgratheoin wrote: »

Not sure Caroline - it may be - it's out Stocking Lane and the Military Road towards the Sally Gap - is that the "Hellfire Climb"?

That would be the Hellfire one alright, the first part before you pass the car park with the occasional Mr Whippy van

Caroline_ie

lukester wrote: »

That would be the Hellfire one alright, the first part before you pass the car park with the occasional Mr Whippy van

Thanks Yes that one is pretty steep alright ... must train on it so ... :pac:

RobAMerc

there is two ways to the Wimpy van stop - one is the Hellfire climb up Stocking Lane and the other is the Edmunstown rd - Cruagh rd - (Under the M50 I think ) I think Stocking lane is the harder one, its shorter and steeper as far as I remember - Thats why coming down last night I went down Edmunstown rd

Its a great route to take for short hard run up a hill, up one down the other.

Stocking lane is the first time I ever thought my bike had not enough gears !

mcgratheoin

RobAMerc wrote: »

Stocking lane is the first time I ever thought my bike had not enough gears !

Wait till you hit Seskin

blorg

Edmondstown Road is indeed shorter and steeper, I tend to prefer the Stocking Lane/Hellfire Club way (the way we went up Saturday) although went the Edmondstown Road way on Sunday on my girlfriend's insistance. I rarely go up those ways at all though, generally go around the other way and back down Stocking Lane by the Hellfire Club, it is a great descent (Edmondstown Road is not, it is too bendy.)

Regarding the Sean Kelly Tour, this will be my first year but having looked at the elevation chart I refuse to believe that it is worse than the Wicklow 200, I think there is a bit of drama coming from some of the locals on that one. I have also heard from people who did both and said Wicklow was worse. SK also comes later in the season when hopefully you will be fitter!

I get the impression that there is a fair bit of steepness in some of the climbs, but then that is why I have a triple . If the Wicklow 200 is 10 I reckon the Sean Kelly is an 8 (ROK would be a 4-5, and I guess the Boards 200 would be an 11+ or HC )



The only issue with the SK is that there is a lot of climbing at the end when you may be tired. But there is also a hell of a lot of flat in the first half. This is not to say it is going to be easy, it is not, but lets not get it out of proportion and scare people away altogether!

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

Stocking Lane is indeed shorter and steeper, I tend to prefer the Hellfire Club way (the way we went up Saturday) although went the Stocking Lane way on Sunday on my girlfriend's insistance. I rarely go up those ways at all though, generally go around the other way and back down by the Hellfire Club, it is a great descent (Stocking Lane is not, it is too bendy.

Hang on, isn't stocking lane the hellfire club road? The other (twisty) one is Edmondstown Road.

lukester

Just want to clarify, isn't Stocking Lane the one that goes up past the Hellfire club? I think the other steep winding one is Edmondstown Road, you go over a little bridge at the top and either on around to the right and up the hill towards the Military Road, or hang a left up the hill towards Glencullen.

That windy bit of road is seriously steep, I've only descended it once and didn't like it, can't see far enough round bends so on the brakes all the time.

--edit
Too slow

hobojojo

blorg wrote: »

Stocking Lane is indeed shorter and steeper, I tend to prefer the Hellfire Club way (the way we went up Saturday) although went the Stocking Lane way on Sunday on my girlfriend's insistance. I rarely go up those ways at all though, generally go around the other way and back down by the Hellfire Club, it is a great descent (Stocking Lane is not, it is too bendy.)

hi blorg,

stocking lane and the helfire club way are both the same road (you pass the hellfire club while going up stocking lane). the alternative route to the car park at the top (know as viewpoint) is to go up the edmundstown road. personally, i find the edmundstown road climb to be shorter and steeper,though there is a rather flat bit in the middle. i do the same loop as you quite often, going up one side and down the other, its good climb training.

speaking of hill training, i really like longish climbs like stocking lane and edmundstown road, but the ones i really hate are the small steep ones. i have 3 pet hates in particular;

1) the initial climb coming out of enniskerry heading up to glencrea, very very steep at one point, as mentioned previously
2) climb leading up the the bluelight pub, coming from lamb doyles
3) devils elbow climb , its half way up bridge road, coming out of glencullen heading in the general enniskerry direction, or visa versa.

iv conquered the bluelight climb, just did it again and again, now i fly up and am rarely out of breath when i reach the pub. first time i did it i didnt pace myself, tried to sprint it and got very dizzy near the top, had to get off the bike for a min or two

EDIT: just saw 2 previous replys

blorg

Yes, sorry, you are both absolutely right. Momentary confusion.

Here they are.

Danbo!

just want to jump in and ask the hill experts....

I live in firhouse which is pretty perfect for going for a spin in the mountains. My weekend spins are usually 50-60k or so but all on the flat in towards town. Anyway, im a bit of a fat bastard in cycling terms and so hills were never my forte. I quit smoking 3 weeks ago and the hills have become a lot easier, and a great way to get the lungs working properly again. I'm in no way ready to go for a spin to laragh but ive been going up and down to the hell fire recently via ballycullen road -> stocking lane (not quite up to viewpoint) and finding it quite difficult. how would you all rate the climb on a scale of 1-10, 10 being difficult?

Oh and the first time I did it, jaysus it hurt, but now i cant wait to get home and give it a bash every night, and living in firhouse, have no excuse as the hills are on my doorstep...

trinewbie

noblestee wrote: »

just want to jump in and ask the hill experts....

I live in firhouse which is pretty perfect for going for a spin in the mountains. My weekend spins are usually 50-60k or so but all on the flat in towards town. Anyway, im a bit of a fat bastard in cycling terms and so hills were never my forte. I quit smoking 3 weeks ago and the hills have become a lot easier, and a great way to get the lungs working properly again. I'm in no way ready to go for a spin to laragh but ive been going up and down to the hell fire recently via ballycullen road -> stocking lane (not quite up to viewpoint) and finding it quite difficult. how would you all rate the climb on a scale of 1-10, 10 being difficult?

Oh and the first time I did it, jaysus it hurt, but now i cant wait to get home and give it a bash every night, and living in firhouse, have no excuse as the hills are on my doorstep...

Im in Rathfanham myself so sepnd 90% of my spin time in the hills...Its pretty tough to rate the climb on a 1-10 scale as its all relative to your level of fitness and how well you can currently climb...Asuming your a complete beginner I would say that it would be an 8 in terms of difficulty,not so much because of the gradient, but ,mainly because of the lenght of the climb.You should try and push on to get to viewpoint, as once you there the are loads of options for extending the spin without facing anymore daunting climbs...

blorg

noblestee- in terms of the hills around Dublin/Wicklow it is a reasonably difficult one, mainly due to the length as trinewbie says (although there is a very steep bit just after the turn off towards Tallaght.)

Seaswimmer

Anyone done this climb recently. the W200 used it about 4-5 years ago when it started in basketball arena and it nearly killed us all as it came at the start when we were all half asleep. Past St Annes gaa club and then keep right. it brings you through Glen na smol valley and then climbs up to kilakee road (stocking lane) bringing you out about halfway between Kilakee and Glencree which if memory serves me right was the highest point on w200 (about 1650 feet) during that year.

TinyExplosions

We did Bohernabreena a couple weeks before the W200, and it's a nasty one alright -I'm still unsure exactly where Stocking Lane is, so don't know if I've done it or not!

Seaswimmer

Its the road that runs between Kilakee (viewing point) and Glencree across the Featherbeds. Not sure what it is called. keep on going straight past glencree and it goes on up to kippure and sallygap..

mcgratheoin

hobojojo wrote: »

i have 3 pet hates in particular;

1) the initial climb coming out of enniskerry heading up to glencrea, very very steep at one point, as mentioned previously
2) climb leading up the the bluelight pub, coming from lamb doyles
3) devils elbow climb , its half way up bridge road, coming out of glencullen heading in the general enniskerry direction, or visa versa.

Ouch, ouch and ouch again - I know those hills too well. For a short (1hr) spin I head out past the Bluelight to Johnny Foxes and then either turn right up the hill or straight on to Enniskerry. Turning right is long but not that steep at all and straight on is another bit of a wall. A friend of mine said he was in a bus once that couldn't get up the hill to the Bluelight and had to reverse back to the previous junction.

Blorg - you're right about the SK and W200 - to be honest, I think not having the last 40k of Wicklow would make it fairly equivalent to the SK - aside from Seskin the first 80k is absolutely fine and then come the hills. Probably more important to pace yourself along the river from Carrick - the hills are all gathered at the end so you need something in reserve. The last 20km is a nice easy spin back to Dungarvan as well, which means that you'll have partially recovered by the time you get back. If someone can do the W200 then they should be fine for the SK.

barrabus

el tonto wrote: »

Again, I haven't ridden the Sean Kelly, but based on what the guys who know the area have been saying, its as hard, if not harder than the W200.

It ain't as hard as the wicklow 200.
If you can do a day in wicklow doing both Sally and Wicklow gap, the SK160 will be a challegning but manageable step up.

Quigs Snr

Drama queens the lot of ye ! There isn't a cycle in this country thats not easy if you ride within yourself. I always found the W200 a little easier than the local climbs (longer but steadier), but its not a straight comparison. Usually I do the W200 with a bunch of leisure cyclists and the climbs down here with racing cyclists so my opinion is colored. I wouldn't be worrying about not making it around, of course you all will. Stay upright on the descent of Mahon falls, don't be a hero and you'll be grand.

Seskin is a steep little bugger, but its short, short enough that a couple of weeks ago we did several laps of it as part of a V02 max session, so its really no big deal, you'll wonder what you were worried about. I would imagine with all the hype about Seskin most peoples reaction will be of the "Was that it!!??" variety - that being said wouldn't want to be hitting it in a race situation if I could avoid it ! If you are in two minds between the 100 and 160, just go for the 160, you'll be fine if you ride your own pace. Its not the alps after all (and even they aren't all they're cracked up to be) !