Dublin - Westport

PeadarofAodh

Lads and Lasses,
I have a 21st to get to in Westport tomorrow and got thinking...what better way to balance out the unhealthy amount of booze I'm about to consume than a nice jaunt across this fair isle? I've had a look and apparently it's a distance of 221kms. Reckon I'll probably cycle there and then get the train back the next day - doubt I'll have the same enthusiasm after a few (ahem!) drinks the night before.

Anyone have any advice? Know a good route? Chuck anything you deem informative at me!

PS: Will be travelling with a bag on the back as I don't have a pannier friendly bike.

TinyExplosions

PeadarofAodh wrote: »

Lads and Lasses,
I have a 21st to get to in Westport tomorrow and got thinking...what better way to balance out the unhealthy amount of booze I'm about to consume than a nice jaunt across this fair isle? I've had a look and apparently it's a distance of 221kms. Reckon I'll probably cycle there and then get the train back the next day - doubt I'll have the same enthusiasm after a few (ahem!) drinks the night before.

Anyone have any advice? Know a good route? Chuck anything you deem informative at me!

PS: Will be travelling with a bag on the back as I don't have a pannier friendly bike.

Probably your best route is this one unless you want to do some meandering around

Ledgecubed

Myself and a friend cycled to castlebar a few weeks ago, and it's a nice cyle. There are a few annoying undulating parts but it's mostly on the flat.

With regards to the route I would recommend going through Athlone:

Dublin - Leixlip - Maynooth - Enfield - Kinnegad - Rochefortbridge - Moate - Athlone - Roscommon - Castlerea - Ballyhaunis - Clarmorris - Castlebar - Westport.

We left Dublin about 7 on a Saturday and had the roads to ourselves until about 9.30. Wherever possible I would stay off the main primary routes. Even if they are more direct it's a far more enjoyable cycle on the country roads between Dublin and Athlone (which are in a very good state as up to a few years ago they were the main road). The roads from Roscommon are narrow enough (ie no hard shoulder) but they are well surfaced.

We were taking it fairly handy and made it in 8 hours (time in the saddle).

Best of luck!

PeadarofAodh

Ledgecubed wrote: »

Myself and a friend cycled to castlebar a few weeks ago, and it's a nice cyle. There are a few annoying undulating parts but it's mostly on the flat.

With regards to the route I would recommend going through Athlone:

Dublin - Leixlip - Maynooth - Enfield - Kinnegad - Rochefortbridge - Moate - Athlone - Roscommon - Castlerea - Ballyhaunis - Clarmorris - Castlebar - Westport.

We left Dublin about 7 on a Saturday and had the roads to ourselves until about 9.30. Wherever possible I would stay off the main primary routes. Even if they are more direct it's a far more enjoyable cycle on the country roads between Dublin and Athlone (which are in a very good state as up to a few years ago they were the main road). The roads from Roscommon are narrow enough (ie no hard shoulder) but they are well surfaced.

We were taking it fairly handy and made it in 8 hours (time in the saddle).

Best of luck!

Thanks for the help lads. I was all set for doing it but finding it difficult to convince any of my mates to join me...not enough of a loner to enjoy doing it on my own. Nothing convinces people like nagging though so hopefully I'll find someone!

Caroline_ie

PeadarofAodh wrote: »

Lads and Lasses,
I have a 21st to get to in Westport tomorrow

... you better get moving now or you'll miss the cake...

Trojan

I agree about going via Athlone. I went as far as there last week (was attempting Galway but was too slow on the first segment on canal). Here's the thread - got some route info in there: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055373018

Actually here's the route I did (but don't take the canal towpaths, will slow you way down unless on MTB or CX):

PeadarofAodh

Did it and survived (Despite having the left side of my face, arms, quads and calfs all burned!) Found out when we were going through Longford that it was Ballina, not Westport...thank god we were warned in time!

Came to about 250kms, avg speed of 28kms/h. Roundabouts 9 hours of actual saddle time - 11/12 hours journey time. Wind seemed to be against us (just the two of us on the jaunt) pretty much the whole way but wasn't v strong at all so not too much of a bother. Arrived to the party and destroyed most of the food (but only managed about two drinks...).

Thanks for the help with the routes lads, altered it a bit but worked out perfectly!

DirkVoodoo

Well done Peader, pretty sweet achievement. Disappointed on the drinking front though, you will have to work on your endurance!:D

PeadarofAodh

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Well done Peader, pretty sweet achievement. Disappointed on the drinking front though, you will have to work on your endurance!:D

Cheers Dirk - Have to say the toughest thing about it was the saddle trying to re-mould my entire rear end...horribly painful!

My mate was having difficulties with his bike so reckon if we were to do it again with both machines in perfect order we could've topped 30kms/h average...might just have to find out!

'68 Fastback

Well done P. Was fully expecting a horror story or a train to have been utilised at some point!
Good job there was grub, I'd say you'dve eaten ballina by the time you got there!

PeadarofAodh

'68 wrote:

Well done P. Was fully expecting a horror story or a train to have been utilised at some point!
Good job there was grub, I'd say you'dve eaten ballina by the time you got there!

Luckily we got away without any horror story to speak of. Only close shave was on the way out of Longford town when a guy cycling a scrap heap of a bike decided to swing across the road without indicating while I was overtaking him...had to swerve onto the wrong side of the road sharpish to avoid being cleaned out! Spent an absolute fortune on food along the way, worked out far more expensive than a bus ticket!

Raam

PeadarofAodh wrote: »

...worked out far more expensive than a bus ticket!

But you wouldn't be getting as much fun posting online about a bus trip

PeadarofAodh

Raam wrote: »

But you wouldn't be getting as much fun posting online about a bus trip

I don't know about that now - return journey on the bus was thrilling: sweaty, packed, uncomfortable...what's not fun about that??