Clare cycle route listed in world top ten

maddogcollins

"A CYCLE route in Co Clare has been listed as one of the top 10 in the world in a new guide which highlights the best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year.

According to the Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2010 guide, the route between Miltown Malbay and Doolin in west Clare ranks with nine other routes from Vietnam, Cuba, USA, Canada, UK, France, Australia, Italy and New Zealand. "Beginning in fertile lowlands flanking the Shannon estuary," the guide says, "this route rolls past golden-sand beaches to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher facing the Atlantic".

It recommends stopping at Milltown Malbay and Doolin before progressing to the Burren, and "a sojourn into Yeats' country", understood to be a reference to the poet's home near Gort, Thoor Ballylee castle, "before sauntering back in a loop through County Clare's gentle patchwork countryside".

Welcoming the guide entry, chairman of the Clare Tourism Forum, Cllr Richard Nagle, said: "We now need to make the most of this great achievement.""

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1118/1224259043069.html

Fair play Clare!!
Anybody actually ever done this cycle or would ever have thought that it could reach top 10 satatus?

pappyodaniel

Does driving count?

Guess not, It's a nice achievement.

ladylala

This is great news for Clare! Hopefully itll bring in lots of tourists now!

Im not much of a cycler myself but I do like getting out and about walking! Theres a website called www.shannonregiontrails.ie which is pretty good for downloading maps, etc.

blueshark22

oh lads if we had the weather .... sure you'd never need to leave the west coast of clare!!!!!! im serious!

Clareman

Sure it'd be a great country if you could put a roof on it

celliman

i am afraid you would need the car in chitty chitty bang bang to get around clare now

palaver

The scenery ist beautiful, no doubt about that. But to list any road in Ireland as a good cycle route ist a bit of a stretch.
Apart from the narrow and mostly uneven roads with potholes (you - or rather your bum - only feel it on a bicycle, believe me) and no cycle lane, there are the drivers who make cycling a life-threatening hazard in Ireland. Irish drivers, especially in the countryside, are mostly reckless and irgnorant. But come summer and the tourist drivers who are not used to left-hand driving and to the road conditions are deadly.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see Clare promoted and the coast road is a treat. But I would never ever recommend Ireland as a cycling destination.
What were they thinking of at Lonely Planet?

Dr Kamikazi

When cycling here it's best to keep off the main roads, otherwise it's suicide.
Once saw a charity cycle going from Ennis to Lahinch with most riders going 2-3 abreast causing traffic chaos. And grumpy drivers whizzing past with inches to spare, you could tell it was misery for the riders and the motorists.
But cycle from Crusheen to Tubber and via Boston (we have one too) in to the burren and explore the thousands of little used side roads and you're spot on, just hope you don't mind a bit of up and down. And bring a good map and then ignore it, that way you'll find the nicest places.
Driving, personally I love the road from Ballyvaughan to Fanore and onto Doolin, it's truly spectacular but can be crowded.
But once more, there are many little back roads where in the right car you can put the foot down and really have a blast.
On the main roads you will end up behind tourists, tractors, grannies, auld fellas and rarely exceed 60 km/h, you have to be clear about that in advance and accept it or you'll go mad.
I did, but decided to go sane again, mwahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!:D