Limerick to Cork

thebouldwhacker

Hey all, I'm planning to cycle from Limerick to Cork and trying to figure out the route. Can I cycle on the bypass onto the Cork road? I know its 120km but not sure if its a motorway. If not any suggestions are welcome.

Cheers

ROK ON

@Bould.
I don't know but why would you need to.

Cycle out toward Emily, Killmallock, Charleville, backroad to Dromina Kanturk. Onto Naad then down to Blarney.
The main LimkCork road and bypass have Mroad status on some parts of the road. Very heavy truck traffic. Why bother.
Would be a nice cycle.

Cape Clear

The main road into Limerick within a few miles of the city has recently been upgraded to a motorway

Whatever route you go, avoid the main limerick-cork road. The part north of charleville is awful, one of the few roads I would be genuinely afraid to cycle on. Narrow, twisty and lots of speeding motorists. For some reason the standard of driving on it is woeful. Oh, and then there's the experimental 2+1 layout between Mallow and cork, with no hard shoulder and a wire crash barrier in the middle of the road. You mightn't die but you sure won't enjoy the cycle if you go that way.

thebouldwhacker

Cheers lads,
@ROK, I'm going to take half your route in the morning, Ballyneety, Bruff, Kilmallock... then go past Ballyhoura (they'd never let me in on the road bike:rolleyes:) Mitchelstown, old road to Cork.

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/route/ie/cork/682127102500144027

GearoidP

Bould,

I found this route pretty darn good:

Limerick - Patrickswell - Bruff - Kilfinane - Killavullen - Ardpatrick - Grenagh - Courtbrack - Blarney - Cork.


http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=113330&v=5T

Ryder

may have to do this soon.......what route did you end up taking and how long? Thanks

on_the_nickel

Deleted User wrote: »

Whatever route you go, avoid the main limerick-cork road. The part north of charleville is awful, one of the few roads I would be genuinely afraid to cycle on. Narrow, twisty and lots of speeding motorists. For some reason the standard of driving on it is woeful. Oh, and then there's the experimental 2+1 layout between Mallow and cork, with no hard shoulder and a wire crash barrier in the middle of the road. You mightn't die but you sure won't enjoy the cycle if you go that way.

As someone who drives from Cork to Limerick and back twice a week, the man is correct. Kilmallock to Mitchelstown, or Fermoy, is a nice alternative.

Ryder

on_the_nickel wrote: »

As someone who drives from Cork to Limerick and back twice a week, the man is correct. Kilmallock to Mitchelstown, or Fermoy, is a nice alternative.

thanks.....know the area well, am originally from cork and used to work in mallow. Just wondering if anyone here has taken the alt route and roughly how long it takes?

cantalach

I've cycled this route many times, though usually in the other direction. To avoid the motorway coming out of Limerick, just take the old N20 through Patrickswell. The main Limerick-Cork road certainly isn't the nicest cycling road in the country but I wouldn't go so far as to say it was dangerous. Do keep well in on the 2+1 section though.

That said, with time on my hands I would take the slightly longer route via Caherconlish, Hospital, Knocklong, Mitchelstown, Fermoy, Rathcormac, Watergrasshill. The scenery is much better than on the main Limerick-Cork road and because the M8 Dublin-Cork route is now fully open, you'll have the old N8 all to yourself once you get to Mitchelstown.