Cork - Clonakilty - the perils?

la calera

I am cycling from Cork (train station) to Clonakilty on June 12 and am not familiar with the route (I live in Dublin). I cycle quite a bit in Dublin (so have spare tubes, pump etc), but will be on my own so am looking for local knowledge. Anything to watch out for/better route to take/local advice?
I have printed out directions from AA roadwatch.

CptMackey

Between Inisshannon and Bandon there is a stretch of road with no hard shoulder and people tend to go a bit fast. Once you go over the bridge leaving inisshannon you'll see what I mean.

Simillarly from Bandon to the golf club on the cork side of clonakilty can also be a bit hairy.
Apart from a few climbs it is not too bad. I would stick to the main road as the backroads can be dangerous for cycling unless you are familiar.

Enjoy

tyler71

I think the last poster covered it, a few narrow sections but overall a nice route. Fairly flat too, I think the only climb you'll get is coming up from the Viaduct just out of Cork and that's just a long drag - after that it's grand. Hope you get nice weather!

la calera

TVM for the pointers and glad to hear it's relatively flat...now to find someone to carry my bag.....!

thebouldwhacker

There are many fantastic routes you could take, the main road is def the easiest and is (imo) a nice cycle, I wouldnt rate the road any worse for traffic than any other road (esp if your used to cycling in Dublin) That said the section out of inishshannon as mentioned is tight but if you stay brave you'll be fine its only about 2-3 km long. However if you have no time pressure then there are other routes along the coast which are worth looking into.
What distance are you comfortable with?

thebouldwhacker

This kinda route... lovely

Kinsale


Garretstown


Timoleague





Courtmacsheery

tyler71

Hmmm..! Whatever about the OP, you've won me over - think I'll do that route over the long weekend, haven't done it in ages. Probably take the main road to Clon and back that route, or maybe the other way round, so I can go up that short climb at the Blue Haven from Garrettstown the hard way. Decisons, decisions...

on_the_nickel

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

This kinda route... lovely

The airport hill isn't really >6% in places is it?

murf85

Hey la calera,

If your going on your own and fancy some company on the way down i might tag along with you if you want? Just let me know!!

tyler71

on_the_nickel wrote: »

The airport hill isn't really >6% in places is it?

Think so, my Garmin agrees with that (however reliable that data is though I'm not sure)- average grade just over 4%, max grade 6%. You see a few guys using it for hill reps, especially over the winter, seeing as it's well lit and with a cycle lane (which is in rag order though)

on_the_nickel

tyler71 wrote: »

Think so, my Garmin agrees with that (however reliable that data is though I'm not sure)- average grade just over 4%, max grade 6%. You see a few guys using it for hill reps, especially over the winter, seeing as it's well lit and with a cycle lane (which is in rag order though)

Hmm, nice to know. I'm in Grange so every one of my spins begins with the hill.

la calera

I'm happy for anyone to join me, and wouldn't mind actually making the cycle a bit longer perhaps and take in some of the very nice looking scenery? My plan had been to cycle with my regular group in Dublin that morning, then hop on the train down and cycle to Clonakilty (taking my time), where I need to be by 6 bells or so.
But, if there were a couple of people around Cork/Clonakilty interested in doing 100k or so that would suit me too and I'd dump the Dublin friends totally and aim to get down to Cork earlier! Pace wise, I'd be looking at doing 100k in <4 hours (as long as my overnight bag is light)...

on_the_nickel

My personal opinion is to avoid the Cork - Kinsale road after Fivemilebridge. It's not very nice, it's tight in places and can be full of a$$holes if the weather is nice.

If you want to take a loop, you could get onto the route linked to above by taking the left just before Inishannon to Kinsale. It's a lovely spin, on a quiet, decently surfaced road and a nice view of the Bandon river.

tyler71

+1 on avoiding the Fivemilebridge route, it's even worse than normal at the moment with the roadworks. I was going to suggest that route was well from the Bandon roundabout to Inishannon but turning at the Halfway roundabout for Kinsale, but the Schipool woods route suggested above is much more scenic.
If you're into hills though, the old 'Middle' road to Kinsale from Ballinahassig has a few nice killer hills in it (a few sections with gradient 18-20%) - can post a route if you're interested.

damoz

tyler71 wrote: »

+1 on avoiding the Fivemilebridge route, it's even worse than normal at the moment with the roadworks. I was going to suggest that route was well from the Bandon roundabout to Inishannon but turning at the Halfway roundabout for Kinsale, but the Schipool woods route suggested above is much more scenic.
If you're into hills though, the old 'Middle' road to Kinsale from Ballinahassig has a few nice killer hills in it (a few sections with gradient 18-20%) - can post a route if you're interested.

Id be interested in that route if you could post it.

on_the_nickel

damoz wrote: »

Id be interested in that route if you could post it.

Me too!

tyler71

Ok, and apologies for my clumsy use of Mapmyrun - think I might take a look at the app thebouldwhacker was using in future
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/ireland/-cork/996127549463353535
The first route is the direct route, which may be of interest to La Calera, four climbs, but really only one steep one - as I was doing the route I realised a lot of the better climbs are just off the direct road

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/ie/cork/972127550425012398
This second route, I added a few of the loops that I do when I'm out myself, just to get a few of the better hills in, finishing off with The Rock in Kinsale. To be honest once you get to Kinsale you have a serious choice of hills there but I like the routes I have there because you rarely meet a car when you're out, whereas Kinsale would be much busier this time of the year.

When you look at the elevation profile on Maymyrun, it doesn't look great, I think because they're mostly short climbs and they must average them out - I remember looking at the Mapmyrun profile for the Sean Kelly and similarly Seskin Hill doesn't stand out at all. My own figures from my Garmin give the hill at Ballymartyle cross 11-12% average gradient, Riverstick church hill 15-16% average and the other climbs around 8-9%

Funkyzeit

So many options!
+1 of avoiding Kinsale road after sixmilebridge. You could always jusdt go ariport hilll - and at sixmilebridge go Ballinhassig - Inishannon..

Also if you are going Kinsale/Garrestown/Timoleague which is gorgeous take in Old Head en-route -though as far as I remember the road surface down to Timolegue is really bad for a few k?

on_the_nickel

tyler71 wrote: »

+1 on avoiding the Fivemilebridge route, it's even worse than normal at the moment with the roadworks. I was going to suggest that route was well from the Bandon roundabout to Inishannon but turning at the Halfway roundabout for Kinsale, but the Schipool woods route suggested above is much more scenic.
If you're into hills though, the old 'Middle' road to Kinsale from Ballinahassig has a few nice killer hills in it (a few sections with gradient 18-20%) - can post a route if you're interested.

i wonder how the OP got on?

Did the middle road from Kinsale to Ballinhassig this evening, it is a lumpy, bumpy road, thighs are burning a bit tonight. I get the feeling it's worse going the other way? Might try it next week.