Cycling Holiday in Ireland

Adey

I've really got the bug for cycling during the last year and have done a few 60/70 miles cycle events this summer, I live in London but visit Ireland (north & south) to visit family every year.

Next year I really want to spend a week with a few friends (if I can persuade them) cycling around parts of Ireland that I don't normally get to see by car.

If anyone has any tips or advice of good places for us to cycle and any links regarding decent places to stay/camp it would be greatly appreciated as I don't know where to begin.

Thanks


Ade

cantalach

Adey wrote: »

If anyone has any tips or advice of good places for us to cycle and any links regarding decent places to stay/camp it would be greatly appreciated as I don't know where to begin.

Kenmare, Co Kerry is a great base for a cycling holiday (or any holiday actually!). I'll admit to a certain bias but if it's your first Irish cycling holiday I really wouldn't look anywhere else. You've got great cycling routes in every direction from there. In a broad arc to the north you'll find the Iveragh peninsula and Killarney National Park. In a broad arc to the south you've got the Beara peninsula, Caha mountains and Sheehy mountains. Slightly further afield to the north is the Dingle peninsula.

There are accommodation and dining options to suit all budgets and comfort expectancies in and around the town. Kenmare is massively oversupplied with self-catering accommodation and if you go with a group of friends you might find that your share of a 2-3 night rental might be as low as €40 (my brothers paid this two weeks ago). There are also self-catering houses on the grounds of the Kenmare Bay Hotel which, although more expensive, have the advantage of free use of the hotel's leisure centre.

If this is a short term plan, however, I would avoid the weekend of the 11th of September because Kenmare is hosting an important triathlon.

ednwireland

donegal (but i'm biased) but the west coast in general

i would go down the hostel routes campsites here seem to be few and far between. a lot of hostels have rooms as well

http://www.hostels-ireland.com
http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=irish+hostels&aq=f&aqi=g2g-m2&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

and considering you can cycle mizen to malin in a week it leaves quite a lot of options open

rflynnr

This may be less than useful but having cycled right round the coast from the Beara penisula all the way round to Dundalk (via Galway), there's almost nowhere I wouldn't recommend on the western and northern coasts. If I only had three-four days though, I'd also recommend the Ring of Kerry. It's also worth looking at flights into Irish regional airports from London. Indeed if I was seeking to maximise my time cycling rather than flying/travelling by train I'd almost organise my cycle around airport/flight availability.

Enjoy it, whatever you do.

ROK ON

I live in Kenmare so I am biased, in that I love cycling around South Kerry and West Cork.

As an alternative however, there is truly great cycling cycling in the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford, with many great towns to stay in. Look around Bagnalstown, Tullow, Kilkenny City, Inistoige, Lismore etc.

Sept Shamrocker

ROK ON wrote: »

I live in Kenmare so I am biased, in that I love cycling around South Kerry and West Cork.

As an alternative however, there is truly great cycling cycling in the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford, with many great towns to stay in. Look around Bagnalstown, Tullow, Kilkenny City, Inistoige, Lismore etc.

FYI ROK ON. Coming from Toronto to/through your hometown with a couple of buddies on our way over to Dingle around sept 21 / 22. Look for us, 3 sweaty Canadians just down from Healy's Pass, we'll either be riding on bikes or ambulances. Could go either way.

Seriously, I really can't wait to ride around on your beautiful island again...best place for rides on earth. Just 2 little weeks away...

Adey

Cheers for all the advice.

So much to choose from, I've now got more questions than answers haha only joking I appreciate everyone's input.

I've stayed in Galway, Donegal and Waterford when visiting Ireland in the past so I know parts of these area's.

The main thing I'm concerned about with the trip I'm planning is I don't know how fit my friends will be so any really tough climbs maybe to much for them, I am going to try and get them in shape but they are kind of doing me a favour by coming as I love my cycling but they just want a holiday. I reckon we wouldn't be doing more than about 20/30 miles per day as we will be visiting a fair few bars whilst we are there as well.

I know Ireland is fairly hilly no matter what part we visit, how hilly is Kenmare, Beara Penisula and Kerry as I'm thinking we will probably take the easiest option this time as I may scare them off for life otherwise!

Rflynnr I agree about checking out flights to local airports as it's going to be a pain to get a train to Holyhead then the boat as I'm based in London - does anyone know if there are many extra costs for taking your bike on flights?

Thanks again everyone.

Ade

Rob A. Bank

Adey wrote: »

- does anyone know if there are many extra costs for taking your bike on flights?

http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/can-i-bring-my-sports-equipment-or-bike

http://www.aerlingus.com/i18n/en/htmlPopups/baggageinformation.html#Sports_Equipment

Adey

Cheers for all the help.

I think we are going to do the Ring of Kerry, now just got to look at booking flights.


Ade

ROK ON

Best of luck.
If doing the the Ring you really should also do the 2 valleys in the middle of the Ring.
They are Glencar Valley and the Black Valley/Gap of Dunloe.

If time permits you would be crazy not to do the Beara, Caha Pass and Healy Pass.
Enjoy. Hope weather improves.

Adey wrote: »

Cheers for all the help.

I think we are going to do the Ring of Kerry, now just got to look at booking flights.


Ade

sammalone

Being a corkman I have to go with the beara route - the ring of beara is much quieter traffic-wise and the healy pass is as good as anything on the ring of kerry. You also have the cable car out to dursey island for a break from the cycling if your friends not totally into cycling! The hills aren't that bad. Enjoy the holiday whatever routes you decide on - hopefully the weather will be good to ye

Adey

Yes we are definately looking at doing the Ring of Kerry next summer, planning on doing it over 5 days whilst trying to see as much of the area as we can.

Will hopefully have some family from Ireland dropping down to see us whilst we are there as well.

I had a quick look at accommodation but because we can't book flights until early next year I haven't looked to hard but should I be looking at booking b&b's early next year or can we generally just turn up and get a room - at the minute there are 4 of us cycling.

Can't wait.


Ade

mahoo

sammalone wrote: »

Being a corkman I have to go with the beara route - the ring of beara is much quieter traffic-wise and the healy pass is as good as anything on the ring of kerry. You also have the cable car out to dursey island for a break from the cycling if your friends not totally into cycling! The hills aren't that bad. Enjoy the holiday whatever routes you decide on - hopefully the weather will be good to ye

i agree with the man from Cork. Cycled all over Cork and Kerry and Beara is probably my favourite. The headland around by Ahilles is a bit crazy though. lots of short but very sharp hills. might put off a beginner. . Going over the Healy Pass from the south is a perfect beginner climb though. Easy gradient all the way, not to high (400m i think) and snakes up the mountain with lots of u-bends so you feel like you're in the tour de france...if its sunny!

Caroline_ie

Hi Adey - The crowd at http://onyourbike.ie/ organise camps overseas and within Ireland. Maybe you can give them a shout.

Adey

Thanks for all your tips and advice (keep them coming).

I will definately look into the Beara pass and other routes for the future but it's taken me awhile to convince friends to come with me to Kerry and don't want to give them an excuse to drop out.

Hopefully they will all get the bug like I did last year and be eager to do another trip next year, if not I will try an organised trip where I can just latch on to whoever shows up for the trip.

Cheers


Ade

dunnangall

http://www.irelandbybike.com/

Quite simply the most beautiful county on the island.

amjon.

Bit late but a couple of summers ago me and a group of mates got a train down to Tralee in Kerry and spent about 5 days touring around there. We just pottered about doing 80 to 100k a day, taking in the views, eating far too many Mars bars and having even more brakes ect.. The scenery really is amazing and roads were pretty quiet/ supprisingly decent as long as you avoided "The Ring". If you're a student and the weather is decent you can get away with just sleeping in random feilds under trees and in old barns pretty easily.

Adey wrote: »

I've really got the bug for cycling during the last year and have done a few 60/70 miles cycle events this summer, I live in London but visit Ireland (north & south) to visit family every year.

Next year I really want to spend a week with a few friends (if I can persuade them) cycling around parts of Ireland that I don't normally get to see by car.

If anyone has any tips or advice of good places for us to cycle and any links regarding decent places to stay/camp it would be greatly appreciated as I don't know where to begin.

Thanks


Ade

Adey

Is the Ring really that busy traffic wise then, I hadn't even thought about that and I guess us planning to go is June is pretty much hitting the tourist trap time of year?

What are the roads like though around the Ring, is there plenty of room for bikes and cars to share or is it pretty 'hairy'?