Gap Road from Lacken

Harrybelafonte

Did this on Monday, then on to Athdown and climbed up from Athdown to Shankill and then up again over to Bohernabreena. Having already climbed Sally and Wicklow Gap, these were laborious to say the least. Are these common climbs to do? It looked like there had been a race there at some point, but the road surface is abysmal so not sure.

Roadtoad

Did this 'backwards' last spring, carried bike across the Liffey bridge being repaired. Gap road not fit for wheelbarrows. Go for a gawk, not a serious ride. Is the bridge officially open yet?

iregk

Wouldn't do that road in my car never mind the bike!

ThisRegard

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Did this on Monday, then on to Athdown and climbed up from Athdown to Shankill and then up again over to Bohernabreena. Having already climbed Sally and Wicklow Gap, these were laborious to say the least. Are these common climbs to do? It looked like there had been a race there at some point, but the road surface is abysmal so not sure.

I'm only getting what road you're talking about now Harry, I initially thought you were talking about the Sally Gap.

The race you're talking about, or at least one that used it, was the West Wicklow ROAR at the start of the summer, the car park at the top was the transition area for the second run which was up Blackhill beside it. We started in Tulfarris House, through Lacken until after Ballyknockan (I think it was that far), jumped off the bikes, ran up the hills beside it, back down around the beach and then back to the bikes again up the gap road for the second run at the summit.

I used it for training during the summer too, had a nice loop starting off at Kippure Holiday Village, around the lakes and into Lacken, over the climb in question, back by Kippure and up Sally Gap and back to Kippure again.

Roadtoad wrote: »

Did this 'backwards' last spring, carried bike across the Liffey bridge being repaired. Gap road not fit for wheelbarrows. Go for a gawk, not a serious ride. Is the bridge officially open yet?

If it's the bridge that's just off the R759 then yep, it's finished, has been since at least July anyway, looks like it just had the surfacing complete when I used it then as there was still lots of loose tar and stuff around.

Dura Ace

The climb is called Sorrel Hill. I went over it from the Lacken side at the weekend, and descended down towards the iron bridge. The surface is a lot better than what it was, but you still need to be cautious whichever side you descend.

Harrybelafonte

ThisRegard wrote: »

I'm only getting what road you're talking about now Harry, I initially thought you were talking about the Sally Gap.

The race you're talking about, or at least one that used it, was the West Wicklow ROAR at the start of the summer, the car park at the top was the transition area for the second run which was up Blackhill beside it. We started in Tulfarris House, through Lacken until after Ballyknockan (I think it was that far), jumped off the bikes, ran up the hills beside it, back down around the beach and then back to the bikes again up the gap road for the second run at the summit.

I used it for training during the summer too, had a nice loop starting off at Kippure Holiday Village, around the lakes and into Lacken, over the climb in question, back by Kippure and up Sally Gap and back to Kippure again.




If it's the bridge that's just off the R759 then yep, it's finished, has been since at least July anyway, looks like it just had the surfacing complete when I used it then as there was still lots of loose tar and stuff around.

Sounds like the one. It wouldn't have been so bad if the road surface were better, but the descent on the other side is a great confidence booster if you can do it at a decent speed. I'm usually quite bad.

Dura Ace wrote: »

The climb is called Sorrel Hill. I went over it from the Lacken side at the weekend, and descended down towards the iron bridge. The surface is a lot better than what it was, but you still need to be cautious whichever side you descend.

You weren't in a white top or with someone in a white top? two people passed us on the way to Lacken and basically disappeared. Had to convince my self they'd only started a mile back.

ThisRegard

Yep, Sorrell Hill on your left as you come from Lacken, the hill you get to on the right hand side if you continue from the car park at the top is Blackhill.

The descent is fun but cars can be a problem due to both the narrowness of the road and the surface itself, it shakes the crap out of your arms and if you have anything like a garmin on your wrist it's bloody sore.

Here's the car park I'm talking about, you can see the trail head up away from it
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Black+Hill,+Ireland&sll=53.137709,-6.412582&sspn=0.056638,0.154324&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Black+Hill&t=h&layer=c&cbll=53.138076,-6.439811&panoid=QeDw6uhOnIXH_feNfynr3Q&cbp=12,148.6,,0,5&ll=53.138108,-6.439984&spn=0.00708,0.01929&z=16