Advice on mini round Ireland bike trip?

Zascar

Hey lads, myself and a mate are doing a mini bike trip this Easter weekend. Leaving on Friday morning and need to be back Monday afternoon. No set plan really just want to get a load of miles in, ride as many good roads as possible and see a few places etc.

We have friends in Galway who we want to stay with, probably on Friday night. We also have a friend in Letterkenny who we can stay with also. So we might do Galway, Letterkenny, then a few roads around there like the Antrim coast, and anywhere else around there also. However, I was thinking of just doing Galway and then down south as I'd love to do the ring of Kerry and a few roads around there also.

Anyone got any tips or advice?

CJhaughey

Zascar wrote: »

Hey lads, myself and a mate are doing a mini bike trip this Easter weekend. Leaving on Friday morning and need to be back Monday afternoon. No set plan really just want to get a load of miles in, ride as many good roads as possible and see a few places etc.

We have friends in Galway who we want to stay with, probably on Friday night. We also have a friend in Letterkenny who we can stay with also. So we might do Galway, Letterkenny, then a few roads around there like the Antrim coast, and anywhere else around there also. However, I was thinking of just doing Galway and then down south as I'd love to do the ring of Kerry and a few roads around there also.

Anyone got any tips or advice?

Ring of Beara and the Healy Pass is worth a look;)

Please Kill Me

If you're going from Galway to Letterkenny, go up through Sligo on the N17, then via Ballyshannon into Donegal. From there, head toward Glenties and Gweedore and follow those roads to Letterkenny.

Alternatively, you can head south and do the Ring of Kerry. It's fantastic, but if you're doing that, make sure to take in Valencia Island, Portmagee etc. Fantastic roads and amazing scenery. Moll's Gap is a must!!

Best of luck.

eurofoxy

if you decide on heading south, take the coast road from galway through the burren/clifs of moher etc, go all the way down the clare coast and back up the shannon estuary to the ferry across to kerry, then again take the coast road down to dingle, its a hell of a day riding but the scenery is amazing if the weather is right...

ratracer

From Galway, head out the coast road via spiddal and follow the road all the way round the coast to clifden through louisburgh to Westport then on to sligo and letterkenny from there. It's a great all day spin with some fantastic views.

mr chips

If you're heading from Donegal to the Antrim coast, avoid going as far north as Derry. Instead, go from Lifford/Strabane via Donemana to Claudy. Go through the village and cross the main Derry-Belfast road (Glenshane Pass) and continue towards Limavady on the Baranailt Road. From Limavady I recommend you follow the signs for Downhill/Benone, as this will take you out onto the reclaimed land and give you excellent views of the cliffs and also across Lough Foyle to Inishowen - truly spectacular! Bypass Coleraine and take the coast road through Portrush to Bushmills/Giant's Causeway/Ballycastle. Follow the coast road all the way round and down through Cushendall/Carnlough.
These are (with the exception of the short but boring section around Coleraine) all excellent riding roads, among my own personal favourites, mostly with little traffic of any sort. The exception might be the stretch from Bushmills to Ballycastle, but if you want to avoid any bank holiday tourist traffic you can take the inland road instead - just turn left at the Bushmills Distillery, follow the tight bends up & out of town and let 'er rip - you might pass four or five cars on that whole stretch. The road from Cushendall to Carnlough might be busier too, but it's worth it. Watch out for mobile speed traps on the approaches to Limavady and to Ballycastle.

For a great ride down towards Dublin, head through Belfast to Ballynahinch, Dromara, Rathfriland, Rostrevor and then towards Newry. Sorted.

AgileMyth

ratracer wrote: »

From Galway, head out the coast road via spiddal and follow the road all the way round the coast to clifden through louisburgh to Westport then on to sligo and letterkenny from there. It's a great all day spin with some fantastic views.

Agree with that one. The N17 is very boring!

Zascar

Thanks for the advice lads. Not sure what I'll do now as the feckin snow has come and apparently covered parts of Donegal. Fingers crossed it will have passed. We might just see what happens nearer to the time

AgileMyth

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks for the advice lads. Not sure what I'll do now as the feckin snow has come and apparently covered parts of Donegal. Fingers crossed it will have passed. We might just see what happens nearer to the time

Weathers grand in Sligo at the minute. You'll get this far at least!

Zascar

Great thanks! Really looking forward to it now. I've changed the route a bit now. I want to go south instead of north as I'm dying to do the ring of Kerry and the Beara peninsula - a few other roads along the way. This is the rough route plan:



Staying in Galway tomorrow night - just going to find a B&B for the other nights

eurofoxy

looks like ur arse will be sore on tuesday, and not only from the saddle rash.. thats a fair amount of driving, are you sure you will have enough time?
i try to do the west coast at least one a year and i am always surprised at just how nice it is in parts of kerry, really nice country down there...my one piece of advice is try to do as much in daylight as at night on some of those roads is not easy, and if you are from a city/town you may never have experienced darkness like it, its almost like a fog but just pure black, scared the crap out of me the first time..

but good luck with it, it will be an experience, do let us know how you got on...

unclebill98

Between g and h there's a place called glenbeigh. There is a food place on the right hand side as you head in. Its called rumours. Great breakfast if you can hold out till there.

Paparazzo

I did an almost identical trip twice, did it in 3 days both times. I did the route backwards though, down towards waterford first. I left on friday and was back on sunday. Plenty of time to do it in 4 days.
At the new ross bit, you should cross at the ferry at passage east. Makes for an interesting bit of the journey. And try and add loop head in clare in.

unclebill98

+1 for the ferry. Was a nice break in the driving.

unclebill98

How was the trip?

Zascar

Oh, so sorry I totally forgot to post back! It was fantastic, really really great! Friday we just buzzed straight over to Galway - did not do much else. Boring driver over but my god its so so much more enjoyable on a 749 rather than the Monster 620 I had before.

We got up really early on the Saturday, on the bikes by 7.30, quick mcdonalds breakfast and then took the roads down through the burren. Did the corkscrew bends which were pretty cool, actually did them a few times to get it on the GoPro. Had a really nice day riding all around, went down and got the ferry across to Kerry which was cool. It threatened to rain a lot but thankfully it remained dry almost the whole time bar a few small showers. From there we went into Killarney and checked into a hotel I had booked the night before, right in the middle of killarney and very cheap. Got there at about 5pm - relaxed for half an hour and then went back out and did the whole ring of kerry. It was amazing, exactly what I hoped it would be. The first bit is the best - some of the best roads ever. I went with my friend who I went to france with last year, and he preferred this to even the best roads in france. Bit of traffic and very windy but the surface is fantastic - although in other parts its not great - but overall its pretty good. Got back about 9pm, wrecked, then went out and got ****faced. Amazing day. About 500km all on tiny backroads, 13 hours in total including breaks!

Next day we did the first part (killarney to kenmare) again and then on top the beara peninsula. Not as good as the ring of kerry but still enjoyable. We were pushed for time so we did Healy's Pass which is beautiful and crazy windy but the surface was crap so not the best riding. Still great to see it. We misses some other roads like the gap of dunloe and Molls gap but I'm sure I'll be back We finished the Beara peninsula and then headed into cork. Stopped there for lunch and then did the coast to Waterford. It was easter sunday and the roads were totally empty which was great. The road from Dungarven to tramore was fantastic. Fast and smooth bends. By this stage the pain was setting in but we kept on pushing. Rain was forecast so we just wanted to get to where we were staying in Wexford and see what happened. Got on a few better roads and powered over to my parents place where we stayed the night - we were in serious pain by then! My wrists were so so sore, back and shoulders too as I was carrying a backpack. Next day just whizzed straight home. I must have set some sort of record from Gorey to Dublin - absolutely nailed it.

Then, just too add to the story of an otherwise perfect weekend, I got caught speeding about 500m from my house. Fcuker of a cop hiding behind a bus stop on a long straight road, got done for 106km in a 60km zone. He did not say very much, I think it was his first day on the job. Ah well. Pisser of an end but it did not spoil an otherwise savage weekend.

Cannot wait to do it again. Next time we are going to take the motorway down to Cork, spend 2-3 days doing all the roads around kerry etc - and come straight back. So many fantastic roads yet to explore. Also might think about heading north another time also.

So, that's it in a nutshell, if you are thinking of doing it - I highly recommend it - don;t spend too much time planning, just get on the bike and go!















I have loads of video too as we both had GoPro's but I'm too lazy to edit it into a movie - takes so long!! I'll get it up eventually and post it then!

Paparazzo

I think it's best planning each day as it comes. Have an idea where you'll be going, head there, if you're half way there and decide to change your route to add in something, go for it. Don't book accommodation in advance, just stop in at b&b's as you need them. Nothing worse than misjudging how long a part will take and you have to make 100 extra miles of shíte roads with a sore arse when the village you just went through looked great.
Would love to do a 10 day trip around ireland. Do the entire boyne riders photo rally in one go with a few scenic bits added in.

Please Kill Me

That N70 is a savage bit of road ain't it?