Cycling along the Royal Canal

Mr. Grieves

No, the grassy sections are well worn singletrack so they're quite firm. There's plenty of fast gravel sections too. Between Kilcock and Enfield it's very grassy with no worn track. I'd say that's very tough going in wet; I've only done it in the summer.

Qualitymark

The late Mary Mulvihill's Ingenious Ireland made an audio science tour to the canal: http://ingeniousireland.ie/podcast-audio-tours/quaternions-by-the-royal-canal/

01Surveyor

Thomastown to Richmond Harbour (Cloondara) yesterday.
Lovely morning, with excellent towpath surface from Thomastown/Killucan to Abbeyshrule. Westmeath Co.Co. have done great work on the towpaths and people are using the amenity, with lots of early morning runners and walkers and a few cyclists. Not a boat in sight! The mini Deep Sinking section on the approach to Mullingar is particularly nice. You now cycle on the North bank of the canal through Ballymaglavy bog (just after Ballynacarrgy) and this means you avoid what was one of the most difficult sections of the Royal. After Abbeyshrule the towpath reverts to grass (Longford have clearly not followed Westmeath's approach). TBH by the time I got to Abbeyshrule I was starting to find the constant smooth surface a bit boring and was yearning for a bit of variety......and I got it! Sections of the towpath between Abbeyshrule and the Shannon are hard work as the grass has got quite long and the path is wet and rutted in some sectiopns, nevertheless the spin is a delight and I arrived in Richmond Harbour after five hours of pleasant cycling and traveled on to Longford to pick up a lift home.
On previous spins I have always stuck to the way marked path but I am not sure that is necessary any longer as many of the un-waymarked sections of the tow path appear to have been developed and it is clear that parts of the original route are no longer in regular use. The problem is that you cans still take what appears to be a the best path only to find that the it peters out and you have to turn back and resume the marked route. Dont be too easily put off though as often a gate or sign can be disregarded and a section of rougher patth will lead to a bridge or lock allowing you to get back on course without turning back. e.g. the Ballymagalvy path is marked closed for 'works' but it is quite passable. There is a need to update the way marking to reflect the development of the towpaths, you cant even rely on John Dunne's TowPath Tours anymore.

Harrybelafonte

Can anyone recommend somewhere to stay half way along the Royal, for a two day trip?

Carawaystick

There's a big load of nothing from Enfield to Mullingar, so I'd suggest either of those 2 places
There could be B&B places off the route in between, maybe in Clonard.

01Surveyor

Mullingar is the obvious choice as there is a range of accommodation from BnB to Hotels. After Mullingar Cooneys in Ballymahon would be an option but its quite a bit further.

schemingbohemia

You could head into Kinnegad but Mullingar probably better.

Harrybelafonte

I'm reading the maps wrong. Thought it stopped in Mullingar

schemingbohemia

No it continues to Abbeyshrule in Longford or you could go on the Mullingar - Athlone Old Rail Trail greenway.

Red Kev

Mary Lynchs pub and B&B is right on the canal, just as it crosses the N4, nice pint as well.

01Surveyor

The Royal Canal towpath extends from the sea lock connecting to the Liffey at The Conference Centre all the way to Clondara where a lock connects it to the Shannon, about 175km. The entire length is readily done in two days and can be done in a day.

Carawaystick

Red Kev wrote: »

Mary Lynchs pub and B&B is right on the canal, just as it crosses the N4, nice pint as well.

If there's a B&B there that's probably your place to stop so.

Harrybelafonte

Appreciate that guys. Pity they have no website or email. Would they have bike parking facilitates and secure etc?

pm9999

We cycled it last year, in August. We took the bikes to Dublin by train and cycled to Clondara over 2 days. Our middle stopping point was in Mullingar. The B&B, the Marlinstown Court, was great, with our bikes locked up in a shed and a good hotel for food & beer just round the corner. Definitely recommended.

The bits that are proper cycle tracks are good, surfaces a mixture of tarmac through simple hard pack and gravel dressing, but all fine. As others have said above, some sections are simply grassy footpath and can be hard work. The section around Enfield/Kilcock was the worst, and I was picking grass out of our drivetrains for weeks afterwards. We were also surprised last year by how many pedestrian turnstile gates we had to go through. It was actually pretty tiring, as we had oldish/heavyish hybrids, with luggage, and for many of the gates, lifting the bikes over was the only option.

I would be very wary of doing it in the wet, and a MTB would be a better choice if this was the case simply to cope with the non – paved sections.

We are in our late 50s, cycle reasonably regularly on road, and felt quite pleased to have managed the Royal Canal. Quite challenging for us, but very enjoyable. Glad we did it.

Tigerandahalf

Hi

What way is the Royal Canal now to cycle.
I am hoping to get away for a few days. I have the option to take a tent but a bnb would probably be a treat and less hassle.

Is the route scenic or is it quite enclosed. Are parts of it littered with rubbish as you approach Dublin?

Either that I might head down and do the Waterford Greenway.

I am half thinking of doing a west east or vice versa from west coast to east. Rough calculations it is about 300km. Maybe 4 or 5 days though?

Thanks

Carawaystick

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Hi

What way is the Royal Canal now to cycle.
I am hoping to get away for a few days. I have the option to take a tent but a bnb would probably be a treat and less hassle.

Is the route scenic or is it quite enclosed. Are parts of it littered with rubbish as you approach Dublin?

Either that I might head down and do the Waterford Greenway.

I am half thinking of doing a west east or vice versa from west coast to east. Rough calculations it is about 300km. Maybe 4 or 5 days though?

Thanks

I came in along the canal today, there's no litter to mention, but there's a gap from Porterstown to Castleknock train station.

You can cycle the whole way from the North Strand road up to Castleknock station on hard surfaces, but there are 3 kissing gates to get by, and crossing Dorset st, But I'd reccomend starting there, for the views of Croke Park, and the change into a much more rural setting from Cross Guns Bridge in Phibsboro.

You can detour from Castleknock station by Roselawn rd, Delwood road, right onto Coolmine Rd, Left onto Clonsilla road, pass the roundabout and take the first left to Porterstown, where you can get back on a Dust gravel surface to Clonsilla. Then theres's a rough km to Pakenham Bridge, when it changes to singletrack earth, which was grand and dry today to Confey, when it's Dust again to Kilcock, with a rough gravel section near intel.

01Surveyor

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Hi

What way is the Royal Canal now to cycle.
I am hoping to get away for a few days. I have the option to take a tent but a bnb would probably be a treat and less hassle.

Is the route scenic or is it quite enclosed. Are parts of it littered with rubbish as you approach Dublin?

Either that I might head down and do the Waterford Greenway.

I am half thinking of doing a west east or vice versa from west coast to east. Rough calculations it is about 300km. Maybe 4 or 5 days though?

Thanks

I have cycled the Royal (and Grand) from Liffey to Shannon several times in the past few years. The last time was about three years ago. It is a beautiful cycle with varied surfaces all readily passable on a mountain bike or hybrid. I understand that the sections between Mullingar and Clondara have been hugely improved recently. I have done the entire trip in a day (12hrs.) If you are reasonably bike fit you will average 8-10mph. Doing it in a day is a bit frantic and two days would be more relaxed and give you time to take in the surroundings. The Railway runs beside the canal for much/most of its length so a return journey by train is usually an option. I did the canal loop (Dublin to Hazelhatch on the Grand, Hazel hatch to Maynooth on the road, and Maynooth to Dublin on the Royal) three weeks ago and the entire route was clear apart from a short diversion art Adamstown. Its a lovely spin and takes an easy three hours. The only dodgy area is the Deep Sinking (between Castlenock and Clonsilla Stations) the path is narrow, high above the canal, and very uneven, with tree roots and rocks. If it is wet it can be slippery. If you are a confident mountain biker you can fly through this section. The deep Sinking is a beautiful stretch of the Royal and shouldnt be missed even if you walk it.
The Loop is ideal for a test run.
Remember respect other towpath users, particularly walkers who can be surprised by a speeding bike.
Both Canals are beautiful, and beyond 'scenic', its another world and well worth a visit. I prefer the Royal myself but the wasteland of the Bogs on the Grand are spectacularly remote.

Hope you enjoy it.

PS. I hear the Waterford Greenway is lovely but can be very crowded

Tigerandahalf

Do the 2 canals meet outside Dublin?
Thinking I could do a loop from west to east along Royal and back on the Grand. I think it ends at Shannonbridge. Are you far from a rail station then.
Unfortunately the weather seems to have turned for this week. Hopefully it will pick up again.

I wouldn't mind having the option of camping away from the canal for a night.

01Surveyor

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Do the 2 canals meet outside Dublin?
Thinking I could do a loop from west to east along Royal and back on the Grand. I think it ends at Shannonbridge. Are you far from a rail station then.
Unfortunately the weather seems to have turned for this week. Hopefully it will pick up again.

I wouldn't mind having the option of camping away from the canal for a night.

No the canals dont meet, they enter the Shannon separately at Shannon Harbour (Grand) and Tarmonbarry/Clondara (Royal). They are about 80km apart. On the Royal you are close to the Railway, or beside it, as far as Mullingar after that they go their separate ways. The Grand is not as convenient but you're OK as far as Naas and again at Tullamore after which it is more remote. I had to get a bus from Cloghan/Ferbane to Athlone in order to get back to Dublin.
I think August is the ideal time to do the trip as you still have decent light early and late, and any grassy towpath should be in good condition as it gets more traffic in the Summer.
I forgot to mention that you do encounter some locked gates on the towpath and, combined with kissing gates and the odd stile, these are a nuisance on a bike.
I've never camped on the canal so I cant help you on that.
I strongly recommend the short loop as a taster, it really is lovely as you get a very representative sample of the Canals and The Deep Sinking and Gollierstown are two of the nicest areas.
TowPath Tours is a very good book on all of the inland water way cycling routes - well worth a read if you can get it. Collins Press
You should be able to get detailed maps online at Waterways Ireland or Inland Waterways websites

Tigerandahalf

When you say kissing gates etc would I have to pull the bike up out of the towpath to cross over or is it just a case of dismounting and walking the bike through?

01Surveyor

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

When you say kissing gates etc would I have to pull the bike up out of the towpath to cross over or is it just a case of dismounting and walking the bike through?

Mixture of both. You can walk the bike through most gates on its back wheel. However where unauthorised fences and gates are placed across the path you may have to lift the bike over - this is the exception though as I hear many of these barriers have now been removed.

Carawaystick

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Do the 2 canals meet outside Dublin?

They are close at Leixlip(Royal) and Hazelhatch(Grand) where they diverge, and then they're closeish at Edenderry/Enfield,

Conn89

I’m wondering does anyone know what the plan is (or is there a plan at all?) for the section of the Royal Canal just past Spencer Dock?
It’s in an awful state now.