Cycling the Wild Atlantic Way

MadMardegan

Hey guys,

just wondering as anyone done this or know anyone who has? Tried googling but didn't find a whole lot of detailed info about it.
Am living in Australia at the moment but think it's something I would like to do next summer when I come home.

Any info or input would be much appreciated, especially about starting point/time frame/type of bike most suited (road bike or is there trails too?) etc.

Thanks!

noby

MadMardegan wrote: »

Hey guys,

just wondering as anyone done this or know anyone who has? Tried googling but didn't find a whole lot of detailed info about it.
Am living in Australia at the moment but think it's something I would like to do next summer when I come home.

Any info or input would be much appreciated, especially about starting point/time frame/type of bike most suited (road bike or is there trails too?) etc.

Thanks!

There's no actual 'way'. It's just a tourism term for the west coast.
In saying that, have a search for Mark Graham on Strava; he's currently cycling it on a wooden road bike.

smacl

The Burren Cycling club have a page on cycling the whole 2,500k of the WAW here.

ford2600

smacl wrote: »

The Burren Cycling club have a page on cycling the whole 2,500k of the WAW here.

It will be a 2000km or so Audax Ireland event next year.

Check/keep an eye on their site/Facebook

smacl

noby wrote: »

There's no actual 'way'. It's just a tourism term for the west coast.

From what I gather it is actually a single signposted route. The signs are brown with a blue wavy line, I saw a number of them last week on holiday,

L'Enfer du Nord

noby wrote: »

There's no actual 'way'. It's just a tourism term for the west coast.
In saying that, have a search for Mark Graham on Strava; he's currently cycling it on a wooden road bike.

As far as I can tell it's just a load of sign posts and a PR campaign. They haven't even resurfaced it, never mind put in a cycle lane. I'm sure it would be a great cycle, just be ware much of it is narrow and it probably has quite heavy coach traffic in places.

nilhg

MadMardegan wrote: »

Hey guys,

just wondering as anyone done this or know anyone who has? Tried googling but didn't find a whole lot of detailed info about it.
Am living in Australia at the moment but think it's something I would like to do next summer when I come home.

Any info or input would be much appreciated, especially about starting point/time frame/type of bike most suited (road bike or is there trails too?) etc.

Thanks!

I'm sure you've seen this,

http://www.wildatlanticway.com/explore-the-route/#53.495417|-10.197266|7

The way itself is road, some good, some grass down the centre type stuff but all suitable for a road bike, it's long, close to 2200km I believe so probably best done in chunks unless you have most of next summer to devote to it.

noby wrote: »

There's no actual 'way'. It's just a tourism term for the west coast.
In saying that, have a search for Mark Graham on Strava; he's currently cycling it on a wooden road bike.

There is a well signposted way, in fact, well IMHO anyway, it's one of the few tourism initiatives that seems to have been done properly from the start and well thought out and implemented.

smacl

ford2600 wrote: »

It will be a 2000km or so Audax Ireland event next year.

Check/keep an eye on their site/Facebook

Fair play,that's some pretty serious cycling. I'd quite fancy it as a two week credit card tour, or lengthy version of Malin to Mizen.

ford2600

nilhg wrote: »

I'm sure you've seen this,

http://www.wildatlanticway.com/explore-the-route/#53.495417|-10.197266|7

The way itself is road, some good, some grass down the centre type stuff but all suitable for a road bike, it's long, close to 2200km I believe so probably best done in chunks unless you have most of next summer to devote to it.



There is a well signposted way, in fact, well IMHO anyway, it's one of the few tourism initiatives that seems to have been done properly from the start and well thought out and implemented.

I think it's a start but needs a bit more thought.

I spent yesterday on bike in West Cork, most of it was completely car free with lots of poor surfaces, with smart rim/tyre choice that's a non issue.

However least enjoyable part of cycle was Timoleague along coast to Kilbrattin turn off. Lovely piece of road but lots of car which has probably increased since it became part of WAW. Met 3 different groups of scouts walking road, probably safe enough but pretty horrible walking.

I was walking with my wife in Slea Head recently, it on WAW but you need to look at a map and do a little research to get most out of it. I've cycled Slea Head 4 times but it's a poor relation to a cliff walk. It's that unique beauty that we should be marketing.

A shuttle bus running every 1 or two hrs from Dingle and get people walking ditto for Mizen, Burren, Connemara Donegal etc.

Break WAW down into well serviced areas for walking cycling and a tourism attraction it would be untouchable in Europe(except Scotland but they are dour auld fcukers :-))

groovyg

A Finnish lady Satu Vanska Westgarth and her mates did it last year over six weeks
This was her blog on it

http://www.todestinationunknown.com/ride-wild-2014/

noby

nilhg wrote: »

I'm sure you've seen this,

http://www.wildatlanticway.com/explore-the-route/#53.495417|-10.197266|7

The way itself is road, some good, some grass down the centre type stuff but all suitable for a road bike, it's long, close to 2200km I believe so probably best done in chunks unless you have most of next summer to devote to it.



There is a well signposted way, in fact, well IMHO anyway, it's one of the few tourism initiatives that seems to have been done properly from the start and well thought out and implemented.

I stand corrected. I assumed it was a general west/south west coast tourism initiative.

OleRodrigo

If it comes together as a brevet next year, it will be awesome. Just under 7 days of approx 300km per day, and 20000m of climbing. It'll soften my cough anyway :pac:

Failing that, a two week credit card tour would be excellent, however it would harder to get that time away from family and commitments etc , even if the brownie point accumulator goes in serious overdrive. As they say, getting to the start is as hard as the cycling itself.

lissard

I've done a few sections of it this summer. The only part of it that could be classed as a trail is the Great Western Greenway in Mayo so the bike of choice would have to be a road bike. The two sections I covered down south were the Beara and Sheeps head peninsulas in West Cork. Down there the roads are very quiet and scenic. The far end of the Beara peninsula around Allihies is quite something, there's a view around literally every corner. It's a single lane read with a good surface, pretty lumpy so you do need your climbing legs. There are loads of cycle routes way-marked on each of the two peninsulas, and it was a lot better than I expected.

The other section I covered was Connemara and Mayo. Again very spectacular and really well developed and if you follow the coast along the WAW the roads are smaller and quieter. Road surfaces were not as good as Cork but certainly way better than Wicklow where I do most of my cycling. The greenway itself is very enjoyable, it is mostly off road and goes through a beautiful part of the country. The one thing I found a bit challenging along the wast coast was the amount of wind. It was rarely calm and certainly took a lot more out of me than I expected. Given that the prevailing wind in Ireland is South Westerly I would be inclined to start in the south and head north. Your legs will thank you!

Regarding time I would give each peninsula/area a couple of days to properly enjoy and not completely flog yourself.

schemingbohemia

Here's another blog, in French but open through Chrome and you'll get the translation

http://sylvainbazin.blogspot.ie/2015/06/wild-atlantic-way-nous-voici-en-irlande.html

Two Sheds

smacl wrote: »

From what I gather it is actually a single signposted route. The signs are brown with a blue wavy line, I saw a number of them last week on holiday,

Blue, with a white zig-zag line.
I think the line is meant to represent the waves, but it might be the road.

Qualitymark

Here's the first piece in the Indo series about cycling the Wild Atlantic Way on a wooden bike http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/cycling-the-wild-atlantic-way-on-a-wooden-bike-week-1-31350296.html There are four pieces so far.

cdaly_

Two Sheds wrote: »

Blue, with a white zig-zag line.
I think the line is meant to represent the waves, but it might be the road.

When I cycled bits of it across the top of Mayo during the Celtic Knot 1000 audax, I took the ziz zag line* to represent the Waves, the Wet, Watery headWind and the F'in uppey-downeyness of the road!






*As I understand it, if you take the W A W of 'Wild Atlantic Way', remove the crossbar from the 'A' and smoosh the letters together you get the logo...

ozzy jr

wuzziwig

I've cycled parts of it with a small group of friends. Mainly in Galway and Clare. It's a lovely, scenic cycle and the roads weren't too bad overall but my God the wind was a b1tch. I seriously struggled against it and it was relentless. There were parts where we cycled past sandy stretches and it felt like the skin was being sandblasted off my face and arms.

ednwireland

http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/cycling-the-wild-atlantic-way-on-a-wooden-bike-week-1-31350296.html
http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/cycling-the-wild-atlantic-way-on-a-wooden-bike-week-2-31367040.html
http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/cycling-the-wild-atlantic-way-on-a-wooden-bike-week-3-31384489.html
http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/cycling-the-wild-atlantic-way-on-a-wooden-bike-week-4-31401736.html

Mercian Pro

A few things to watch out for:
There could be increased car and bus traffic on some sections that were previously more cycle friendly.
There are quite a few dead-end spurs off the main route that are signposted as WAW so it is not just a single continuous route.
Some beautiful roads such as the one on the north of the Mizen peninsula are excluded.
I hope over the next few years to do it in stages but to try to find to find other quieter roads where possible.

Qualitymark

A cyclist who lives out wesht tells me she'd be terrified to cycle from Ballyconneely to Clifden - narrow winding old road thronged with cars whose drivers are unfamiliar with the road and go way too fast. Time for a separated cycle track there, Galway County Council!

Mercian Pro

Looking to create a tweaked version of the WAW on Ride with GPS with a view to dividing Kinsale to Derry into two or three week-long routes. I am familiar with West Cork, North Galway and Mayo and can see a few obvious improvements such as Tragumna to Baltimore via Loughine and staying off the main road to Schull. There is also a beautiful road along the north side of the Mizen Peninsula that is a joy to cycle but only part of it is on the WAW.

Anyone got other suggestions for quieter roads that would be an improvement (for a cyclist) on the official route? The WAW map is at http://www.wildatlanticway.com/explore-the-route/

ford2600

Any use?

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11158866

It's only a draft

athlone Sean

Some beautiful winding roads around the Burren / doolin / cliffs off Moher but as has been mentioned lots of heavy tourist traffic in places.

gambeta_fc

ford2600 wrote: »

Any use?

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11158866

It's only a draft

If you don't mind a little extra pedalling I'd recommend a couple of deviations from this route in West Donegal.

Falmore/Crohy Head is worth a visit, through Maghery then rejoin the original route in Dungloe. Nice scenery, quiet roads but narrow in places which is probably why it's not on the official route.
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Crohy+Head&tbm=isch&tbo=u

I'd also stick closer to the coast leaving Dungloe and take in Burtonport.

Further on, when coming out of Derrybeg I'd again take the coastal route through Brinlack and around Bloody Foreland:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Bloody+Foreland&tbm=isch&tbo=u

A loop of Downings and Rosguill is also worth doing:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Rosguill&tbm=isch&tbo=u

Last recommendation would be to include Portsalon on the itinerary and up Knockalla, it's a nice climb with a couple of hairpins, great views:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Knockalla&tbm=isch&tbo=u

Mercian Pro

ford2600 wrote: »

Any use?

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11158866

It's only a draft

That's great. I see you already have the Tragumna to Baltimore change. I will probably also go further down the Sheeps Head and Beara Peninsulas (on the routing anyway whatever about the bike):)

athlone Sean wrote: »

Some beautiful winding roads around the Burren / doolin / cliffs off Moher but as has been mentioned lots of heavy tourist traffic in places.

Yes, looks like there aren't too many other options to find quieter roads without heading inland.

gambeta_fc wrote: »

If you don't mind a little extra pedalling I'd recommend a couple of deviations from this route in West Donegal.

Falmore/Crohy Head is worth a visit, through Maghery then rejoin the original route in Dungloe. Nice scenery, quiet roads but narrow in places which is probably why it's not on the official route.
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Crohy+Head&tbm=isch&tbo=u

I'd also stick closer to the coast leaving Dungloe and take in Burtonport.

Further on, when coming out of Derrybeg I'd again take the coastal route through Brinlack and around Bloody Foreland:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Bloody+Foreland&tbm=isch&tbo=u

A loop of Downings and Rosguill is also worth doing:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Rosguill&tbm=isch&tbo=u

Last recommendation would be to include Portsalon on the itinerary and up Knockalla, it's a nice climb with a couple of hairpins, great views:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Knockalla&tbm=isch&tbo=u

That's great. I don't know Donegal well at all and will look at those suggestions when I map out that section.

Thanks all. I will post a link to my route when I finish it. Any more suggestions welcome.

ford2600

Mercian Pro wrote: »

That's great. I see you already have the Tragumna to Baltimore change. I will probably also go further down the Sheeps Head and Beara Peninsulas (on the routing anyway whatever about the bike):)



Yes, looks like there aren't too many other options to find quieter roads without heading inland.



That's great. I don't know Donegal well at all and will look at those suggestions when I map out that section.

Thanks all. I will post a link to my route when I finish it. Any more suggestions welcome.

Definitely do Beara and Sheep's head to end.

There is a lovely looking road up the back of Mizen which makes for a lovely loop rather than out and back.

Your way sounds the more sensible way to tackle it☺

I'd be surprised if Donegal section wouldn't have some of the suggested deviations, the Ulster Audax man knows his roads, and runs some of best and brutal events in country

SmallFrog

smacl wrote: »

From what I gather it is actually a single signposted route. The signs are brown with a blue wavy line, I saw a number of them last week on holiday,

that is correct. pretty simple really. route goes all the way down / up the coastline. no rocket science, or anything really like it.

gambeta_fc

Mercian Pro wrote: »

That's great. I don't know Donegal well at all and will look at those suggestions when I map out that section.

Just realised there's another one missing from the ridewithgps route, Horn Head near Dunfanaghy. Another section worth doing but bring your climbing legs.

Bit surprised at some of the omissions on the ridewithgps route so double checked the official WAW route. They're all there apart from Crohy Head so should be fairly easy to map out. Give me a shout if you need a hand though or have any follow up questions.

Mercian Pro

ford2600 wrote: »

Definitely do Beara and Sheep's head to end.
There is a lovely looking road up the back of Mizen which makes for a lovely loop rather than out and back.

That road along Dunmanus Bay from Mizen is one that inspired me to take this on. I discovered it when staying in Goleen a few years ago. The Beara Peninsula out round Allihies was magnificent on the Rebel Tour.

gambeta_fc wrote: »

Just realised there's another one missing from the ridewithgps route, Horn Head near Dunfanaghy. Another section worth doing but bring your climbing legs.

Bit surprised at some of the omissions on the ridewithgps route so double checked the official WAW route. They're all there apart from Crohy Head so should be fairly easy to map out. Give me a shout if you need a hand though or have any follow up questions.

The ridewithgps route provided by ford 2600 is for an audax event and, not surprisingly, has taken a few shortcuts to bring the overall length down to 2100k. I hope to do it over three separate weeks so can afford to stick closer to the WAW but with some improvements to avoid the busier roads where possible.