Good cycling routes for beginners

wildchild247

Hi
I want to bring a friend around on an easish cycling route that has good scenery and not too many inclines.
Any recommendations?
Thanks

BeerNut

Phoenix Park? There's a long flat stretch running behind the zoo and the Áras along the North Road.

odyssey06

Clontarf promenade from Alfie Byrne Road to the wooden bridge at Bull Island. Totally flat, has a cycle path.

schemingbohemia

From Booterstown to Dalkey, head into the park in B'town and cycle behind Blackrock DART station, then cycle along the coast along the contra-flow cycle lane, then a bit of road along Seapoint Avenue, turn left down Brighton Vale towards the Martello Tower then right along the cycle path that runs beside the DART line, follow the path to the Harbour. Then cross the road at the People's Park and use The Metals to get to Dalkey.

whiskeyman

odyssey06 wrote: »

Clontarf promenade from Alfie Byrne Road to the wooden bridge at Bull Island. Totally flat, has a cycle path.

although there's some road works near Dollymount, you can take this all the way upto to Sutton and then the cycle track goes on the road towards Howth... Nice having Howth village as a welcome coffee stop
Lovely scenery all the way too.

arybvtcw0eolkf

whiskeyman wrote: »

although there's some road works near Dollymount, you can take this all the way upto to Sutton and then the cycle track goes on the road towards Howth... Nice having Howth village as a welcome coffee stop
Lovely scenery all the way too.

Well lovely scenery after the wooden bridge.

Only thing the beginner might find off putting is some of the more advanced cyclists in the later half of the cycle path, I'm guessing there's a Strava segment here?. (I use Garmin Connect and not Strava so not sure).

If the OP likes the southside from Ringsend to Dalkey is really nice too, as is Howth, Portmarnock and into Malahide (although from Malahide to Howth has nicer views in my opinion).

The Phoenix Park is great too, as is the Royal Canal from Ashtown to Drumcondra (this can be really nice).

ProudDUB

Clontarf to Howth is a wonderful bike ride. Glorious scenery and very little inclines. A very strong wind can blow in diagonally across the bay, so you may have it against you both going and coming.

Clontarf to Wooden Bridge - dedicated cycle path the whole way & not too many speedsters.

Wooden Bridge to St Annes Park - heavy road works, so cut through the Park & you'll come out the other side at the Dollymount Causeway. It's a lovely cycle, but you'll be sharing the Park path with dog walkers, parents with buggies etc etc. Watch out for mini speed bumps, caused by tree roots making the tarmac buckle. Can be hard to see from the shade of all the trees.

Dollymount to St Fintans school - totally straight all the way, with practically zero inclines. Watch out for speedsters. I've never had any bad experiences with them, just be aware of them. If you feel like a detour, cycle down the Causeway towards the beach at Dollymount, or do some bird watching in the surrounding marshes. They are a bird sanctuary.

St Fintans school to Howth - The dedicated off road cycle path ends at the school, but the road has a bike lane pretty much all the way to Howth. Get off your bikes and use the pedestrian lights to get through the Sutton Cross junction. It's a very busy 5 way junction and not the easiest for beginners.

Carawaystick

BeerNut wrote: »

Phoenix Park? There's a long flat stretch running behind the zoo and the Áras along the North Road.

There's also cycle paths in the field between the pope's cross and the wellington monument, as well as along chesterfield avenue.There's also dead end roads for cars, which you can cycle through.

Bohernabreena reservoir has scenery galore and the trail around it is fairly flat 21 meters ascent in 3.4km

tricky D

Maxwell Grumpy Sunroof wrote: »

Well lovely scenery after the wooden bridge

ProudDUB wrote: »

... you'll come out the other side at the Dollymount Causeway.

Don't forget to watch out for this tree sculpture at the junction onto the Causeway. It's made using chainsaws and is work in progress to be completed in the next few months.


I'd also keep an eye on the weather. I wouldn't want to be cycling today on a route exposed to the current northerlies. Something like Malahide to Howth would be grim work today.