Cycle route from North Dublin to Dublin Mountains?

Oymyakon

Are there any well known cycle routes around Dublin city to get to the southside? I'd like to do a bit of proper mountain cycling but don't know which roads to take to get there as I don't want to go through the city center.

R1_Pete

Where on the north side are you coming from?

Oymyakon

Swords, was just looking to go west and around the city but wondering if there are some good roads people like to use

R1_Pete

You could go via kilshane, blanch, Lucan, up grange castle road through city west and your heading to the mountains, but that's a good trek from swords before you do any actual mountain cycling.

Are you looking to go off road?
Or road bike through the mountains?

Inquitus

All the routes are pretty crappy tbh if you go through town, you have to negotiate town with all its traffic, traffic lights etc. etc. The best route adds a lot of distance on but imo if you head this way towards blessington, go left off the attached route and head over Sally Gap around to the Wicklow Gap, back over, and back its a better cycle, but its a long old day in the saddle.

Oymyakon

Road biking up the mountains. I don't mind a 30-40km trip to get there anyway, I like to do 100km+ spins! Thanks for the suggestion Pete.

Oymyakon

Inquitus wrote: »

All the routes are pretty crappy tbh if you go through town, you have to negotiate town with all its traffic, traffic lights etc. etc. The best route adds a lot of distance on but imo if you head this way to blessington and then go over Sally Gap around to the Wicklow Gap and back its a better cycle, but its a long old day in the saddle.

Thanks for that suggesstion, as I said I don't mind if it takes a good while to get down there!

Wishbone Ash

Oymyakon wrote: »

... as I don't want to go through the city center.

Not really an option unless you wish to clock up serious mileage.

I do it regularly (from Rush) and generally head via city centre. If you're on Strava this segment will take you on the most straightforward route from O'Connell Bridge to the Sally Gap: https://www.strava.com/segments/5175138

ted1

Howth, clontarf, east link, sandy mount , clonskeagh, Dundrum , mountains

Inquitus

The city center route is an awful cycle and it takes forever due to the traffic and traffic lights, yes it's the quickest way to get to the dublin mountains, but if time is on your side, there are much better and more enjoyable ways to get to Wicklow.

Oymyakon

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Not really an option unless you wish to clock up serious mileage.

I do it regularly (from Rush) and generally head via city centre. If you're on Strava this segment will take you on the most straightforward route from O'Connell Bridge to the Sally Gap: https://www.strava.com/segments/5175138

I might end up doing that but I'll have to try the route the other lads suggested too, hate traffic lights :pac:

Wishbone Ash

ted1 wrote: »

Howth, clontarf, east link, sandy mount , clonskeagh, Dundrum , mountains

Howth/Clontarf? From Swords?

Inquitus

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Howth/Clontarf? From Swords?

It's a much nicer cycle than heading into town directly.

Lusk_Doyle

ted1 wrote: »

Howth, clontarf, east link, sandy mount , clonskeagh, Dundrum , mountains

I like this route except I'd go through Deansgrange and Cabinteely instead of Clonskeagh and Dundrum. It's a nice quiet cycle early in the morning on a weekend.

pablo128

R1_Pete wrote: »

You could go via kilshane, blanch, Lucan, up grange castle road through city west and your heading to the mountains, but that's a good trek from swords before you do any actual mountain cycling.

Are you looking to go off road?
Or road bike through the mountains?

This is a good route. From Lucan to Tallaght there's a bus lane all the way for a bit of added safety.

Wishbone Ash

Inquitus wrote: »

It's a much nicer cycle than heading into town directly.

Well, much as I like to do a loop of Howth on the return, I prefer to head directly to high ground.

Red Kev

From Swords the handiest is via N1 to NCR, along this to the Dodder in Ringsend. Dodder is a lovely cycle and you can head to the mountains from a number of places.

Well worth cycling it's full length up to Bohernabreena reservoir.

Alternative is N1 to Collins Ave, then via St Annes Park to Howth Rd and via East Point to Ringsend.

Not too many traffic lights on either route.

ted1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Howth/Clontarf? From Swords?

Might aswell get a lap of howth head in aswell.

Granolite

From Swords a nice circumnavigating route is to cycle west to Kilbride then across to Celbridge, to Hazelhatch / Ardclough over to Kilkeel up and over Cupidstown hill and this will take you to Brittas and the N81 and options to divert to Hollywood and over the Wicklow Gap or head for Manor Kilbride and over the Sally Gap.some nice flat roads till after Hazelhatch to warm up the legs for the climbing later!

68 lost souls

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Howth/Clontarf? From Swords?

I take that route, swords malahide howth clontarf east link then either huh the coast through dun Laoighre and across or canal to rathmines and out to the foothills.

Another route I took was north to Ashbourne kilcock maynoothe greenougue saggart

smacl

Inquitus wrote: »

All the routes are pretty crappy tbh if you go through town, you have to negotiate town with all its traffic, traffic lights etc. etc. The best route adds a lot of distance on but imo if you head this way towards blessington, go left off the attached route and head over Sally Gap around to the Wicklow Gap, back over, and back its a better cycle, but its a long old day in the saddle.

If you leave the N81 a bit earlier here it takes you down a lovely back road to the start of the Sally gap climb.

Lusk_Doyle

smacl wrote: »

If you leave the N81 a bit earlier here it takes you down a lovely back road to the start of the Sally gap climb.

Via Manor kilbride?

ezra_pound

Dart to bray?

smacl

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Via Manor kilbride?

Yep, avoid the N81 like the plague myself. Typically go Balinascorney - Manor Kilbride way if I'm heading to Blessington coming to and from Ballyboden direction. Either that or get onto the Grand Canal and either come off at Lyons if I want to avoid the mud or past Sallins, and go Naas - Craddockstown road - Punchestown and follow River morell either to Blessington or Ballymore Eustace. Great little network of l-roads around there to get you to the Wicklow gap.