City centre to mountains route

traprunner

So in the next week or so I'd like to hit the Dublin mountains. I'm preparing for the 100km GDBR so I want hills that would be the equivalent of those on that route. I'd hope to do about 85km or so. Does anyone have any easy to find good routes for someone who isn't familiar with the area and who traditionally avoided hills?

magicbastarder

generally, i'd have cycled (from phibsboro) out clanbrassil street, harolds cross, terenure, rathfarnham, and swung right at the yellow house, which will take you out the edmondstown road and up into the hills.
which direction are you coming from though? city centre itself?

Lumen

A basic loop up from O'Connell Bridge through town to Cruagh Road up to to Glencree, down into Enniskerry and then back through Dundrum is about 50km.

So you then have 30km ish to play with in route variations.

I wouldn't be a big fan of the Sally Gap but extending out to there and then going left to Lough Tay and back past Ballinastoe brings you up to about 70km.

retalivity

There doesnt appear to be anything on the gdbr route that would be near any of the climbs up the dublin mountains...if you can manage any 80k+ trip out there with any of those climbs youd be grand for the gdbr

Weepsie

The great Dublin bike ride has little or no hills. Get up and around Howth once and you'd be grand.

seamus

Yeah prepping for the GDBR by hitting the Dublin mountains is probably overkill. But I do highly recommend it just for the sake of it.

You can get some smaller hill climbing in without straying too far - go out towards Chapelizod and up Knockmaroon hill, then into the Phoenix Park, do a few circuits and various laps in there. Then as said you could head out to Howth and do a few laps. Enough climbing there to prep you without finding yourself dying at the top of Stocking Lane and 30km from home

magicbastarder

my 'favourite' cycling moment getting up into the hills, was getting on the bike for the first time in a year, maybe ten years ago, and swinging up cruagh road. just after the left turn towards glencullen, i had to bail off the bike at the side of the road and put my head between my legs. as i was sitting there trying to regain my breath, a german reg camper van slowed down to stop beside me; and as the driver was winding the window down, i turned to one side and hosed down the side of the road with puke. window shot up, and he floored it out of there.

Fian

My first time "almost" (there had been previous attemtps when i got up about halfway, then two thirds etc. ) going up stocking lane I was sure i was near the top. I came around the corner just before the viewing point. I saw the next corner heading up to the featherbeds, more hills just after the corner and my heart broke. I pulled into the entrance of the house there and just collapsed on the bike, I could barely stand. A cyclist breezed past me. I was still there unmoving when she was coming back. She slowed rights down said something to me on her way back, the blood was pounding in my ears so much and I was so drained I genuinely couldn't hear her, I just said something about "I'll be fine" I just wanted her to leave me alone. Eventually I turned around and went home.

Presumably what she was saying to me was something along the lines of "You know the viewing point and the junction with is only 20 feet further up the road?" I had no idea how close I was to it, all I saw (through blurred vision) was the hill rising up beyond the viewing point. The next time I came around that corner and realised how close I had been to the viewing point nearly broke my heart again, except I saw the funny side. That was the first time I made it up into the mountains proper and came down through Enniskerry. The failed previous attempts probably made that all the sweeter.

bazermc

I live Dublin 4 area so if I am heading towards the mountains I usually go up through Clonskeagh/Sandyford (over the M50) and onto the Enniskerry road and through Stepaside. From there you can keep going all the way to Enniskerry and from there say head up towards the Sally Gap, or along by Kileternan and take one of the right turns and head up towards Glencullen.

thelawman

Lumen wrote: »

I wouldn't be a big fan of the Sally Gap but extending out to there and then going left to Lough Tay and back past Ballinastoe brings you up to about 70km.

What's the issue with the Sally Gap, I've never cycled over it, but was thinking about going over that way next week?

Lumen

thelawman wrote: »

What's the issue with the Sally Gap, I've never cycled over it, but was thinking about going over that way next week?

Only that it's ugly and exposed. There are nicer/prettier places to cycle in the Dublin /Wicklow mountains.

traprunner

Thanks for the ideas. I'll have to look at them closer. While I want hills I don't want to end up like Fian!

Furthest I got so far was 83km. I'd always like to go further. I reckon 100km will be ok distance wise but I don't want to be left behind on any hills. When I hit a hill I die and sometimes would probably be quicker walking up them. On the flat I'm fine!

P_1

An easy introduction is to head up the Scalp towards Enniskerry. About a 50km there and back. Take a right at Kiltiernan (if coming from the city side) for an extra challenge heading up towards Jonnie Foxes.

Zen0

There's nothing wrong with Sally Gap in good weather. It's got great scenery, especially descending by Lugala or into Laragh, and you're not exactly spoiled for choice of routes getting from Dublin down into Wicklow. Just don't do it in the depths of winter.

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

my 'favourite' cycling moment getting up into the hills, was getting on the bike for the first time in a year, maybe ten years ago, and swinging up cruagh road. just after the left turn towards glencullen, i had to bail off the bike at the side of the road and put my head between my legs. as i was sitting there trying to regain my breath, a german reg camper van slowed down to stop beside me; and as the driver was winding the window down, i turned to one side and hosed down the side of the road with puke. window shot up, and he floored it out of there.

A few years ago, I used to wonder why my times on Strava on Cruagh were so pathetic until I realised that my little breaks at the second bridge for a banana were inside the segment - i.e. the clock was still running and the Strava segment ended a few metres further on. Funny how things go - I'd never feel the need to stop there now

traprunner wrote: »

Thanks for the ideas. I'll have to look at them closer. While I want hills I don't want to end up like Fian!

Furthest I got so far was 83km. I'd always like to go further. I reckon 100km will be ok distance wise but I don't want to be left behind on any hills. When I hit a hill I die and sometimes would probably be quicker walking up them. On the flat I'm fine!

You going into overkill! The GDBR is almost flat so don't be worrying about it.

AlreadyHome

magicbastarder wrote: »

my 'favourite' cycling moment getting up into the hills, was getting on the bike for the first time in a year, maybe ten years ago, and swinging up cruagh road. just after the left turn towards glencullen, i had to bail off the bike at the side of the road and put my head between my legs. as i was sitting there trying to regain my breath, a german reg camper van slowed down to stop beside me; and as the driver was winding the window down, i turned to one side and hosed down the side of the road with puke. window shot up, and he floored it out of there.

Retold this on my way up cruagh yesterday to much wheezy laughter!

Eponymous

Someone told me on the GDBR thread that Killiney Hill (Vico Road) would be a good approximation of the toughest climb on the route.

To that end, if you wanted a route out of Dublin and back, you could try Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey (keep eye out for signposts for the Coast Road), Killiney, Shankhill, Bray, Bray Head, Greystones, Delgany, N11 to Kilcroney, Enniskerry, Sandyford and back to Dublin. 65km or so with a couple of nice climbs but nothing too taxing (well, except for the last 100m of Vico Road).

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Merrion+Square/Bullock+Harbour,+Dublin,+Ireland/Killiney,+Ireland/Shankill,+Dublin,+Ireland/Delgany,+Ireland/Kilmacanogue,+Wicklow,+Ireland/Enniskerry,+Ireland/Sandyford,+Ireland/Merrion+Square,+Dublin,+Ireland/@53.2348526,-6.3055738,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m61!4m60!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670e90ccdd991b:0x7df38116f7e9a59b!2m2!1d-6.2507955!2d53.34065!1m10!1m1!1s0x486706492add005d:0x44b044d033b7b86e!2m2!1d-6.107604!2d53.2856027!3m4!1m2!1d-6.0986974!2d53.2698367!3s0x486707b1cd6a8585:0x4ce4bc1abec4ba05!1m5!1m1!1s0x486707c5dab477f1:0x2600c7a819b93121!2m2!1d-6.1149485!2d53.2650114!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867a8015fcf4c43:0x2600c7a819b93132!2m2!1d-6.1237578!2d53.2332663!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867af4f64a15161:0xa00c7a99731f9c0!2m2!1d-6.0923308!2d53.1326111!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867a615021e65c7:0xa00c7a997320a80!2m2!1d-6.13946!2d53.16901!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867a7a859d4990d:0xa00c7a99731d380!2m2!1d-6.1707299!2d53.1935037!1m5!1m1!1s0x4867090b5444013d:0x2600c7a819bb0531!2m2!1d-6.2249229!2d53.2699712!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670e90ccdd991b:0x7df38116f7e9a59b!2m2!1d-6.2507955!2d53.34065!3e1

ILIKEFOOD

magicbastarder wrote: »

generally, i'd have cycled (from phibsboro) out clanbrassil street, harolds cross, terenure, rathfarnham, and swung right at the yellow house, which will take you out the edmondstown road and up into the hills.
which direction are you coming from though? city centre itself?

we must be neighbourhinos doing this route today

now is it Phibsboro or Phibsborough, that is the question

magicbastarder

it's actually fizzbra.

traprunner

I'm too tired to scroll up but whoever suggested Cruagh Road should be shot. A few people passed me while I was collapsed in a ditch a couple of hundred meters from the turn from Tribadden Woods. Jaysus my legs were in bits! So I carried on to Glencullen and Enniskerry and then the hilly way to Kilmacanouge. Took the N11 to Delgany and the R761 to Bray. From there went to Shankill, Killiney Hill, Dalkey and then straight through Dun Laoighre and home. I had planned to go around Killiney hill and do it from Vico road direction but I just wasn't fit.

71.7km
Distance

3:33:21
Moving Time

1,013m
Elevation

20.2 Kph
Average speed


Thanks to everyone for the suggestions for routes.

https://www.strava.com/activities/690870918

Wishbone Ash

traprunner wrote: »

I'm too tired to scroll up but whoever suggested Cruagh Road should be shot. A few people passed me while I was collapsed in a ditch a couple of hundred meters from the turn from Tribadden Woods. Jaysus my legs were in bits!..

Good thing we didn't suggest going up to the Featherbeds via Glenasmole!

Opinions differ but I think Cruagh is easier than Stocking Lane which runs roughly parallel with it.

traprunner

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Good thing we didn't suggest going up to the Featherbeds via Glenasmole!

Someday I'll make it up that route.

Miklos

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Opinions differ but I think Cruagh is easier than Stocking Lane which runs roughly parallel with it.

I always ask myself which is harder when I'm going up either... the grass is always greener on the other hill.

ILIKEFOOD

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's actually fizzbra.

Sound you've just sorted my personal dilemma of trying to hide my embarrassing southsider pronunciation of the letter 'o' - sorta comes out like phibsbreeeoow

ILIKEFOOD

traprunner wrote: »

I'm too tired to scroll up but whoever suggested Cruagh Road should be shot. A few people passed me while I was collapsed in a ditch a couple of hundred meters from the turn from Tribadden Woods. Jaysus my legs were in bits! So I carried on to Glencullen and Enniskerry and then the hilly way to Kilmacanouge. Took the N11 to Delgany and the R761 to Bray. From there went to Shankill, Killiney Hill, Dalkey and then straight through Dun Laoighre and home. I had planned to go around Killiney hill and do it from Vico road direction but I just wasn't fit.

71.7km
Distance

3:33:21
Moving Time

1,013m
Elevation

20.2 Kph
Average speed


Thanks to everyone for the suggestions for routes.

https://www.strava.com/activities/690870918

You'll be laughing on the GDBR with that under yer belt