Royal canal cycle path. Castleknock inbound?

R1_Pete

Hi All,

My office is moving into town and I have been google mapping some routes from Clonsilla into Baggot street.

In my searching google keeps throwing up the shortest route with what appears to be a cycle path from Castleknock (at the twelfth lock), all the way to Phibsboro along the Royal canal.

I don’t fancy cycling down through Phibsboro or the quays at rush hour, so have an alternative in mind, but it has me curious.

Is that canal cycle path actually finished and paved?
Is it possible to make it from Blanch village/Castleknock all the way to Phibsboro using Canal cycle paths alone?

I knew it was planned but didn’t think it was ready?
If it is in fact available now, does anyone here have experience of using it and how is it?

Regards
Peter

buffalo

From the 12th lock to Phibsboro is surfaced and cycleable. You'll have to tackle a few kissing gates and cross one relatively busy road (at Ashtown station) and one dead end (near the Ratoath Road).

Depending on your final destination, you could cycle all the way to the Samuel Beckett bridge following the canal for quite a large part, then over the Liffey and on to the Grand Canal cycle track to Baggot Street.

Edit: like this - https://goo.gl/maps/3i9jkEu6PiT2

Mercian Pro

Currently the Castleknock to Ashtown section is the best but the entire route to the Quays is due to be upgraded over the next few (?) years. Unfortunately, this will presumably involve sections being closed from time to time but it will eventually be worth it.

R1_Pete

Thanks for the route Buffalo, looks like a good alternative.
Im trying to get to the stephens green end of baggot street so that works fine for me.

I currently cycle via the Park, out on to Cunningham road and over past Kilmainham where I go right and along the canal up to Citywest. I was/am considering doing the same route, but then turning left and following the on-road cycle path along the canal down towards Dolphins barn and onto Baggot street.

buffalo

R1_Pete wrote: »

Thanks for the route Buffalo, looks like a good alternative.

While the route above is feasible, my personal choice would be to come of the path at Phibsboro and take Whitworth Road down to the lights, then the back road out on to the North Circular earlier than suggested.

So more like this, ignoring the little detour around Harte's Corner: https://goo.gl/maps/Uudo8To4TGG2