Route suggestion dundrum. Flat please.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Hello all,

Getting back onto the trusty steed for the winter as I've become dog lazy since I switched job. I've recently moved to dundrum and I am not too familiar with the area. With those two bits in mind can anyone suggest possible routes around the area? The obvious is up to Stepaside and hills, but I was crap at those even when I was cycling regularly so don't want to cripple myself on the first couple of spins back. I'll be joining orwell in October when they open again, but want to warm the legs up a bit before then. Cheers all.

timmy_mallet

How about Sandyford, Stepaside, Kilternan, Enniskerry, Bray, Shankill, Killiney Dalkey, Dun Laoghaire, Blackrock, Fosters Avenue, Dundrum?

An out-and-back to Enniskerry from Dundrum is about 26km...

tomasrojo

You can cycle out to Marlay Park on a cycleway beside the river Slang, starting at the bottom of Sandyford Road. It's very flat. Only problem is that it's not all that long. I think twenty minutes would probably get you to Marlay Park, if the lights are with you. Guess you could go for a cycle around the park when you get there?

Dundrum isn't great for flat routes really.

ted1

Up towards Ennuskerry , not to many hills there, take the left st the garage , then the next left and its down hill to bray , turn right at the lights and head towards grey stones and beyond.

There's a long hill between bray and grey stones it's a b*tch but it's doable for most level of yvkustd as it's not to steep just long

2RockMountain

Loads of options - no better place to be a cyclist - though most of them are hilly. If you need to stay on the flat, head along by Marlay to Tallaght and back, or if you can manage a few hills, head out by Tibradden and Gunny Hill and back by the flatter main roads.

Thud

Short 20km flat spin out to Dundrum, Stepaside, Kilternan, down Glenamuck , over M50, Foxrock, Sandyford and Dundrum.

Longer flat routes are either down to Blackrock and onto coast road or west via Tallaght

smacl

Near enough to Dundrum myself (Ballyboden) and my favourite longer flat spin is into town as far a Dolphins barn, Grand canal to Digby's bridge and back either the same way or via Naas / Blessington. Canal is ropy on narrow tyres and light wheels, particularly after rain, so if you leave the canal before Hazelhatch, you can go via Peamont / Lyons / Punchestown / Blessington / Manor Kilbride / N81 (I'd prefer Ballinscorney at this point, hilly as it is) and home. That whole area around Punchestown / Blessington / Kilcullen / Dunlavin / Ballymore Eustace has some lovely cycling options that are not too hilly.

What type of distances are you looking for?

zl1whqvjs75cdy

smacl wrote: »

Near enough to Dundrum myself (Ballyboden) and my favourite longer flat spin is into town as far a Dolphins barn, Grand canal to Digby's bridge and back either the same way or via Naas / Blessington. Canal is ropy on narrow tyres and light wheels, particularly after rain, so if you leave the canal before Hazelhatch, you can go via Peamont / Lyons / Punchestown / Blessington / Manor Kilbride / N81 (I'd prefer Ballinscorney at this point, hilly as it is) and home. That whole area around Punchestown / Blessington / Kilcullen / Dunlavin / Ballymore Eustace has some lovely cycling options that are not too hilly.

What type of distances are you looking for?

I'm not really sure distance wise. I suppose I'd like to be comfortable doing 50 km before I went to orwell, but that's just a ballpark.

smacl

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

I'm not really sure distance wise. I suppose I'd like to be comfortable doing 50 km before I went to orwell, but that's just a ballpark.

Enniskerry direction is good, but your choices when you get there typically involve some climbing or N11. Going the Tallaght direction you've got the same thing in that your choices are Ballinscorney (climbing) or busy roads such as the N81 which I personally avoid like the plague. If you're thinking of joining a club, chances are they'll be going up hills soon enough anyway, so it might be no harm to take a few climbs at a leisurely pace. I don't know what gears you're currently running but a wide cassette certainly takes the sting out of the hills. I'm carrying a few extra pounds myself and not in great shape, but find with a compact chainset and 11/32 cassette I can get up most climbs comfortably (if not very quickly).

NamelessPhil

This is a flat route from Dundrum crossroads beside Joe Daly's cycle shop (where Orwell meet) to Newcastle and back again. The route includes the drag from Saggart back to the N81. 45km 272m climbing mostly drags. Once you're out past Baldonnel the countryside between the N7 and the N4 is pretty flat.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll head out at the weekend and report in the tell us about your cycle thread.