Cycling the Wild Atlantic Way

Sunsets On Tuesday

So basically I was over in Kerry during Christmas, and seeing it's wonders in the car, I thought it would be awesome cycling the Wild Atlantic Way in it's entirety during next summer.

But then when I checked online for the length of it, and the route etc. it came out as 2,500/2,600km in length, depending where you look. Using my trusted calculator, I figured out that to do it in 14 days, I'd have to do 175km a day, if I did 100km a day it'd take 25 days, 150km 17 days etc..

So basically no mean feat to achieve it if one did it! I assume that's why so few people have cycled it, because it's just incredibly long, and the key thing for me is that while I like going relatively fast on the bike, the point of the WAW is to discover and explore too, which might reduce the amount of kms done.

I know there's an "ultra" audax for this that took place recently/will take place soon, but the notion of not sleeping and rushing such a great route is just sinful in my opinion!

So do you guys have any advice on what to do, or if doing the whole route is even worth it? Perhaps the whole Mixen To Malin challenge is more worth while? And if you have done it before, or parts of it, please share your experiences! (I've done parts of it on Achill Island)

secman

You've said it yourself.... to really appreciate it, and soak up the sights and scenery... 60 kms a day for 43 or so days and the other half in the camper van....easy peasey

Wishbone Ash

Sunsets On Tuesday wrote: »

... Perhaps the whole Mixen To Malin challenge is more worth while?..

The WAW would be a lot more scenic than M2M which, depending on the route, can be pretty lame (eg. the section from Galway to Sligo is uninspiring).

Link to a Boards.ie thread on the WAW Audax held earlier this year:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057527061

benneca1

Do it over a few summers. I started this summer 5 days of about 150 per day got me to killarney incredible route

retalivity

I know a guy who did it last year, took him 4 months and he camped out every night. Did it on a mountain bike he bought for 50 quid on donedeal. He is a lunatic though

Sunsets On Tuesday

retalivity wrote: »

I know a guy who did it last year, took him 4 months and he camped out every night. Did it on a mountain bike he bought for 50 quid on donedeal. He is a lunatic though

Wow and he cycled from Dublin aswell? On a mountain bike? Crazy man!

Wishbone Ash

Sunsets On Tuesday wrote: »

Wow and he cycled from Dublin aswell? On a mountain bike? Crazy man!

He seems to have got lost coming out of Waterford!

Exiled1

Seems he just didn't like Waterford!

magicbastarder

why didn't he complete the loop? would only have been a few days more.

retalivity

magicbastarder wrote: »

why didn't he complete the loop? would only have been a few days more.

Hes canadian...flew into dublin, flew out of belfast. The detour out of waterford was to see kilkenny and cashel

longshanks

That map pisses me off more than it should.

Exiled1

Should be re-titled 'regio intacta manet!'

Mercian Pro

Check out this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057467889

I never did get to finish mapping a cycling version of the WAW or cycle much of it in 2016. Maybe this year?

magicbastarder

OT, but driving to cork last week, we noticed that every county we passed through had a sign announcing 'ireland's ancient east' as you crossed the county boundary - including when crossing into cork and limerick. who'd have thought that western seaboard counties could be in the east?