Royal Canal on a Road Bike

tnegun · 13-11-2022 9:31pm

Any sign of work in the other/Maynooth direction?

buffalo · 14-11-2022 10:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119869648#Comment_119869648

I meant to post that there were small construction vehicles at Louisa Bridge on Thurs or Fri morning. As per the post up the page, they're converting the Maynooth-Confey section of towpath to greenway. So not tarmac, but that gritty stuff I presume. They've probably started with Louisa Bridge-Confey as it's a heavily used part that can be unusable after heavy rain.

Seth Brundle · 14-11-2022 10:35am

Looking at this page, there are various docs relating to the design...

https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Roads/RoadSafetyCyclingandSustainableTransport/SustainableTransport/SustainableInfrastructureProjects/RoyalCanalGreenway-MaynoothtoConfey/

However, it looks like the towpath will principally be tarmac (solid light grey in the following image)...

It also looks like it will be a 4.0m wide towpath meaning that much of the current pathway will be cleared & widened.

Mercian Pro · 14-11-2022 2:30pm

Yes, it looks like the sections adjoining Maynooth and Leixlip will be tarmac but the more rural stretch between the towns will be grit. This follows the general policy they have adopted on most of the rest of the Greenway. The section between Pike Bridge and Intel will give cyclists the option of riding on grit on the towpath or tarmac alongside the main road. I assume they are going to work from the county border at Confey westwards, closing off sections as they get to them. I can't see any reference to the overall timeframe for completion of the full 7.6km but it is great, after all the delays, to finally see work starting. (Edit - 18 months according to an earlier post).

It looks as if Fingal are going to win the "race" to be last to finish their section of the Greenway although DCC are still in with a chance.

Seth Brundle · 14-11-2022 2:50pm

I assume they are going to work from the county border at Confey westwards

Just a quick point of clarity: the county boundary is at Confey Harbour rather than at Cope Br (which is where the current works stop). This means that Kildare Co Co will have ~500m of grass track along their western side of the canal. Hopefully KCC will work alongside Fingal Co Co when they eventually get the finger out but I don't think I'll hold my breath just yet.

buffalo · 24-11-2022 10:55am

I see there's a little construction compound by Louisa Bridge now, with portacabin-type thing going in this morning. And work underway by the RCG barn near Confey too. I'm actually overjoyed to see real physical progress!

Mercian Pro · 24-11-2022 8:50pm

Passed that way this afternoon. I saw the activity around the RCG shed so hopefully that means the section from the county boundary to Cope Bridge is included in the works.

Seth Brundle · 24-11-2022 9:24pm

I haven't been down that short stretch in a while but there has been some kind of digging works at the back of the shed (between the road and the tow path) for some months now but im not sure if it's for the greenway. I might head up that way tomorrow.

tnegun · 24-11-2022 9:40pm

It's been a long time coming I see activity at Louisa Bridge every morning now with a few guys in hi-viz milling about and vans arriving on site it really is great to see it!

buffalo · 24-11-2022 11:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917681#Comment_119917681

I was working on the train and just glanced up to see the vehicles, so you could well be right about it being for something else entirely.

Mercian Pro · 13-01-2023 6:36pm

Managed to get on the 9.10 Sligo train this morning to Mullingar despite not being able to book online or get a ticket at Drumcondra station. The ticket checker couldn't have been more helpful and I got one of the official bike spaces. At the other end of the carriage a guy had an enormous electric bike wedged into one of the wheelchair spaces.

The 90km spin back home was great - sunshine, a stiff westerly wind and not too cold. Other than near some of the larger towns, the Greenway was really quiet and I was able to keep up a good average both on the tarmac shared sections and the car-free gritted parts. Even on the shared sections I only met two cars and they slowed right down. After a great lunch in Timeless in Kilcock, I chanced staying on the towpath east of the Carton Estate but ran into grass/mud a bit before Deey Bridge at Intel and scrambled down a bank onto the busy R128. It was a bit of a shock to the system after 65km of glorious solitude so I took to the back roads before rejoining the canal at Castleknock for the last stretch back to Cross Guns.

Hopefully the remaining sections in Kildare, Fingal and Dublin will be finished before too long. It's such a fantastic amenity and beyond belief that the sections with potentially greatest demand are taking an age to be upgraded.

https://strava.app.link/lTLWUyURywb

Gerry · 15-01-2023 11:24pm

nice work. wonder how you'd have fared if you'd try rejoin at confey in leixlip.

I think I'll be trying to get a run at the maynooth to cloondara return. 240k in one day or else do sensible thing and overnight in tarmonbarry.

anyone up for this?

Mercian Pro · 15-01-2023 11:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120113730#Comment_120113730

Sounds interesting but not on a windy day! Did Longford-Cloondra-Dublin a few years ago and that was 165km.

I couldn't quite remember the other day which were the muddy or closed sections between Intel and Castleknock so decided to skip the lot!

buffalo · 26-01-2023 10:24am

Leixlip Louisa Bridge-Confey section was started in mid November with signs saying it'd be closed for three months. That means there's an estimated two-three weeks left, but it's still just all mud. I'd say the swans won't be happy if they overrun by much, it'll be getting deeper into nesting season.

Mercian Pro · 26-01-2023 10:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120159368#Comment_120159368

Please don't be putting thoughts in their heads about suspending work for 4 months 😨

2011abc · 27-01-2023 10:09pm

26kmh plus is a very respectable average for those surfaces !You could easily scramble down the bank ( or be catapulted over !) into the canal at the terrifying bit with the incredibly long drop to water a few km after Clonsilla headed towards Dublin .(Does it have a name , unofficial or otherwise , it’s NOT ‘The Great Sinking’) It’s scarey walking or running it in the dry .Anybody attempting to cycle it in the wet deserves a medal ! It must be the maddest path in Ireland .The closest we have to one of those Top Gear specials where they drive large vehicles around mountainside precipices in South America !Upgrades were meant to be started last Summer there also .

RunDMC · 28-01-2023 5:14pm

That section between Castleknock station and St Mochta's GAA is known as the Deep Sinking.

R

Gerry · 28-01-2023 5:45pm

deep sinking in the wet or freezing weather is intimidating alright. doable on a mountain bike. I'd agree the fall to the canal does add a bit of spice . I think the plan for that section is for the other bank has run into objections from residents who got themselves lovely long gardens out to the canal.

Mercian Pro · 29-01-2023 7:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120167665#Comment_120167665

If you look at my post and the Strava link, I skipped the Deep Sinking and all of the mucky or closed sections east of Carton Estate. There was a time when I actually enjoyed going through the Deep Sinking but in recent years it's got a good bit more gnarly and I've gotten more cautious!

Citizen Six · 11-02-2023 9:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120170144#Comment_120170144

Went through the deep sinking section today, with a full load of shopping on the panniers! It's been a while since I'd done that stretch. Meant to get the train inbound from Coolmine, but it was delayed, so cycled on as far as Broombridge instead.

Met about four people/groups, who were really nice and moved aside for me, even the few times I had pulled in first. It's nice to see friendly walkers on that section.

Citizen Six · 11-02-2023 9:37pm

Another kissing gate removed, close to the old Reilly's crossing/Ratoath Road.

Seth Brundle · 11-02-2023 10:43pm

Meant to add this recently: I took a walk alongside canal beteeen Digby Br and Sallins with Mrs. Brundle and took this photo of the repairs to the Four Pots...

VonLuck · 13-02-2023 12:13pm

Does anyone have photos of the deep sinking? It sounds very ominous from what I've heard here so I've never tried it, despite not knowing how bad it actually is!

Seth Brundle · 13-02-2023 12:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230346#Comment_120230346

oops - I'm only realising that this is the Royal Canal thread whereas as you all no doubt spotted, my photo is along the Grand Canal - apols.

getoutadodge · 13-02-2023 3:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120235241#Comment_120235241

There's a few here. The name is over the top. Its not exactly the Khyber Pass. But tree roots means its not for cycling really and very muddy in the winter. Still waiting for DCC to get on with it as per the north side of the canal proposals but the nimbys are digging in using every nonsensical objection in the book.

https://royalcanalrunner.com/tag/deep-sinking/

Citizen Six · 13-02-2023 9:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120235241#Comment_120235241

Just spotted your post, and by chance, I was on it today. I really enjoy cycling that section, but it has a lot of stones, and roots as mentioned. I mainly use a gravel bike on it, but I've done it on my road bike with 25mm tyres before.