Cycling Boyne towpath Navan to Drogheda?

mazza

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone could give me a read on this route please?

I guess my big question is whether there is a track all the way or, if not, what kind of deviations onto roads are needed.

We'll be going on MTBs and have cycled the Grand Canal before, so grass, mud isn't a problem, as long as there is some sort of pass-able route.

Old threads here mention Navan to Stackallen being fine and also the few km of greenway into Drogheda, but nothing I can easily find on the bits in between.

Any help appreciated - thanks!

Mazza

Agent_47

https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2020/07/02/design-consultants-appointed-for-navan-oldbridge-greenway/#:~:text=Atkins%20Consulting%20Engineers%20have%20been,from%20all%20over%20the%20world.

It's 4 years old and the reverse of what you intend but might of some use hopefully. Not my video just something I came across a while back.

I've not done more than a few KM's beyond oldbridge myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07fe-9dz3YA

a148pro

I did drogheda to slane and then back by newgrange either last year or the year before. There are beautiful tracks either side of slane but we tried to explore them and they both met dead ends, private property I think. Also spent a good bit exploring behind oldbridge. Again there is a nice track alongside the river but again it ran dead or overgrown before making it back to slane.

I remember thinking, and posting here I think that they should put a greenway in linking slane newgrange and drogheda, would be superb, but I don't think a full direct route is possible yet.

As you come into slane along the road that runs south of the boyne there is also a kilometer or two of walkway that runs parallel to the road and river which is very nice. There is also a forest along the road between slane oldbridge to the north side of the river that has nice trails that are cycleable.

Don't know about beyond slane.

crosswords

Navan to Stackallen is easy peasy. Follow the canal.

Stackallen to Slane off road is technically possible, but best avoided, especially this time of year (deep mud, thorns etc).

When you exit at the stackallen gate go right, up the hill, and then next left towards the N2.

Cross straight over the N2, and follow the B road, climbing initially, then descending, through s bends with junctions. Do not turn. You are heading for donore.

At the very very bottom of the descent, on the left you will see a metal gate, cross the gate (you are permitted), go through the wooden style and follow the single track along the river bank. Enjoy a clear view of newgrange on your left.

Exit this after a few km, go left and rejoin the road.

Enter Donore village, pass the pub on the left, and the spar on your right. Keep left, as the road bends through the village.

A short climb out of Donore, and then a left towards oldbridge. Descend to the bottom of this fast road and until you come to a T junction.

Join the wooden cycle path by going right, towards drogheda.

Best tea stop will be at Old Bridge. Good cakes there.

There a few more sneaky off road bits but you will be cut to bits this time of year.

Let us know how you get on.

There is also some good singletrack riding In Townley woods which is adjacent to your route (at Oldbridge).

Enjoy.

mazza

Thanks for all the good info, folks. I'll work my way through it ahead of the trip.

The video posted shows it very rough and muddy in places, fallen trees etc. We're up for a bit of that, but not for kilometres on end, especially with brambles and so on at this time of year.


@crosswords: Can I just check that you're suggesting going on the road from Stackallen all the way to near Old Bridge, bar the few kilometres of single track you mention?

Sorry, your detailed instructions are great, just hard to be fully clear where you see the worst conditions being and road as a better option.



@a148pro: Did you do Drogheda to Slane off-road please? It reads like you did, but you mention tracks turning into dead ends etc.


Thanks again all and looking forward to see it for myself on the ground!

a148pro

Not really - I tried but was unsuccessful - there is a river cycle out of drogheda as you probably know. Went as far as I could out of slane in direction of drogheda (nice grass lane from the south side of the bridge) but ran dead at an old bridge onto private land, went as far as I could in forest around the north side of the oldbridge estate back in the direction of slane but ran dead again.

crosswords

mazza wrote: »

Thanks for all the good info, folks. I'll work my way through it ahead of the trip.

The video posted shows it very rough and muddy in places, fallen trees etc. We're up for a bit of that, but not for kilometres on end, especially with brambles and so on at this time of year.


@crosswords: Can I just check that you're suggesting going on the road from Stackallen all the way to near Old Bridge, bar the few kilometres of single track you mention?

Sorry, your detailed instructions are great, just hard to be fully clear where you see the worst conditions being and road as a better option.



@a148pro: Did you do Drogheda to Slane off-road please? It reads like you did, but you mention tracks turning into dead ends etc.


Thanks again all and looking forward to see it for myself on the ground!

Yes, the road is a much better option, as otherwise you are having to cross private land, barbed wire etc. Then there are the thickets and thorns, along with horseflies, and very deep mud. This spin is best done on a winters day, when the foliage has died back and the ground is a bit drier. I lived in Slane for 4 years and this was my regular CX training route.

We did cut back a singletrack run from stackallen to slane but is has since overgrown.

Mercian Pro

For the Peter McVerry charity walk last year, they got permission from the land owner just downriver of Stackallen (Broadboyne) Bridge to use the path through his land and to cut back the vegetation. It made for a great walk from Navan to Slane and, with a bit of upgrading, could be an excellent mountain/gravel bike route. As Agent 47's link notes, there are plans to create a Greenway along this section and past Slane to join up with the Oldbridge to Drogheda section. Given how beautiful the Boyne is, it's a shame that this wasn't done years ago.

mazza

Thanks for the clarification, guys.

It helps a lot to know just to know the route can't readily be done off-road. Avoids a needless battle when you don't know that and we're not out to be heroes here!

I think I see the bit to go on road for and we'll figure it out o the day anyway.

I'll report back on how it went!

mazza

So, we did this on Monday, so thought I'd throw up a quick report.

We reversed the direction, so did Drogheda to Navan. Had an adventurous 9 year old along with us. I didn't want to say up-front here as I thought it would make suggestions too cautious! ;-)

First bit thru to Old Bridge on the boardwalk etc. All grand, then off-road just before Obelisk Bridge.

We followed the off-road route shown in the video. So, basically through to Bru na Boinne. Hard going in places for the first couple of km as overgrown, nettles, brambles etc, but a distinct path at all times. Really felt like we were miles from civilisation and "out there". Got very muddy too, as expected. Eased a bit on the parts beside the navigation canal.

We lost the track about 500m after Bru na Boinne. I think it was just hugely overgrown and if we had pushed a bit harder would have made it through to the field I now see is beyond. So, backtracked to Bru na Boinne, dragged the bikes and ourselves up a ~10 foot scramble into the back of the cafe grounds. Cycled out the service entrance road into the public road.

Maybe a km on road, then back onto the track at the 'Scenic Views' sign and then the couple of km on track to the car park and picnic area at Rossnaree. Good track and easy going for that bit.

The boy was flagging, so we decided to go on-road from there to Stackallen Lock. We probably would have stuck with it off-road if we'd been alone. But we'd had good adventure already and it was the right call not to push it, as it can put kids off totally if you overdo it, I find.

Back onto the trail at Stackallen Gate, very easy going on the track for the last run into Navan. Glad to have left the easy stuff for last for the kid's sake.

So, we got about 2/3 of it off-road, I'd say. We were all pretty happy with that. Cycling for just over 4 hours, incl reasonably generous breaks.

It was an interesting route, much less defined than the Grand and other major canals. Also, felt different being by a river, quite wild in places. This would definitely be a great place for a greenway. I know there are private property issues in places, but I dare say it could all be resolve and would be a big tourist attraction potentially.

So, thanks to everyone here for the advice and encouragement. Hopefully this will be good info for anyone planning it in the future too.

All the best,

Mazza