Cycling the grand canal

As long as the weather is reasonably dry the MTB will be overkill, decent 32mm+ tyres on the touring bike will get you across it fine.

I rode home from the Kilbeeggan feeder to Lucan last week and it was heavy going even though it was dry. From Daingean to Edenderry is nice as it is in total isolation. The canal is overflowing between Sallins and Hazelhatch and you can't avoid the mud. I'm glad I switched to knobbly 30c tyres as there is a lot of grass and rough stuff. 93km. The Kilbeggan feeder line is really nice as well.

All overflowing mud has gone, Grand canal was all cyclable yesterday on that section between Sallins and Hazelhatch.

columbus_66 wrote: »

I rode home from the Kilbeeggan feeder to Lucan last week and it was heavy going even though it was dry. From Daingean to Edenderry is nice as it is in total isolation. The canal is overflowing between Sallins and Hazelhatch and you can't avoid the mud. I'm glad I switched to knobbly 30c tyres as there is a lot of grass and rough stuff. 93km. The Kilbeggan feeder line is really nice as well.

Is it possible to cycle the length of the feeder.. from the canal to Kilbeggan? Do you recall the total distance?

see map 4:

https://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Planning/Public-Consultation/Final%20Part%208%20Drawings.pdf

mloc123 wrote: »

I think I will miss the sections of singletrack when they greenway it

Definitely this.

It's great that access is being opened up, and having things passable in the winter will be a plus, but its lovely being on the untouched sections at this time of year and having a bit of a challenge in the wetter periods. I find the new sections of gravel really, really noisy as well - they might need some time to bed down a bit.

mloc123 wrote: »

Planning to get the train to Carlow and cycling the Barrow Way and Grand Canal back to Hazelhatch in the next week or two. Has anyone cycled the Barrow?

Yeah, I was down (from Rathangan) and back to Carlow the weekend before last.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5531740226

Track/towpath was fine, you'll have to take the road for a short bit north of Vicarstown and also Rathangan due to blueway works after that it'splain sailing to Robertstown.

That section before Rathangan is properly fenced off now. I might be wrong but it seems to have been fenced off for several years now. It didn't bother me before as you could get past the fence and continue on the perfectly safe canal path but on Sunday there I could see the fence has been properly finished and you have to take the road to Rathangan. I know google maps is a great thing and I did use it but if you are going to fence off a section for years* maybe you could throw out a few arrows on the detour.

*my apologies if the new fence is a new thing and actually the canal path was open for the last 2 years.. I have taken the other line towards Tullamore the last few times.

The black crushed topping ( limestone? ) was new to me and a pleasant surprise, it will make winter spins much easier

Work continuing apace on the Barrow way. This is the view from Ummeras Bridge back towards Rathangan

The picture doesn't show it well but that section of towpath was in the worst condition of the whole project between Lowtown and Athy, years of tractors going up and down to feed horses on adjoining lands had it destroyed. The section towards Monasterevin was almost as bad but not quite. I'd say a fairly drastic rebuild was needed. They do take the towpath back down to below the original surface though and build it back up.

Robertstown to Rathangan (all open, one rough stretch approx 1.3km needs care on a road bike) 14km, Rathangan to Monasterevin (only 3km with new surface, the next 3km closed for the construction you see above, the rest unimproved grass track and some road) 10km

As far as I know, Hazelhatch to Sallins is due to be completed July this year.

Robertstown to Rathangan is done, and Rathangan to Monasterevin is expected in Spring (I think)

Monasterevin to Vicarstown is already complete.

No idea what the story is once you cross the border into Dublin

Still a couple of sections between Monasterevin and Vicarstown to finish, work ongoing between Courtwood Bridge and Vicarstown (3km immediatly north of Vicarstown), no works as yet between the motorway bridge and Monasterevin, though a section of this is public road.

Vicarstown to Milltown Bridge is done, a couple of KM to do then into Athy

On the mainline Grand Canal, works are mostly complete west of Edenderry to Tullamore, except a short stretch the Edenderry side of Daingean, I'd imagine that won't take long. I'm not sure if Offaly will continue on to the Kildare border near Ticknevin.

There was an issue with access I believe, so they had to work out of order till it was sorted, I understand progress is good on the stretch from Vicarstown north. August 22 was the date being spoken about locally for the surfacing works to be complete, not sure if that's still good but the weather has been favourable so far this year.

Grangecastle to Hazelhatch is badly in need of getting done

I have to admit I’m torn when it comes to this resurfacing. I did the Grand Canal/Barrow Navigation last year, and it was really lovely to essentially be cycling across a field most of the way, surrounded by unspoilt nature. On the other hand, it was hard going, and this does open it up to more people on different kinds of bikes.

So Edenderry to Tullamore is surfaced?

Thanks for that