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Ring of Kerry cycle

  • 28-04-2009 8:56am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 9,453 ✭✭✭


    Folks,
    Is anyone doing this in July. If so has anyone done it before and would they be able to recommend a good b&B in the vicinity. Also I am not great when it comes to fundraising so I was wondering if you think they would accept me giving them say €50 to the charity on the morning of the race


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    billyhead wrote: »
    Folks,
    Is anyone doing this in July. If so has anyone done it before and would they be able to recommend a good b&B in the vicinity. Also I am not great when it comes to fundraising so I was wondering if you think they would accept me giving them say €50 to the charity on the morning of the race

    It's a great event to do -did it last year, and h ad a great weekend. Alas, I'm in France doing la Marmotte this year, but I'm sure they'd be grand with you just giving them 50 bucks.

    As for B&B's -just use the usual websites and you'll find something, Killarney is tourist central so you won't have any problems


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,718 ✭✭✭AstraMonti


    Tiny how did you find the route? Is it more difficult than the wicklow hills? If i remember correctly its around 150kms?


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    I stayed in the youth hostel which was a nice place and certainly cheap although around 5km outside Killarney which was a negative, fine for the morning of the event etc. just a bit difficult to get a taxi back at 3am after we had been out that night. They have a crazy system for getting taxis down there, they come around a roundabout and it is basically a sprint and fight to the door, there is no queuing whatsoever.

    Note the reason I stayed in the youth hostel was I left it too late and couldn't get a B&B so make sure to book early.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,276 ✭✭✭kenmc


    it's around 160km i think. the worst thing about the route is the tour busses, some of them pass you with little room to spare, others get snarled up on bends and slow you down.
    Scenery is beautiful. It's much less hilly than wicklow 200.
    attachment.php?attachmentid=78523&stc=1&d=1240910959
    vs
    attachment.php?attachmentid=78524&stc=1&d=1240910959


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    The route is grand. There's only 2 major drags to worry about, one coming out of Waterville that I can't rememebr the name of and one coming out of Kenmare called Moll's Gap. Moll's Gap can be tough because it's at the very end. The rest of the route is relatively flat.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    AstraMonti wrote: »
    Tiny how did you find the route? Is it more difficult than the wicklow hills? If i remember correctly its around 150kms?
    It is very easy, very very flat indeed, flattest sportive I have ever done. 180km and there are two "climbs" - the first one is barely noticable and then Molls Gap goes on for a while but it is still nothing on anything in Wicklow. If I wasn't doing the Marmotte I would be doing this one on the fixie.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    AstraMonti wrote: »
    Tiny how did you find the route? Is it more difficult than the wicklow hills? If i remember correctly its around 150kms?

    A lot easier than the Wicklow hills. Fist 60 odd km are flat, and you can get in a bunch and save energy. After that you have a feed stop, some rolling hills, then onto Coomakista which is the first 'climb', but is more of an extended drag (think the route out of Enniskerry by powerscourt and up to the Liam Horner sort of thing.

    Then there's some more rolling hills before you hit the second stop at Kenmare, before hitting the only real climb of Molls Gap -it's long enough, but nothing too tough -if you're comfortable on Sally Gap, you'll be grand on Molls gap. Then it's a fairly long descent and a bit of flat before you're back in Killarney for a nice bottle of pop :)

    Well recommended, and if you've managed the WW200, you'll be fine on the ROK


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,718 ✭✭✭AstraMonti


    Great, i think i will be missing w200, i am heavinly untrained for it and i want to look forward to something! Do i have to get a one day license for it?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    AstraMonti wrote: »
    Tiny how did you find the route? Is it more difficult than the wicklow hills? If i remember correctly its around 150kms?

    Hi, I'm not Tiny but I spend a lot of time in Kery and know the route very well.

    Apart fro the distance (180km), the rute is reasonably flat. Only 2 clombs of note. (1) Coomakista between Waterville and Derrynane and Molls Gap from the Kenmare side.

    Coomakista is short, but very manageable. Tough in parts, but nothing like any regular climbs in Wicklow. There are some real challeging climbs in Kerry, but not on the Ring of Kerry cycle.
    Molls Gap is an 8KM drag up from Kenmare. Steep for last 500m.
    If you are out in Wicklow regulalry, then you will have no problem on th ROK, provided you can do the distance.
    I did it for the first time last year, on a cross bike with 32"knobbly tyres. Only training I did was out in Kildare. I got around just fine, (very tired, but fine).

    Longest spin that I did before the ROK was 110km.

    It is a great event, with incredible local support. There are people waving you on everywhere. By the end, yu will be sick from all of the cake sweets etc that you will consume. Massages n Caherciveen and Kenmare.
    All you need is good weather (not guaranteed in Kerry).


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Like the lads, I'd say it's much easier than the Wicklow 200. The mass start means you can get in a big bunch and absolutely tear around the the first half of the course. Coomakista is more a big drag than a climb and I was going up it at about 30kph last year. Molls Gap is a climb, long but not especially steep. The fact that it's at the end means you can give your all to get over and then fly downhill back into Killarney.

    The Ring of Kerry is a good one to do. Nice scenery, well organised event and it's a bit of crack to get away for the weekend.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    I recd info from Ring of Kerry organisers last week.
    They are handing ut bibs n registration, and say that cyclists must wear the bib.

    What is a bib (is this the number you pin on) or is it a high viz thingy.
    I have spend too much money investing in cycling gear in order to look even better. Have no intention of covering it up with some ridiculous bib thing.:D


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    ROK ON wrote: »
    I recd info from Ring of Kerry organisers last week.
    They are handing ut bibs n registration, and say that cyclists must wear the bib.

    What is a bib (is this the number you pin on) or is it a high viz thingy.
    I have spend too much money investing in cycling gear in order to look even better. Have no intention of covering it up with some ridiculous bib thing.:D

    Bib sounds suspiciously like a high viz vest.

    EDIT: Like these?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    I would love to see a cycle event around the Ring of Beara. There are some real bad bast*rd climbs around there on deserted roads (Borland Valley, Priests Leap, Healy Pass)>

    If anyone is heading down to Kerry for a few days to do the Ring of Kerry, then they should also think about getting in some cycling on the Beara.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,352 ✭✭✭rottenhat


    ROK ON wrote: »
    There are some real challeging climbs in Kerry, but not on the Ring of Kerry cycle.

    Sorry, we've been on-topic for far too long...

    I'll be in Kenmare next week with the bike. What would you say are the cycling high points (quality and/or altitude)? Weather permitting, I should be able to get in four or five decent spins so feel free to go on at length.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    They will have a revolt if they try to get people to wear a high-vis. To be honest the whole thing was not exactly that strictly policed though, there were people without helmets IIRC last year (not me.)


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    blorg wrote: »
    They will have a revolt if they try to get people to wear a high-vis. To be honest the whole thing was not exactly that strictly policed though, there were people without helmets IIRC last year (not me.)

    They can't exactly pull you off the road, can they?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,957 ✭✭✭interested


    rottenhat wrote: »
    Sorry, we've been on-topic for far too long...

    I'll be in Kenmare next week with the bike. What would you say are the cycling high points (quality and/or altitude)? Weather permitting, I should be able to get in four or five decent spins so feel free to go on at length.

    Was down there at the end of feb - theres a 90k loop which is the route the half ironman race down there takes ... Id thoroughly recommend reversing the route though ... from kenmare to glengariff along the N71 which takes you up and over the Caha pass.

    At glengariff take the R572 to Adrigole - take a well signed right towards the Healy pass (on the R574). My personal favourite in the area to be honest - when I was there in February there was no traffic whatsoever.
    After the Healy pass descend towards Derrylough along the R571 (a few drags here but nothing too steep) - this road will bring you all the way back to Kenmare.

    Theres other shorter routes - heading from Kenmare up to Molls gap and then taking the black valley road to Sneem and heading back to Kenmare on the flatter / main road.

    Enjoy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,104 ✭✭✭alfalad


    I'll be doing this one as well, sounds like it will be good and staying in Tralee in a mates so making a couple of days out of it so really looking forward to it!!

    I think i'll start praying now for the weather to be good!


  • Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭Greyspoke


    ROK ON wrote: »
    I would love to see a cycle event around the Ring of Beara. There are some real bad bast*rd climbs around there on deserted roads (Borland Valley, Priests Leap, Healy Pass)>

    .
    ++1 on those climbs - they're so remote, there's only you and sheep on the roads. The north side of Priests Leap was only surfaced in recent years! There's the possibility for an almost alpine sportive down there - fantastic scenery and long, tough climbs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    rottenhat wrote: »
    I'll be in Kenmare next week with the bike. What would you say are the cycling high points (quality and/or altitude)? Weather permitting, I should be able to get in four or five decent spins so feel free to go on at length.

    (1) Kenmare - Laragh - Healy Pass - Adrigole - Glengariff - Caha Pass - Kenmare. About 80km, 2 challenging (but stunning climbs). Breakfast in Kenmare, lunch in Glengariff, how bad. National roads, but you will rarely see a car.

    (2) Kenmare - Kilgarvan - Borland Valley - Priests Leap and back . Kilgarvan - Borland Valley Priests Leap are back roads.
    http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/kilgarvan/498124091701920335
    Area around Priests Leap is called Bonane on the local road signs.

    (3) Kenmare - Molls Gap -Gap of Dunloe - Kilorglin

    (4) Kenmare - Sneem - Caherdaniel - Ballinskilligs - Portmagee (Crazy climb just after Faha before Portmagee) only driven it. Hope to cycle it in a few weeks.

    Will fill in other maps later (if I get a chance).


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    Rottenhat - not sure if you know the area well.
    But if yu need any advice on bars, restaurants etc in Kenmare region then PM me.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,276 ✭✭✭kenmc


    blorg wrote: »
    They will have a revolt if they try to get people to wear a high-vis. To be honest the whole thing was not exactly that strictly policed though, there were people without helmets IIRC last year (not me.)

    And the sponsors of our jerseys won't like it either. Contractual obligations and all that :)


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    kenmc wrote: »
    And the sponsors of our jerseys won't like it either. Contractual obligations and all that :)

    Good point.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 253 ✭✭Tackleberry


    "IIRC" - wtf?!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,276 ✭✭✭kenmc


    "IIRC" - wtf?!!
    IIRC the web knows everything.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,268 ✭✭✭irishmotorist


    el tonto wrote: »
    The mass start means you can get in a big bunch and absolutely tear around the the first half of the course.

    I've registered for this already and they're saying that it will be a staggered start between 6 and 8 this year. I think that's a bit of a shame as I enjoyed the massive group start last year.


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    I've registered for this already and they're saying that it will be a staggered start between 6 and 8 this year. I think that's a bit of a shame as I enjoyed the massive group start last year.

    First the bibs, now this. Are they determined to get people not to show up?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    el tonto wrote: »
    First the bibs, now this. Are they determined to get people not to show up?

    The staggered start is a tricky one.
    The cycle last year was my first ever time in a big grup and I really got a buzz out of it.
    The organisers are hoping for 3000 entrants this year (IIRC). So that may be the reasoning behind the staggered start.

    Also, not everyone starts in Killarney. There are a lot of folks every year that start in Kenmare (and even Sneem). This year I will be starting in Kenmare (but probably at 6am).

    My registration number is 13, which I am not entirely happy about.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,276 ✭✭✭kenmc


    Last year was a mass start, but we were at the front of that group and were encountering folks ahead of us the whole way to cahirciveen! So they either jumped the gun, or were still finishing from the year before.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    kenmc wrote: »
    Last year was a mass start, but we were at the front of that group and were encountering folks ahead of us the whole way to cahirciveen! So they either jumped the gun, or were still finishing from the year before.

    I was walking around the start at about 6am last year and even then there were people setting off.


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