Pitstop on route Gorey - Tallaght

RicardoSmith

I've to do a commute from Gorey to Tallaght for the next few weeks. Its going to be an early morning start and since its an 1.30 journey I was wondering wheres a good place for a pitstop on route and for some breakfast. I'll be leaving early 6.30 ish.

Whats the best route? Over the mountains or up the main road and then cut across to the M50?

Our man in Havana

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
I've to do a commute from Gorey to Tallaght for the next few weeks. Its going to be an early morning start and since its an 1.30 journey I was wondering wheres a good place for a pitstop on route and for some breakfast. I'll be leaving early 6.30 ish.

Whats the best route? Over the mountains or up the main road and then cut across to the M50?

Take the road to Tinahely and then to Baltinglass on R747. At Baltinglass follow the N81 direct thru to Tallaght via Blessington. Best pit stop is a truckers stop near Blessington.

I would avoid running the gauntlet of the N11 and M50. Much more scenic via Baltinglass. And its only 2 miles longer than the N11 M50 route.

hope this helps!

James

Victor

Isn't there the mother-of-all-roadworks in the Glen of the Downs?

RicardoSmith

Theres a few, Glen of the Downs, ashford and that town which I can't remember inbetween. Was thinking I'd avoid that if I could since theres more possibility of traffic problems that way.

What about going via Rathdrum then Laragh and up through Sallys Gap is that not more direct. I'd have thought Baltinglass is going way west? Though perhaps the road will get too bad in the winter over the mountains. The N81 is an ok road. But going through Baltinglass looks a lot longer on the map at least.

Our man in Havana

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
Theres a few, Glen of the Downs, ashford and that town which I can't remember inbetween. Was thinking I'd avoid that if I could since theres more possibility of traffic problems that way.

What about going via Rathdrum then Laragh and up through Sallys Gap is that not more direct. I'd have thought Baltinglass is going way west? Though perhaps the road will get too bad in the winter over the mountains. The N81 is an ok road. But going through Baltinglass looks a lot longer on the map at least.

It looks longer but it isnt.

The N81 is usually always a safe bet during the winter where the road thru Rathdrum-Laragh could be closed by snow/ice. extremely dangerous.

I always go via Baltinglass.

RicardoSmith

Thanks for the info, very useful. Does the route over the mountains really get that bad? Whats a guessitmate of journey time using the N81? What the road between Rathdrum and Hollywood like? I might have to pick someone up in Rathdrum some of the time.

Victor

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
Theres a few, Glen of the Downs, ashford and that town which I can't remember inbetween. Was thinking I'd avoid that if I could since theres more possibility of traffic problems that way.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/SchemesUnderConstructionin2003/

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
What about going via Rathdrum then Laragh and up through Sallys Gap is that not more direct. I'd have thought Baltinglass is going way west? Though perhaps the road will get too bad in the winter over the mountains. The N81 is an ok road. But going through Baltinglass looks a lot longer on the map at least.

I think the Michelin Road map is the best one for planning such journeys as it indicates the general quality of the road. And when planning any journey, generally stick with main roads but avoid towns.

RicardoSmith

On this route most main roads go through towns.

Our man in Havana

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
Thanks for the info, very useful. Does the route over the mountains really get that bad? Whats a guessitmate of journey time using the N81? What the road between Rathdrum and Hollywood like? I might have to pick someone up in Rathdrum some of the time.

Journey time from Tinahely to Tallaght is about 1 hour ish. The road between Rathdrum-Laragh-Hollywood is to say the least dangerous at times, quite bendy narrow and prone to bad weather particurlary the section out of Laragh over Turlough hill into Hollywood.

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
Journey time from Tinahely to Tallaght is about 1 hour ish. The road between Rathdrum-Laragh-Hollywood is to say the least dangerous at times, quite bendy narrow and prone to bad weather particurlary the section out of Laragh over Turlough hill into Hollywood.

So if you had to go via Rathdrum what way would you go?

Our man in Havana

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
So if you had to go via Rathdrum what way would you go?

Rathdrum to Rathnew via Glenealy and back onto the N11

RicardoSmith

Why not over to N81?

K2

the aa and rac have route planners which should give you a good idea of mileage on different routes, and they should give info on roadworks.

aaireland.ie

rac.ie

Spitfire

The mountain road over Holywood or even over Sally Gap is very poor in places and average speeds are low.
Better to go via Baltinglass if you want to avoid the roadworks on the N11 .

Hope that helps.

seamus

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
Journey time from Tinahely to Tallaght is about 1 hour ish. The road between Rathdrum-Laragh-Hollywood is to say the least dangerous at times, quite bendy narrow and prone to bad weather particurlary the section out of Laragh over Turlough hill into Hollywood.

Yeah, avoid the Wicklow Gap at all costs.

The journey between Rathdrum and Hollywood on that road takes albout an hour. And that's without slow drivers and wet or icy roads.

At that hour of the morning, personally I'd go the N11/M50 route, but I know Dublin's shortcuts quite well.
The N81 is nice that hour of the morning, and fairly quiet. Just keep an eye out for tractors.
Coming home will be no fun. The N81 is very busy and relatively slow from 5.30 to about 7. But so is everywhere else.

Whereabouts in Tallaght? There's a handy shortcut over Bohernabreena that avoids all of the traffic between Tallaght and Brittas

loyatemu

Does the route over the mountains really get that bad?

Yes it does - there is frequently snow and ice at Sally Gap when there is none everywhere else - it is (I think) the highest through-road in Ireland.

Even in good weather it is narrow, windy, and the surface is crap. Unless you like scenery (and theres not much of that in the dark at 0630) stick to the main road.

RicardoSmith

Been doing it for the last couple of days and I though that the Laragh-Hollywood road isn't that bad, at least not compared to the Laragh-Sallys Gap road which is woeful. But over the Laragh-Hollywood road this morning there was pretty bad fog.

Victor

Originally posted by seamus
At that hour of the morning, personally I'd go the N11/M50 route, but I know Dublin's shortcuts quite well.

Yes, but you have a motorbike to get from Stillorgan to Ballinteer!

PS Regular chaos on the Stillorgan to Ballinteer route if you don't know.

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by Victor
Yes, but you have a motorbike to get from Stillorgan to Ballinteer!

PS Regular chaos on the Stillorgan to Ballinteer route if you don't know.

Well that explains a lot, a motorbike for petes sake!