mtb trail map for around howth

jamesdonegal

hello all,
does anyone here go mountain biking in howth and if so do you have any online maps marked with trails.
thanks for any help that can be given

Raam

to be honest, you really don't need a map as Howth is quite small and very easy to find your way around. There are two main areas for MTB.

1. The cliff area (this stretches from the Martello Tower on the Sutton/Dub Bay side past the Bailey lighthouse and over to near the village. You can also access it from the car park up behind the Summit Pub)
2. The back of Deer Park Golf Course (this also brings you over as far as Howth Golf Club on the Dub bay side and up to the higher points of Howth where you get some nice 360 views)

cormon

hows the ging lads,

I am fairly familiar with the loop around the Car Park but have never seen the route behind Deer Park how do you access it ??? , thats interesting as I did not know it was there.

Thanks in advance

Kevin...

Raam

there are numerous entry points.
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.383546,-6.068466&spn=0.008818,0.020084&z=16&om=1
you can get in from the end of Balkhill Park

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.373421,-6.063917&spn=0.00882,0.020084&z=16&om=1
There are also various points along Windgate Road

cormon

cheers for those links ,

Was up there over the weekend , its pretty sweet when you combine the two together , the problem was before the cliff loop was too short not any more though.

If anyone wants to meet up for a spin , I'm game.

Kevin...

Rainyface

Hi Lads,

I'm a relatively novice MTB'er and regularly go up around Howth, usually around the summit pub car park and then either back around to sutton or else around to the village.
I'm just wondering how I could combine the runs mentioned above? ie Where do I need to go as I'm not too familier with the roads names etc.

Cheers

Raam

The best way is to get up there and explore it for yourself. Use the information I gave earlier and pretty soon you will know all the trails. The two links I gave show entrance to more trails. Have fun

cormon

hows the going rainyface,

There are two main trails , on the summit side and across the road at the aerials side .

Here is what I usually do.

from the summit take the higher trail and down towards the village. this is the fast and flowy bit off trail ( i am sure you know it ) down as far as the car park.
from here I sometimes take the road back to the summit pub. or depending on human traffic take the cliff trail back to the summit pub.

Then I take the trail down the lighthouse again fast and flowy , from here I take the trail around the back off the houses ( not sure if you know this bit if not let me know) and that bring me out on the road half way down the hill on the sutton side.

From there I take the road back to the summit pub but this time instead off heading to the summit car park I hard across the road to the trails around the
aerials, these are good craic and have the added advantage of much less human traffic . There are alot of different paths to take here and everyone has there own preference.

I ll be up there tomorrow about 12.00 if you want me to show you my route...

Kevin

Rainyface

Cheers for the replies, not sure if I can make it tomorrow.
I definitly know th summit car park trails, down the steep steps bit and then left along the cliff walk around the head and down into Balscadden car park into the village, I also know the one if you take a right after the steps toward the lighthouse (fast section) down to the light house, up the road to the gates marked private property. From here I normally take a left back out onto the trails around to sutton.
I'll not sure where the back roads at the houses - I'll have to check these out. I always wanted to do some trails around the masts but could never figure out how to get up there!

P_1

Rainyface wrote: »

Cheers for the replies, not sure if I can make it tomorrow.
I definitly know th summit car park trails, down the steep steps bit and then left along the cliff walk around the head and down into Balscadden car park into the village, I also know the one if you take a right after the steps toward the lighthouse (fast section) down to the light house, up the road to the gates marked private property. From here I normally take a left back out onto the trails around to sutton.
I'll not sure where the back roads at the houses - I'll have to check these out. I always wanted to do some trails around the masts but could never figure out how to get up there!

Just a warning about that route. It is very narrow/overgrown at parts. I remember getting hopelessly lost up that way once.

Raam

Chaps,
I found this at home. Green are main trails, light blue are secondary and red are step trails. It is a photo of an A3 sized map which I have. If you could do with more detailed pictures, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

P

Rainyface

Thats a great map. Where did you get that? I could do with one of them!

Raam

Rainyface wrote: »

Thats a great map. Where did you get that? I could do with one of them!

No idea, found it lying around the house.

MartiW

I live in Sutton at the foot of the hill. Attache is a route I take regularly.
Starting from the Sutton side.
Quite steep in places and runs to about 20km.
The yellow line is it the cliff walk people have mentioned. VERY dangerous, don't recommend this to anyone!!!!!! Unless you're Hans Rey!

Enduro

That route (cliff walk) is a piece of cake. The main hazard is the walkers.

kona

MartiW wrote: »

I live in Sutton at the foot of the hill. Attache is a route I take regularly.
Starting from the Sutton side.
Quite steep in places and runs to about 20km.
The yellow line is it the cliff walk people have mentioned. VERY dangerous, don't recommend this to anyone!!!!!! Unless you're Hans Rey!

What do you find dangerous about it? not being smart, its just I find it grand, and my girlfriend finds it ok(and she is a right girl).

The only problem is in short sleeves and shorts, you will be ripped apart!

Raam

kona wrote: »

What do you find dangerous about it?

Probably the whole cycling off the edge of the cliff part!

kona

Raam wrote: »

Probably the whole cycling off the edge of the cliff part!

you would want to be fairly sketchy on a bike to achieve that feat

The only tricky part is when you come to those bollards, of course you could just get off if your not sure.

Raam

kona wrote: »

you would want to be fairly sketchy on a bike to achieve that feat

The only tricky part is when you come to those bollards, of course you could just get off if your not sure.

A few years back I was out on the MTB along there and I heard some lady exclaim "people cycle along here! Oh my god!"

petethedrummer

Raam wrote: »

Probably the whole cycling off the edge of the cliff part!

Wear a helmet.

Raam

petethedrummer wrote: »

Wear a helmet.

and a parachute

billy.fish

Cliff ride is piece of cake, train on it on my cross bike all the time.

I've a 28km loop up in Howth if anyone wants a guided tour i'd be up for it, get a group out. Lots of stuff people dont know about it up behind the masts and down in the valley. Potential NPS race...but i didn't say that....cause its still in progress.

I'll probably be heading out for a spin on friday after work if anyone is up for a blast.

billy the WORCie

petethedrummer

billy.fish wrote: »

I'll probably be heading out for a spin on friday after work if anyone is up for a blast.

what time?

billy.fish

Depends if i can get my rear wheel back or not! Say 6:30 at Sutton Cross?

petethedrummer

Provisionally I'm in, I'll PM on friday to confirm. I may have a buddy with me.

billy.fish

FRIENDS!! How dare you have friends....

Score. Let me know!

billy.fish

up to my proverbial in work today so not going to make it out to bike later. Bloody gorgeous weather too.

petethedrummer

billy.fish wrote: »

up to my proverbial in work today so not going to make it out to bike later. Bloody gorgeous weather too.

same here, I wouldn't make it to howth from newbridge on time.

Vélo

kona wrote: »

What do you find dangerous about it? not being smart, its just I find it grand, and my girlfriend finds it ok(and she is a right girl).

The only problem is in short sleeves and shorts, you will be ripped apart!

Am I reading correctly - you've a girlfriend!!

She must have been very bold in her previous life?

MartiW

It's a piss easy ride and not at all challenging, No climbs. Just dangerous and not worth the effort. I much prefer uphill on the east hill of Howth from the harbour side.

billy.fish

MartiW wrote: »

It's a piss easy ride and not at all challenging, No climbs. Just dangerous and not worth the effort. I much prefer uphill on the east hill of Howth from the harbour side.

Not at all challenging...fair enough. Obviously you've not ridden half the trails up there so. There is a lot more than just the lower cliff path.

But on a scale of 1-10 that hill you speak of is about a 4 in itself. Not long, not steep, and not hard. If you want some hills go to Wicklow, in the same way if you want trails that are longer and harder go to Wicklow. Now if you want trails that are nearly always clear, 5mins from my house with tea, double up as great interval training loops and with a mixture or rock/roots/mud/grass/everything on the northside. Go to Howth.

But horses for courses. If you dont go, it just means less traffic for me. I probably wont miss the 9million inches of travel you deem necessary to lug about.

And its not dangerous. If you cant stick to a foot wide trail and not fall off go back to riding fireroads.

*sorry i'm in a hungover/condescending mood*

MartiW

I can take hills easy. I have the thighs. For that reason I take howth hill twice a night Mon-Thurs. I have a life outside of those days.

MartiW

The cliff is bravado and exhibitionist. Old ladies walk it.

MartiW

I know Howth better than you ever will. I live here and cycled every metre. I've stopped for picnics in places you've only seen pictures of.

billy.fish

Interesting, maybe we should have a Howth off. I'm actually from there as well, and have lived in this area all my lovely 28 years. Mountain biking and hill running for over 16 of them.

But im sure that means nowt.

I'm heading out for a ride now infact so, if you want to come show me places ive never seen let me know. However i don't tend to swing that way.

Later troll, im off to run up a hill wearing a perfectly good bike, and i wont be stopping for a picnic

billy.fish

I'll be the lad on the cyclocross bike BTW, red Planet X uncle John Cross, in Team WORC (Wicklow Off Road Club) kit.

Also PM'ing people to abuse them...not so smart.

I'm sure your Giant is fantastic. I like my bikes two, but i don't feel the need to try and show off with my 'bikes' i am more than happy with them.

Anyway, im off riding, i'll be in the quarry and valley for the next hour practicing for 3 Peaks race in two weeks.

PM's from MartiW:

**** bike...
I'm sure.
Beat a E3000 Giant


Hey
What do you ride and when.. I'll look out for you.
I'll chat with your BF while you catch up

billy.fish

Oh Mods:
Feel free to impose whatever to me for being a git, but i dont like private abusive pm's. I can send screenshots if you want.

Back to riding anyway

billy.fish

Great ride up in Howth today, black berrys are in full fruity bloom. Tasty. Nice 2 hour spin on the cyclocross bike, sweating like a little doggie.

God i love dusty trails!

Did you pop out MartyW?

Dave McGinn

Hi Im from howth, i go up a couple times a week. There are spots for everything, if you want an easy cross country, from the martello tower at Sutton dinghy club to balscaden car park, if you want something more aggressive there are some options, start points are 1, wind gate road, near windgate rise, there is a farm gate, go up ther go left and then streight, after 10min you will come to a steep trail, when you get to the bottom there is a bit of an incline, go up,streight between the golf courses, twards deerpark hotel, there is a tree trunk i built a little jump to get over it, but it was gone in 2 days. its about 1.5 foot. if you jump it be careful at the next bend.(dont ride this one when it is wet, it gets destroyed at the moment the first half is ok. 2, at the top of Barron road on old Somalia village, there is a access point to the top of the south mountian, at the top you can ether ride down twards the road or towards the golf club, if you go towards the golf club, go on to the fairway and follow the colored stones, it is a right of way, anyone is cross, it will bring you to the 1st trail.3, go to the high point car park behind the summit inn and go towards the light house.(Does anyone know any spots near the dart line)

Tenzor07

Anyone got a Garmin map for these Howth trails?

Raam

I think a Garmin map is overkill for up there. If you stand on the summit you can almost see all the trails.

Tenzor07

Probably, just being lazy and wanted a Garmin of a good loop there, been a few years since i've off-roaded around there, was a great trail where you had to skim along Howth golf course and then a good downhill through Howth Demesne..

Raam

One of my earlier posts in this thread has a picture of a map attached to it. Maybe that will help you.

Tenzor07

Reckon ill go up there when the evenings get brighter and map out a garmin route to post up here..

manwithaplan

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Anyone got a Garmin map for these Howth trails?

I was abandoned as a baby on the slopes of Howth Head, the wind howling and the lightning flashing. I was raised by seagulls and I lived off regurgitated fish and lost golf balls. I can pick my way through the gorse just by smell and I can navigate on the blackest of nights. My thighs are chiseled from Howth granite and I howl at the moon as me and my steed are silhouetted against the twilit sky. And you have the cheek to ask me about a Garmin?

Tenzor07

I'll have to mark you as a hazard on my Garmin map!

paudidog

This is the map I go by

cipo

I have a feeling martiW has never ridden a bike in his life and has no idea where howth is.

No man could ever experience the beautiful wee trails of howth and then be do ignorant to its wonder!!

I love it up there, so handy having it on your doorstep. You could do some decent 2hr plus spins up there.

I do just want to add that caution should be exercised on cliff path- nothing to do with disappearing into Dublin bay but more to do with courtesy to walkers / runners etc. If we all use the area responsibly then it can be used, even raced on(dare I say it) some day.

Groups are working hard at talking with howth walkers group to aid this.

Leave no trace, say hello, don't scare the poop out of people & pull in / stop for people. Cliff path is best ridden early morning as from now on it will get heavier use by walkers seeing as weather / light is improving!

Enjoy it. I ll see you all up there I'm sure.

I like to try (unsuccessfully) to keep up with billyfish!!

dario28

billy.fish wrote: »

Not at all challenging...fair enough. Obviously you've not ridden half the trails up there so. There is a lot more than just the lower cliff path.

But on a scale of 1-10 that hill you speak of is about a 4 in itself. Not long, not steep, and not hard. If you want some hills go to Wicklow, in the same way if you want trails that are longer and harder go to Wicklow. Now if you want trails that are nearly always clear, 5mins from my house with tea, double up as great interval training loops and with a mixture or rock/roots/mud/grass/everything on the northside. Go to Howth.

But horses for courses. If you dont go, it just means less traffic for me. I probably wont miss the 9million inches of travel you deem necessary to lug about.

And its not dangerous. If you cant stick to a foot wide trail and not fall off go back to riding fireroads.

*sorry i'm in a hungover/condescending mood*

From what you ride regularly what do ya think the ratio of climbing to get to the start of a trail is to enjoying the trail ? Village to summit on a mountain bike is a biatch

Also , do you go from red rock all way around to the pier on lower cliff walk , I have just ran it ? Is there enough room with the overgrown , fair few bit you would need to carry the bike also ?

Might have a rip on it Saturday morning if its do-able in a spin

Maybe something like

Red Rock - Lighthouse , up to the Summit Car park , over windgate road to quarry down , up to the aerials and down towards the GAA pitch back to the summit and finish lower cliff walk...what am I missing ?

billy.fish

I'll be up in the quarry training from 4 today if anyone is about.

Starts and hill reps.

Practice for Leinster League next week.

More than welcome to come. Wont be waiting on the way up things, wouldn't expect you to either.

neil.kennedy

Hi all i just moved out to Sutton and would like to tag along if anybody is doing this route? best way to learn it! cheers