Cycing Dublin to Belfast

FledNanders

Anyone ever done it? Is it a bit cr@p now because it's all motorway or is there a backroads route you can go?

Thinking about doing it over 2 days and getting the train back to Dublin then.

TinyExplosions

FledNanders wrote: »

Anyone ever done it? Is it a bit cr@p now because it's all motorway or is there a backroads route you can go?

Thinking about doing it over 2 days and getting the train back to Dublin then.

Not done it myself, but I know the roads a bit. You can take the old N1 up by Swords, Balbriggan, Drogheda, etc. Roads are ok, and 2 days would be plenty I reckon

Snapper1

I did it last year as part of an all-ireland tour. Yeah you can follow the N1 like Tiny said all the way to Dundalk and it turns into the A1 as you cross the Norn Iron border. It'll take you all the way through Newry, Banbridge, Lisburn and then onto Belfast.

It took us two days with a full load of gear so you should be fine. We over-nighted in Dundalk. We found the road surface actually improved once you crossed onto the A1 but the road signs also change to miles which can mess you up psychologically! There's a nice wide hard shoulder for the majority of the route and some nice views along the way.

FledNanders

Cool nice one. Yea I'd be overnighting in sunny Dundalk then heading on to Belfast.
Was thinking of going through Newry, then through Castlewellen to Ballinahinch through the Mourne mountains then onto Belfast for a bit of scenery.
Would this be a lot tougher? Exactly how mountainous are the Mourne mountains for cycling?!

hunnymonster

The Dublin-Dundalk-Dublin used to be one of my regular training cycles. My mum lives in Dundalk and got a very funny look off her the first time I arrived and she asked me where my car was! The N1 is a grand cycle. If you're overnighting then the back roads are the way to go to Belfast. There are too many fast exit/crossings on the A1 to make for a fun cycle. The Mourne's are nothing to be scared of.

el tel

Am quite amazed that you were unsure if there was another route to Belfast other than the M1 though I would advise that Newry to Castlewellan is very hilly and out of C'wellan to Ballinahinch is hilly too. I'd say that compared to Newry-Belfast direct along the A1 that route would be 50% harder although 200% nicer. The A1 is a drag.

FledNanders

I knew there was but was unsure of what route to take as I'm mapless at the moment in work. Will probably go for the scenic route, I'd say it'd be worth the effort

hunnymonster

el tel wrote: »

Am quite amazed that you were unsure if there was another route to Belfast other than the M1 though I would advise that Newry to Castlewellan is very hilly and out of C'wellan to Ballinahinch is hilly too. I'd say that compared to Newry-Belfast direct along the A1 that route would be 50% harder although 200% nicer. The A1 is a drag.

Don't be that surprises, I've asked a lot of cyclists for a route from Dublin to Cork and no-one has found one for me!

doozerie

Probably of less use than some of the posts above, but the following article talks about the Maracycle that used to be held between Dublin and Belfast and briefly describes a route to Belfast from Dundalk for a commemorative cycle event that looks like it was held this year:

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Charity-calls-for-maracyle-stories.3857389.jp

Victor

You could do Dublin-Newry-Rostrevor-Downpatrick-Bangor-Belfast. Quiet a bit longer though.

AFAIK bikes travel free on the train coming from Belfast, but not the other way around.

Tutschel

FledNanders wrote: »

Cool nice one. Yea I'd be overnighting in sunny Dundalk then heading on to Belfast.
Was thinking of going through Newry, then through Castlewellen to Ballinahinch through the Mourne mountains then onto Belfast for a bit of scenery.
Would this be a lot tougher? Exactly how mountainous are the Mourne mountains for cycling?!

Cycled up in March from Dublin via route as follows: Balbriggan; Drogheda; Clogherhead; Castlebellingham; Dundalk; Newry and then down the coast to Kilkeel to go over the Spelga dam climb for a bit of variation after miles of boring flatness (the only climb worth talking about) (http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Spelga-Dam&qryMountainID=7216) and into Hilltown on the other side; Rathfriland; Moneyslane; Dromara; Ballynahinch; Carryduff; Belfast.
Took me just over 7hrs cruising comfortably, i.e. not pushing it up into my aerobic or anaerobic heart rate zones.
The terrain is quite "rolling" between Hilltown and Belfast. Lots of little stingers which can be deceptive.
Doing it over two days would be well possible even for a casual cyclist.

blorg

hunnymonster wrote: »

Don't be that surprises, I've asked a lot of cyclists for a route from Dublin to Cork and no-one has found one for me!

I cycled down to Cork the weekend before the W200. Stuck to the back roads with only a short bit on the N8, not the most direct but it was very pleasant- 291km or so. First 103km to Abbeyleix after work on Thursday and the remaining 188km to Cork the next day. Just posted full details here.

el tel

Tutschel wrote: »

Cycled up in March from Dublin via route as follows: Balbriggan; Drogheda; Clogherhead; Castlebellingham; Dundalk; Newry and then down the coast to Kilkeel to go over the Spelga dam climb for a bit of variation after miles of boring flatness (the only climb worth talking about) (http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Spelga-Dam&qryMountainID=7216) and into Hilltown on the other side; Rathfriland; Moneyslane; Dromara; Ballynahinch; Carryduff; Belfast.
Took me just over 7hrs cruising comfortably, i.e. not pushing it up into my aerobic or anaerobic heart rate zones.
The terrain is quite "rolling" between Hilltown and Belfast. Lots of little stingers which can be deceptive.
Doing it over two days would be well possible even for a casual cyclist.

That's some going, nice one.

cantalach

Yeah, the national road building programme really works for cyclists too. The new motorway-standard roads follow completely new alignments, leaving the old roads in operation but much quieter and perfect for bicycles. Granted, a lot of the old N roads may not be terribly pretty compared to the real back roads. But if you just need to cover a long distance in relative safety they're perfect.

SerialComplaint

doozerie wrote: »

Probably of less use than some of the posts above, but the following article talks about the Maracycle that used to be held between Dublin and Belfast and briefly describes a route to Belfast from Dundalk for a commemorative cycle event that looks like it was held this year:

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Charity-calls-for-maracyle-stories.3857389.jp

I did the Maracycle in 1989. Dublin-Belfast on Saturday, with the Norn Iron riders who had come down on Friday, and then Belfast-Dublin on Saturday. It was about six hours up and eight hours back, due to a combination of crappy weather on Sunday morning and tiredness. I was crippled for about a week afterwards!

doozerie

SerialComplaint wrote: »

I did the Maracycle in 1989. Dublin-Belfast on Saturday, with the Norn Iron riders who had come down on Friday, and then Belfast-Dublin on Saturday. It was about six hours up and eight hours back, due to a combination of crappy weather on Sunday morning and tiredness. I was crippled for about a week afterwards!

I did it a couple of times myself and really enjoyed it (or at least, the enjoyable bits are the only ones that my memory has hung on to!). It was a great event and it's a shame that it is no longer held.

Based on the physical condition of some of the people that I encountered on it, and the state of their bikes, they looked like they had just decided on a whim to take part that morning and had exhumed their bikes from some bicycle graveyard on their way to the start line. Some of them were clearly bonkers (although they probably made it there and back), which added to the fun of the whole thing.

Snapper1

There's a charity cycle this year if that interests the OP

Stormont to the Dail cycle

FledNanders

Snapper1 wrote: »

There's a charity cycle this year if that interests the OP

Stormont to the Dail cycle

hhmmmm, 4 days seems a bit much for me, and I've kinda got my route planned now anyways. Gonna go through the Mourne mountains: Ballinahinch way for more interesting views and cycling. Cheers everyone!

studiorat

Did the Maracycle years ago. Rotten weather on way up, burned like a lobster on the way back, damn massage oil. Under 6 hours each way though, god be with the days.