Towpaths

mmclo

Supposedly ideal places to cycle?? See more

mmclo

...if you like a bit of impassable mud try Ashtown to Castleknock....ideal for the commute to the office :-( and another barrier for good meaure

Gavin

Looks like a good spot for cyclo cross training !

Chris Peak

You should wright to the council about the muddy towpath, and see what they say.

If those other barriers weren't there, you'd have people asking "What can we do to stop pissed-up little skangers tearing up the towpaths in their crappy little knacker wagons? We should put up barriers with gates beside them so, we can get our bikes through".

Sean02

As I have said in writing on many occasions our canal towpaths have the potential be be a most senic, safe and environmentally friendly resourse.
The problems shown in your excellent photos could be so easily remedied either by Dept of Envir, Waterways or by commercial sponsorship as was the section in photo Reilly Br. to Ashtown. Voluntary work proves to be the best solution similar groups look after the interest of walkers and fishermen. Cyclist should not be put off by 009 and 010 the ramps were put there before barriers to stop the lunitics skulling themselves on the low bridge just ahead. Kissing gates as one thread say helps reduce the gurriers or the quads and believe it the not so gurriers on their horses ploughing up the ground (muck)! Walking your bike through on the back wheel takes only a few secs. I will post some photos of the next two sections Castleknock to Coolmine and on to Porterstown this is called the Deep Cuttings and because of the narrowness of the path and as the name implys there is much danger here for cyclist. I have helped rescrue two cyclist who were trapped in the water here. Will it take a drowning before Gormley or someone orders someone else to do remedial work or at least put up warning signs.
After all that on a frosty icy morning like we had in recent weeks the I still do Leixlip to Glasnevin in 60 mins. can't be bad!!
P.S. I have noting against horse riding along the towpath as long as they can share the space.

bealbocht

I have loads of photos of the Grand, all the way to Naas and beyond.
Mostly all mountain bike territory.

From Naas to Corbally, (execpt for about 1/2 mile out of Naas, ) is completely neglected and totally cut of in places. Granted, it does not really go anywhere, but still a good resource. And should have a public right of access.

I know the Royal out as far as Coolmine (ish) .. and its no place for a road bike.

The deep cut section does need some care and attention(just even to ride it). I suspect would also be expensive to upgrade.

edit : will post some photos to an album here , just not this evening.

Sean02

Look forward to seeing them. It's a few years since I cycled both canal e2e. At the time Grand was by far easiest two days against four tough rides on Royal.

daymobrew

I used to cycle from Ashtown to Phibsborough (Cross Guns Bridge) as part of my commute. Crossing the road at Ratoath Road could be tedious unless the level crossing was down (cars would very rarely pause to let you cross) - this was one of the reasons for going back to the roads. I must note that I was never hassled by the locals around Broombridge (I was offered a drink of cider once).
I still use the towpath to jog to work and it is a pleasant, peaceful route.

The humps shown are near Broombridge. I could get over them easily and, as Sean02 says, you can quickly get through the adjacent gate by putting the bike on the back wheel.

The tan coloured towpath between Ratoath Road and Ashtown is okay now that the loose grit has been washed off the towpath. I nearly creamed a dog that changed direction as I skidded on the previously loose surface.

I saw a motorbike parked on the towpath between Castleknock station and Coolmine station - though it's a tight fit there and I've never cycled it.

Joan Burton has campaigned to have the towpaths upgraded (I made the first reply in the blog post). That post was almost 2 years ago.

mmclo

daymobrew wrote: »

I must note that I was never hassled by the locals around Broombridge

Agreed...even in the pitch dark

The humps shown are near Broombridge. I could get over them easily and, as Sean02 says, you can quickly get through the adjacent gate by putting the bike on the back wheel.

Agreed again on both counts, but it is more a symbol of the neglect and lack of attention, a half a truck of grit would sort the Ashtown situation. The deep cut at Carpenterstown is understandably a bigger job.

There are other types of barriers that slow cyclists down but avoid actually dismounting...D.15 people will be familiar with the ones at the M50 pedestrian bridge form 12th lock to Castleknock Tennis club, these are well able ot deal with quads, scramblers etc.

Victor

Adamstown to Black Horse on the Grand Canal is expected to be upgraded as part of a project with the ESB, where cables are being laid and the surface being completely relaid

petethedrummer

They should drain the canals and fill them in with tarmacadam to let more cars in and out of Dublin. grand big straight road.

bealbocht

Victor wrote: »

Adamstown to Black Horse on the Grand Canal is expected to be upgraded as part of a project with the ESB, where cables are being laid and the surface being completely relaid

I have loads of photos of that now... , actually love that in terms of "history" , before and after, it is actually mostly ok anyway.. but , not place for a road bike.

on an other note

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/49505/69023.jpg

the day I cycled here, there were at least 16 blokes drinking booze.. and I was in my shorts and birkenstock, but hit the speed ramps straight on, and at the gate said "nice day for it" ( it was a really sunny day) and the main man agreed , and moved out of the way , and hey , I kept moving ....but , that is the one time I cycled the Royal. .....

pretty sure, if it was not as sunny that day.. one of the 15 year olds , would have started on me..

It is their local turf , I want them to enjoy the space too.. but , not kicking the **** out of me...

Not , sure where I am going with this.. probably on some "if they can do it in Germany , ..... we can do it here " Kinda of buzz...

Officaly, it is illegal to drink in public.. , personaly I am not happy with that , if I want to have beach party or , have a few beers along the canal...,

Treat me like an adult and arrest morans..

2c

daymobrew

daymobrew wrote: »

The humps shown are near Broombridge.

I've been tempted to hassle Waterways Ireland about these, on the grounds of access for disabled persons. The kissing gates can be used by wheelchairs (but they are a PITA) but the humps are blockers.

It's a real pity that we build barriers that inconvenience everyone, all because of a tiny number of offenders. Speed ramps on roads are the same category. :mad:

Bunnyhopper

petethedrummer wrote: »

They should drain the canals and fill them in with tarmacadam to let more cars in and out of Dublin. grand big straight road.

Yeah, that Liffey is a waste of space, too. It'd be better used as a motorway so we could have some more traffic crammed into the city...

bealbocht

not sure if this link will work.. but if you click on my name, you should be able to look at the album. There is 2 pages...

This section is, from Inchore to 12th lock / Adamstown.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/album.php?albumid=344

There are a few "gates" , but it is mostly tarmac , with a bit of grass between Clondalkin and Lucan

monument

I think we, as a nation, have allowed too many different barriers to be put up against access in the name of security or safety, whether these barriers are actual steel barriers or, for example, housing estates build with only road access where shorter more natural access could have been created for people walking and cycling.

niceonetom

bealbocht wrote: »

Treat me like an adult and arrest morans..

2c

morans? like this fella?



or this one?



...sorry, i tried to let it go. really. i did.

BostonB

monument wrote: »

I think we, as a nation, have allowed too many different barriers to be put up against access in the name of security or safety, whether these barriers are actual steel barriers or, for example, housing estates build with only road access where shorter more natural access could have been created for people walking and cycling.

Its the result of a lack of policing and enforcement IMO.

niceonetom

BostonB wrote: »

Its the result of a lack of policing and enforcement IMO.

i blame the parents society global warming fianna fail myself you.

kincsem

I thought towpaths were for this sort of thing ...

By the margin, willow-veiled,
Slide the heavy barges trailed
By slow horses; and unhailed
The shallop flitteth silken-sailed
Skimming down to Camelot:

No mention of mountain bikes. I must get out my shallop. :pac:

Bunnyhopper

The Shallop Flitteth is a classic xc rig, especially with the Silken Sail rear sus fitted.

The canal towpaths are woefully neglected resources. They could, with a little imagination and investment, serve as fantastic cycle/pedestrian equivalents of motorways. Relatively speaking, the investment would be miniscule, and any pedestrian-cyclist conflict could largely be designed out. It's the imagination and good sense that seems not to be there, unfortunately. When Irish politics does vision, it usually means shortsightedness....

bealbocht

niceonetom wrote: »

morans? like this fella?



or this one?



...sorry, i tried to let it go. really. i did.

well... that will teach me to come home from the pub, and start writing on the internet..

Sean02

Good point about disability access. It's almost impossible to get in contact with anyone in Waterways. I wonder how the cutbacks will effect the adamstown project. Hopefully they won't close assess first and then contemplate starting the work. The canal towpath between Cross guns and Broombridge should be avaioided at all costs after dark. Lots of people have been attacked at underpass section (Ramps). Better to divert through the Dublin Industrial Estate. From Broombridge its relativly safe. The idea of filling in the canals I assume is a repeat of the joke a previous government played when the service pipe was being upgraded on the Grand back in the 80's.