Cycling to&from Hartstown

jdscrubs

Hi I have just started a course in Hartstown Community College. Will be there every Wednesday. Live in Stoneybatter area. Got the bus out the first day which took a long time so wouldnt mind cycling out to the said college so just want to know;
1)The best route to cycle to & from Hartstown without encountering to much traffic, both cars&pedestrains,
2)How long the cycle might take
3)When you go past the roundabout in which you can turn left which will bring you into Blanchardstown, can you continue straight at the roundabout&turn left along the main road to the college.

zzzzzzzz

jdscrubs wrote: »

Hi I have just started a course in Hartstown Community College. Will be there every Wednesday. Live in Stoneybatter area. Got the bus out the first day which took a long time so wouldnt mind cycling out to the said college so just want to know;
1)The best route to cycle to & from Hartstown without encountering to much traffic, both cars&pedestrains,
2)How long the cycle might take
3)When you go past the roundabout in which you can turn left which will bring you into Blanchardstown, can you continue straight at the roundabout&turn left along the main road to the college.

I'm not sure of that route, but bikeroutetoaster.com is handy for timing how long it'll take you to cycle from A to B

Just plot your route and click on "Summary" in the top left corner. You can change the speed settings but the default is a fairly average speed for someone of ok fitness.

TinyExplosions

This is probably the best route. The Navan Road is fairly safe for cycling, and you're going faster than the cars anyway! Only hairy bit it the M50 flyover, but it's not too bad if you keep your nerve.

I'd say about 40mins will get you there, but it depends on your ability!

ROK ON

TinyExplosions wrote: »

This is probably the best route. The Navan Road is fairly safe for cycling, and you're going faster than the cars anyway! Only hairy bit it the M50 flyover, but it's not too bad if you keep your nerve.

I'd say about 40mins will get you there, but it depends on your ability!

The general jist of Tinys route is ok. But parts of the Navan Road (between Screen Road and Baggot Road) have appauling oad surface, and depite cycle lane you get very little clearance from cars and buses. Also, past the Ashtown Roundabout the Traffic gets very very fast: there is a cycle lane but it is shared with the footpath.

Save yourself all that hassle cycle straight up through the Park to Castleknock and then onto Blanch. Given that you are in Stoneybatter, the quickest route is the one past Garda HQ inside the wall adjacent to Blackhorse Ave. There is very little traffic that uses this road, and there is a wide cycle path for a lot of the road (till Cabra gate of the park). I use it every evenings and its fine.
If you dont fancy being in the Park after dark, then cycle up Blackhorse Ave to Castleknock, then onto Blanch.
Finally, if you do decide to use Navan Road, then avoid M50 flyover by heading down toward Castleknock Lawn Tennis club. There is a pedestrian/cycle bridge over the canal and M50 by here. It also brings you straight toward Blanch village.

Finally - Navan Rd has lots of traffic lights. There are none in the park or on Blackhorse Ave. - All around a more pleasant cycle.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Stoneybatter,+Dublin,+County+Dublin,+Republic+of+Ireland&daddr=N+Circular+Rd%2FR101+to:North+Rd+to:North+Rd+to:North+Rd+to:53.371757,-6.358423+to:Unknown+road+to:Clonsilla+Rd+to:Hartstown,+Clonsilla,+County+Fingal,+Republic+of+Ireland&hl=en&geocode=%3BFToXLgMdSOaf_w%3BFYhBLgMdgKSf_w%3BFbJJLgMd9oif_w%3BFddQLgMdGj-f_w%3B%3BFXB8LgMdiNme_w%3BFXChLgMdppme_w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=5&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,6,7&sll=53.373652,-6.360226&sspn=0.023811,0.070553&ie=UTF8&z=14

niceonetom

have to disagree with you about cycling on the N3 Tiny - some of those round abouts are not for the faint of heart.

down the navan road for most of it is a good start, but you'll be quicker and safer if you get off the new navan road (N3) and onto the old navan road when you can. at point B on this map (immediately after the petrol-station) you can cross over onto the old road (access traffic only so it's very quiet). peck's lane, keep going straight on it, past farmhand and the tennis club, and you'll cross the M50 over a pedestrian/cycle bridge - much easier than the 3 lane super-roundabout the N3 creates.

keep going straight and you go through blanch village. i'd take this route from there, though there are a few ways that are all around the same length.

TinyExplosions

I bow to the knowledge of the folk that live out that way

The N3 can be hairy (I used to use it every day when I worked in Damastown), but yes, other routes suggested are good, and more pleasant!

jdscrubs

Hey thanks for all the suggestions. Until the rest of you replied, I was going to use Tiny's suggested route but wasnt looking forward to going around the roundabout.

Rokon, I was thinking about going through the Park. I dont mind cycling through the park at night as I cycle out to work in Clontarf so when I cycle home, its at night so I dont mind. When I come out at the gate, is it then that I cycle to Castleknock, then onto Blanch?. I assume I can cycle back this way then cos when I was coming back into Stoneybatter on the bus I noticed there were no cycle lanes on the road coming back in, this is before you get back onto the navan road.

TinyExplosions

jdscrubs wrote: »

Hey thanks for all the suggestions. Until the rest of you replied, I was going to use Tiny's suggested route but wasnt looking forward to going around the roundabout.

Rokon, I was thinking about going through the Park. I dont mind cycling through the park at night as I cycle out to work in Clontarf so when I cycle home, its at night so I dont mind. When I come out at the gate, is it then that I cycle to Castleknock, then onto Blanch?. I assume I can cycle back this way then cos when I was coming back into Stoneybatter on the bus I noticed there were no cycle lanes on the road coming back in, this is before you get back onto the navan road.

Yes, if you go straight up Chesterfield Ave (The central road) and out the Castleknock gate it brings you through Castleknock, then into Blanch Village. You can use it in both directions

ROK ON

jdscrubs wrote: »

Hey thanks for all the suggestions. Until the rest of you replied, I was going to use Tiny's suggested route but wasnt looking forward to going around the roundabout.

Rokon, I was thinking about going through the Park. I dont mind cycling through the park at night as I cycle out to work in Clontarf so when I cycle home, its at night so I dont mind. When I come out at the gate, is it then that I cycle to Castleknock, then onto Blanch?. I assume I can cycle back this way then cos when I was coming back into Stoneybatter on the bus I noticed there were no cycle lanes on the road coming back in, this is before you get back onto the navan road.

As ting says, yes.
Out the park, up Castleknock. Now at Myos pub you can go straight through the lights to Blanch.
Once over the M50 overpass and into Blanch you can turn right into Roselawn and head to Clonsilla and then Hartstown, or you can go thru Blanch village and then head to Hartstwn.

I have also a coule of quick ways to get you there.
You could head down via Castleknock College (Turn left at Myo's pub), into Clonsilla then onto Hartstown.

On your way home, head from Hartstown to Clonsilla to Castleknock COllege.
Then freewheel down Knockmaroon Hill into Chapelizod. It is a steep descent, so great fun, and the road has been resurfaced. Only a way to go home though unless you like short savage climbs.

jdscrubs

ROK ON wrote: »

As ting says, yes.
Out the park, up Castleknock. Now at Myos pub you can go straight through the lights to Blanch.
Once over the M50 overpass and into Blanch you can turn right into Roselawn and head to Clonsilla and then Hartstown, or you can go thru Blanch village and then head to Hartstwn.

I have also a coule of quick ways to get you there.
You could head down via Castleknock College (Turn left at Myo's pub), into Clonsilla then onto Hartstown.

On your way home, head from Hartstown to Clonsilla to Castleknock COllege.
Then freewheel down Knockmaroon Hill into Chapelizod. It is a steep descent, so great fun, and the road has been resurfaced. Only a way to go home though unless you like short savage climbs.

Rok On,I will print these directions off. Thanks again. Might indeed come back and go down Knockmaroon Hill as anytime I drove down it, I always imagined in my head what it would be like to cycle down it. Can only imagine its a nightmare going up it.

Thanks again for the help

daymobrew

ROK ON wrote: »

Out the park, up Castleknock.
..snip..
You could head down via Castleknock College (Turn left at Myo's pub), into Clonsilla then onto Hartstown.

IMO the problem with Castleknock village is the narrowness of the road and there is no cycle track. I use the same route as niceonetom suggests to go to Carpenterstown.
The off-road cycle track west of Ashtown is very quite as is the Old Navan Road. You'll be alongside traffic when you get to Blanch village but it'll be slow moving and you have a bit of space.

The road alongside Castleknock College is poor - no street lights, poor surface and narrow. Even the footpath is narrow (annoying while jogging around there). I would also have thought that this was a longer route.

Civilian_Target

Agree with daymo. Used to do your proposed route as part of mine daily. By far the best way is up the N3. At the half way house roundabout, go up the pavement cycle lane just before and cross the roundabout using that, and keep up the cycle lane by the dual carraige way. It will take you off and across onto a pedestian bridge over the M50, and into Blanchardstown village.

The village itself isn't great, but just go though, and out through the shopping centre on the other side. The shopping centre roundabout out towards Hartstown isn't great, but once you're through it, it's a nice wide road with a cycle lane either side and you're flying.

For your first run, plan for an hour, although it will probably work out 45 mins....

mmclo

From Stoneybatter I would think Phoenix park, if you go in the NCR entrance there is a nice short cut through...the Zoo! Involves going straight on at Garda HQ which technically isn't allowed since road changes :mad:and then a left in to what looks like a cul de sac, it's closed off to traffic but brings you through the bit between the seals and african plains, I like it on the way in of the morning. Then straight down the back of the Polo stand onto Chesterfield ave

Castleknock isn't bad but they don't leave a lot of room on the inside!

jdscrubs

Civilian_Target wrote: »

Agree with daymo. Used to do your proposed route as part of mine daily. By far the best way is up the N3. At the half way house roundabout, go up the pavement cycle lane just before and cross the roundabout using that, and keep up the cycle lane by the dual carraige way. It will take you off and across onto a pedestian bridge over the M50, and into Blanchardstown village.

The village itself isn't great, but just go though, and out through the shopping centre on the other side. The shopping centre roundabout out towards Hartstown isn't great, but once you're through it, it's a nice wide road with a cycle lane either side and you're flying.

For your first run, plan for an hour, although it will probably work out 45 mins....

Hey thanks again everyone for the directions to cycle to Hartstown. Tried Civilian_Target route. Took 40 minutes to get to the school. Took longer,50 minutes, to get back as I mistakingly kept taking the wrong turn in the shopping centre and also the easterly wind was a killer. Might leave cycling out every wednesday till the easterly wind goes and the evenings get a wee bit longer. Thanks again though

petethedrummer

mmclo wrote: »

From Stoneybatter I would think Phoenix park, if you go in the NCR entrance there is a nice short cut through...the Zoo! Involves going straight on at Garda HQ which technically isn't allowed since road changes :mad:and then a left in to what looks like a cul de sac

Do you get to see any giraffes if you head this way??? I'm often in the area and curious to know.

mmclo

petethedrummer wrote: »

Do you get to see any giraffes if you head this way??? I'm often in the area and curious to know.

well you do go by there also but high trees, the seals are a banker...particularly in this weather

Despite the dodginess of going this way out of town it is ideal coming in of course as it avoids the whole unbelievable new layout heading for NCR from Chesterfield Ave. A massive redesign which appears entirely aimed at improved Garda parking at the inconvenience of everyone else!

BostonB

mmclo wrote: »

well you do go by there also but high trees, the seals are a banker...particularly in this weather

Despite the dodginess of going this way out of town it is ideal coming in of course as it avoids the whole unbelievable new layout heading for NCR from Chesterfield Ave. A massive redesign which appears entirely aimed at improved Garda parking at the inconvenience of everyone else!

I don't understand the layout and all the high kerbs at all. Whats that all about?

petethedrummer

mmclo wrote: »

well you do go by there also but high trees, the seals are a banker...particularly in this weather

Marvellous. I like seals. I should probably take off my sealskinz items in case I cause offense.