Avoiding the M7

daroadlescycled

Hi all Cyclists.

This is my first thread. I'm looking for a route.

I will arriving @ Dublin Port with my new bike @the end of March and I want to cycle home to Kerry from there. Can anyone suggest a route avoiding the M7 :eek:. espically leaving the city. I like quite country roads. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanking You.

penexpers

Hah I saw two cyclists on the M7 (yes the M) a few weeks back. Nutters. Anyway there's a quiet enough road that runs alongside (most of) the N7 really as far as Kildare. After that I am not really sure. Will have a look at google maps later on.

ROK ON

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Parkgate+Street+Dublin&daddr=R148+to:Maynooth,+County+Kildare,+Republic+of+Ireland+to:Clane+to:Prosperous+to:Lullymore+Rd%2FR414+to:R423+to:53.002389,-7.474823&hl=en&geocode=%3BFbZPLgMdXN-c_w%3B%3B%3B%3BFTf9LAMdMiGW_w%3BFdMQKwMd9MaR_w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=3&mrsp=7&sz=11&via=1,5,6&sll=52.987511,-7.212524&sspn=0.204197,0.615234&gl=ie&ie=UTF8&ll=52.987511,-7.58194&spn=0.204197,0.615234&z=11

Did this as far as portarlington last summer.
Grand roads, mostly quiet.
Road quality in Kildare is much better than many other counties.

daroadlescycled

Ah the old N7. I wonder from Heuston station what route would I take to link on to the N7 and avoid red cow and all that. If I got as far as Naas/Newbridge I would ok, I should find quiter roads from ther on.
Thanks

daroadlescycled

Interesting Route. thanks for map.

ROK ON

daroadlescycled wrote: »

Ah the old N7. I wonder from Heuston station what route would I take to link on to the N7 and avoid red cow and all that. If I got as far as Naas/Newbridge I would ok, I should find quiter roads from ther on.
Thanks

I have been on road from Naas to Newbridge (old Dublin rd/n7)

A lot of truck traffic on it I found as far as Newbridge - dont know why when they could use the motorway.

Anyway, once past Newbridge the road around curragh is great, and road from Kildare to Portarlington is good - virtually no car traffic.

daroadlescycled

Heavy truck and bikes do'nt go well together. It probaly wil be sat or sun when I will be cycling, The route through Kidare County seems interesting.

delta_bravo

Theres a lot of Truck Traffic along the old N7 near Newbridge as both Aldi and Lidl have their Ireland distribution centres nearby and theres also a place called Red House Toughers which is a old style restaurant/petrol station which is popular with truckers. Probably best to avoid this area

Raam

ROK ON wrote: »

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Parkgate+Street+Dublin&daddr=R148+to:Maynooth,+County+Kildare,+Republic+of+Ireland+to:Clane+to:Prosperous+to:Lullymore+Rd%2FR414+to:R423+to:53.002389,-7.474823&hl=en&geocode=%3BFbZPLgMdXN-c_w%3B%3B%3B%3BFTf9LAMdMiGW_w%3BFdMQKwMd9MaR_w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=3&mrsp=7&sz=11&via=1,5,6&sll=52.987511,-7.212524&sspn=0.204197,0.615234&gl=ie&ie=UTF8&ll=52.987511,-7.58194&spn=0.204197,0.615234&z=11

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but that is one seriously straight looking road from Clane to Lullymore Road!

ROK ON

Raam wrote: »

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but that is one seriously straight looking road from Clane to Lullymore Road!

and very exposed.

Great if you get a tail wind though.

dalkener

I wouldn't like to ride that road from clane heading to allenwood, I drive it a lot for work and is always packed with trucks and lorrys heading for the roadstone plant in edenderry, also very narrow road in places and high drop offs with many crosswinds.... no thanks!!

Trojan

I hate cycling in the midlands. Especially that road into Ballymahon, feckin death trap.

osnoyl

try this

blorg

@daroadlescycled- do you plan to do this in one day? Have you done this sort of distance before?

daroadlescycled

blorg wrote: »

@daroadlescycled- do you plan to do this in one day? Have you done this sort of distance before?

The longest I have cycled in one day so far is the Ring of Kerry which is 112 miles. The ferriy arrives in Dublin Port around 6am so I'll see how things go from there.

daroadlescycled

osnoyl wrote: »

try this

This looks useful. having a go now and see what happens. Thanks.

blorg

daroadlescycled wrote: »

The longest I have cycled in one day so far is the Ring of Kerry which is 112 miles. The ferriy arrives in Dublin Port around 6am so I'll see how things go from there.

Well the ROK is far enough and it can be flat headed towards Kerry- I asked mainly as I may well be on for joining you on the trip, can be easier in a pair. I may want to head Cork-direction, and I have a route

daroadlescycled

blorg wrote: »

Well the ROK is far enough and it can be flat headed towards Kerry- I asked mainly as I may well be on for joining you on the trip, can be easier in a pair. I may want to head Cork-direction, and I have a route

That sounds interesting. Final plans not made yet. Probaly cycling on Saturday March 25th. I'm keeping in mind Portlaoise/ Thurles/Mallow, in case of bad weather, I could jump on the train. What's your route.

daroadlescycled

Hi there ,
Has one cycled along this route, From Dublin port Rathgar rd, Rathfarnham, r114 to Brittas to Kilcullen, Athy Stradbally Abbeyleix and Templemore. I wonder is there much city cycling before I get on the country lanes/roads.

ROK ON

daroadlescycled wrote: »

Hi there ,
Has one cycled along this route, From Dublin port Rathgar rd, Rathfarnham, r114 to Brittas to Kilcullen, Athy Stradbally Abbeyleix and Templemore. I wonder is there much city cycling before I get on the country lanes/roads.

I have cycled from near Athy to Kilcullen to Brittas.
Avoid the main roads (Brittas to Blessington) and the road to Kilkenny (Close to Kilcullen).
There are lots of backroads..
Only issue I had with the back roads is that countryside around there is really rolling. Up down up down. Makes it difficult to get up any head of steam.

daroadlescycled

ROK ON wrote: »

I have cycled from near Athy to Kilcullen to Brittas.
Avoid the main roads (Brittas to Blessington) and the road to Kilkenny (Close to Kilcullen).
There are lots of backroads..
Only issue I had with the back roads is that countryside around there is really rolling. Up down up down. Makes it difficult to get up any head of steam.

Rolling hills sounds good,I'm a tourer more than a racer. I'm sure if I,ll be out of the city in an hour and half if I take the the route through Maynooth or the route through Kilcullen.
Do you cycle every week or more or less?.

ROK ON

daroadlescycled wrote: »

Rolling hills sounds good,I'm a tourer more than a racer. I'm sure if I,ll be out of the city in an hour and half if I take the the route through Maynooth or the route through Kilcullen.
Do you cycle every week or more or less?.

Yep regaress of the oute, you should be in Maynooth or Kilcullen in 90mins.
I cycle most days, but only these routes at w/e spins.
If you time your journey for sat/sun morning, then you will be in only the lightest of traffic.

I may even head along part of the way with you.

daroadlescycled

ROK ON wrote: »

Yep regaress of the oute, you should be in Maynooth or Kilcullen in 90mins.
I cycle most days, but only these routes at w/e spins.
If you time your journey for sat/sun morning, then you will be in only the lightest of traffic.

I may even head along part of the way with you.

Yea that's cool, making final arragments next week, keep you posted.

daroadlescycled

Have any of You moved on from road maps to to specific GPS for cyclists. I've heard you can get GPS and phone combined, Are these totally weather proof/practical/expensive?. Any recommendations.

daroadlescycled

ROK ON wrote: »

Yep regaress of the oute, you should be in Maynooth or Kilcullen in 90mins.
I cycle most days, but only these routes at w/e spins.
If you time your journey for sat/sun morning, then you will be in only the lightest of traffic.

I may even head along part of the way with you.

I arrive in Dublin Port on Saturday the 21 of March at 6am.
I will have done a 3 hour cycle through Wales on Friday evening and ferry trip from Holyhead.I hopin to cycle the route towards Maynooth as you suggested earlier. If you or any other cyclists feel like a spin you are welcome to join me. If weather is very bad that hour of the morning I'll head for Heuston Staion.

pixcil

Hello Daroadlescycles,

Looks like you have a possible route out of dublin but if you're interested i cycle a route from rathcoole to kildare which is very quiet. Brings you out on the curragh and from there you can go to kildare-portlaoise or down to athy etc. if you want a more detailed route let me know and I'll mail you a marked route but anyway good luck. and if you.re passing anywhere near portarlington/portlaoise/kildare give a shout and could meet up for a few miles.
Tally ho

pix

daroadlescycled

pixcil wrote: »

Hello Daroadlescycles,

Looks like you have a possible route out of dublin but if you're interested i cycle a route from rathcoole to kildare which is very quiet. Brings you out on the curragh and from there you can go to kildare-portlaoise or down to athy etc. if you want a more detailed route let me know and I'll mail you a marked route but anyway good luck. and if you.re passing anywhere near portarlington/portlaoise/kildare give a shout and could meet up for a few miles.
Tally ho

pix

Yea that would be great if you can do out a route. What I'll do is see which route will be the most popular for those who might like to join in for a cycle on the 21st of march. So it's over to fellow cyclists to have your say on a route From Dublin Port to Kerry avoiding the M7.

forum guy

Hi Pixcil
You said you had a nice cycling route from rathcoole to kildare - would it be possible to get this off you? im doing a fundraising cycle from dublin to kerry next week and getting out of dublin seems to be the hardest bit to plan! i have a safe route as far as newlands cross so far.

any help would be much appreciated
ronan

Milan Cobian

Try this option for leaving Dublin, I find it's pretty good at avoiding traffic - even on a Friday afternoon.
From Heuston, head out Conygham Road, alongside the Phoenix Park, then take Lower Road, through the Strawberry Beds, into Lucan. Then go to Celbridge, from there to Ardclough, then join the Straffan-Kill road to Kill, cross the N7 on the pedestrian bridge at Kill and join the Kill-Naas old road.

forum guy

thanks a million Milan, really appreciate that. is there any chance you have a map or likewise of that route - finding it hard to put together on google maps!

Milan Cobian

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/dublin/419127998620047954

tomasrojo

ROK ON wrote: »

Anyway, once past Newbridge the road around curragh is great

I used to cycle from Kildare town to Pollardstown Fen to catch the dawn (it was for an M.Sc. I was doing; I was trying to catch the moment when the stomata in reeds opened so I could measure how much methane was released from the aerenchyma).

It was quite some time ago, but if the roads around Pollardstown Fen are anything like they used to be, they're a very nice cycle, even at the dead of night.

The fen itself is lovely on a clear summer dawn. Scarves of mist rise up off the vegetation, and the light has a lovely rosy quality.

Bit of an off-topic reminiscence there.

forum guy

thanks everyone, Milan that route is fantastic, I did it yesterday evening. Celbridge and Lucan are ATROCIOUSLY signposted towns but I followed your pointers and figured it out - will be out of Dub in no time from now on! and that hill in Chapelizod is a great wake-up-call in the first few kms!