Strawberry Beds Cycling Guide

daymobrew

Someone in the Strawberry Beds Residents' Association gave me a copy of a cycling guide that they produced in 2007. It describes the historical and nature things to be seen in the area.

Those familiar with the road know about traffic issues, but the 2 page PDF lists the other sights of interest.

nomadic

Love the picture of the kids cycling on the road.

Caroline_ie

nomadic wrote: »

Love the picture of the kids cycling on the road.

Little do they know ... one of the lads has decided to take the Strawberry bed shortcut to test his new spoiler ...

Bunnyhopper

Thanks for that, daymobrew. It's a nice route, alright, and good and close to the Park. Despite the problems with traffic the surface is pretty good, and there are some nice short, sharp climbs back up towards Luttrelstown and Porterstown.

I was reading Cycling in Victorian Ireland by Brian Griffin (a good read if you're into that sort of thing) and came across a reproduction of an ad for cyclist-friendly hotels: one of them is the Strawberry Hall. The ad's originally from the Irish Cyclist of 3 July 1889.

(Incidentally, the Strawberry Hall is still a brilliant pub whether you're on a bike or not. I don't know whether they still have "ample stabling for machines" but they do have a free local taxi service and good pints, and you can play darts and bagatelle (the billiards-style game, not the trad band...) - what more could you want?)

ROK ON

Very interesting. Had always wondered about that bridge.
Must stop in to some of these pubs after a spin some day - this is the route that I usually use to get home after a saturday spin in Wicklow.

smithslist

ROK ON wrote: »

Must stop in to some of these pubs after a spin some day

an idea for a boards spin sometime guys

Caroline_ie

smithslist wrote: »

an idea for a boards spin sometime guys

Actually last summer, we did a lot of mid week spins via the strawberry beds, never stopped for a drink there tho ...

smithslist

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Actually last summer, we did a lot of mid week spins via the strawberry beds, never stopped for a drink there tho ...

there's always a next time......

Off topic: Just checked out your TOI video Caroline_ie, nice video, but that brought me to on watch your BRMC live video, I was there, what a gig

Caroline_ie

smithslist wrote: »

there's always a next time......

Off topic: Just checked out your TOI video Caroline_ie, nice video, but that brought me to on watch your BRMC live video, I was there, what a gig

Thanks the TOI video could have been better, my camera is not as good, but it does show the speed they go at during the final sprint. This year I will try and document the whole event much better.

( BRMC was a good show, sqaw them twice in 2007 and 2008 but they're a bit boring on stage, they don't really communicate with the audience )

smithslist

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Thanks the TOI video could have been better, my camera is not as good, but it does show the speed they go at during the final sprint. This year I will try and document the whole event much better.

that reminds me, i must put my name forward for marshal for this yr.

(BRMC) yeah true, but there gr8t music overcomes there on-stage none audience inter-action

daymobrew

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

there are some nice short, sharp climbs back up towards Luttrelstown and Porterstown.

As I live in Carpenterstown I've used these as part of my initial training for W200/ROK. I think that they are only a 50m climb but if you do all three (Somerton/Rugged/Tinkers) it's a good workout.

ROK ON

daymobrew wrote: »

As I live in Carpenterstown I've used these as part of my initial training for W200/ROK. I think that they are only a 50m climb but if you do all three (Somerton/Rugged/Tinkers) it's a good workout.

Thet are great for training. I imagine that the gradient on Tinkers hill and Somerton are tougher than anything in Kerry (it feels that way anyway).

Given that it is a nice circular route, would anyone be up for a boards crit around the strawberry beds and up tinkers hill back down somerton lane. Say maybe 3 laps??

niceonetom

ROK ON wrote: »

Thet are great for training. I imagine that the gradient on Tinkers hill and Somerton are tougher than anything in Kerry (it feels that way anyway).

Given that it is a nice circular route, would anyone be up for a boards crit around the strawberry beds and up tinkers hill back down somerton lane. Say maybe 3 laps??

like this? i might be up for giving that a go on sunday while the real racers are off in batterstown.

is tinker's hill the bit between B and C on this map? if it is that would really make for an interesting circuit - could the climber types take enough of an advantage to get away from the bigger guys to stay away on the flat? hmmm.

Caroline_ie

I tried these hills a couple of years ago at the time that was the closest to a hill I had ever cycled - almost killed me. Must start training on them again.

short circuit

niceonetom wrote: »

like this? i might be up for giving that a go on sunday while the real racers are off in batterstown.

is tinker's hill the bit between B and C on this map? if it is that would really make for an interesting circuit - could the climber types take enough of an advantage to get away from the bigger guys to stay away on the flat? hmmm.

Me thinks this is Tinker's hill but open to correction ... if its the previous .. I've never found that road ... and would be very interested to find it.

But if its this ... then I think it might be better to come down via Tinker's hill ... as its rather busy and wouldn't want a bunch of cyclists holding up cars and then being cursed at on boards.

Caroline_ie

short circuit wrote: »

But if its this ... then I think it might be better to come down via Tinker's hill ... as its rather busy and wouldn't want a bunch of cyclists holding up cars and then being cursed at on boards.

On a sunday ?? .. they can wait

nomadic

i think between B, C and D is a private road inside Luttrellstown Castle.

ROK ON

niceonetom wrote: »

like this? i might be up for giving that a go on sunday while the real racers are off in batterstown.

is tinker's hill the bit between B and C on this map? if it is that would really make for an interesting circuit - could the climber types take enough of an advantage to get away from the bigger guys to stay away on the flat? hmmm.

Tinkers Hill is part on map from Westmanstown (bottom left hand corner to R109 symbol half way up.
Cant do this sunday, as my new kids are being Christened.
But other than that I am on for it.
I am very slow btw, just that I the punishment.

Vélo

When I was about 13 I used to cycle up one of them. I'm nearely sure it was Somerton. I was the only one out of my friends that could do it. In fairness I was the only one on a racer, the rest were on BMX's or some BSO's. They all said I could only do it because of the bike, it probably had something to do with my weight also.:p

MadHatter

nomadic wrote: »

i think between B, C and D is a private road inside Luttrellstown Castle.

That's correct, that section is inside the grounds of Luttrellstown Estate so not accessible to public.

From point B, you would need to continue along R109 and turn right up Tinkers Hill towards Westmanstown. Continue along Luttrellstown Road. There's a sharp bend in the road between D & E on the map, that leads to level crossing at Clonsilla, you'd need to make a right turn at this bend to stay on Luttrellstown Road, but that's a pretty dangerous junction.

I've done similar laps myself on a couple of occassions. Suggest a couple of changes to get the most from it:

- Do the lap in the other direction so you are turning left at all the junctions, means you don't have to turn across traffic.

- Make it a shorter lap. Skip Tinkers Hill section as Luttrellstown Road and Westmanstown Road are flat and boring, with plenty of speeding traffic. Use Rugged Lane instead, means you get more climbing done. So if doing anti-clockwise, down Rugged Lane, left onto Strawberry Beds, left up Somerton Road, and left again on Luttrellstown Road. Repeat.

- Be very careful if you're planning to race this . Both Rugged Lane and Somerton Road are narrow and can have loose surfaces, with a steep descent throwing you out onto Strawberry Beds which can have fast moving traffic. Also, I found cars coming up the hill are very reluctant to slow down and move over for cyclists coming down the hill. You need to take it easy.

Wouldn't mind tagging along myself if you do plan to do it as a group, but this weekend is out.

ROK ON

Agree about doing the opposite direction. Otherwise there are too many blind turns.
If we were to incorporate another climbb, we could start in Chapelizod Village and climb Knockmaroon hill all the way to Castleknock College, and then join the route in the map in an anti-clockwise direction.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=chapelizod+dublin&daddr=Unknown+road+to:The+Sand+Pits+to:Kellystown+to:Westmanstown+to:Sommerton+Lane&hl=en&geocode=%3BFUpRLgMdSuCe_w%3B%3B%3B%3B&mra=ls&via=1&sll=53.362794,-6.393614&sspn=0.016339,0.037251&ie=UTF8&z=13

ROK ON

I would only be prepared to udertake this if we were prepared to have a drink in one of the 4 pubs along the route afterward (Villager, Anglers Rest, Wrens Nest Strawberry Bed Pub)

ROK ON

Feck this. I am bunking off work early to do this this afternoon.

niceonetom

ROK ON wrote: »

Feck this. I am bunking off work early to do this this afternoon.

i'd join you if i could.

@MadHatter - is this what you mean? in a clockwise direction though. 4.4k with 60m of climbing. could be good training :pac: :pac:

is rugged road "rugged" as in there's grass in the middle and stuff? i've never ventured up that way but i certainly wouldn't be speeding down a road like that.

MadHatter

ROK ON wrote: »

I would only be prepared to udertake this if we were prepared to have a drink in one of the 4 pubs along the route afterward (Villager, Anglers Rest, Wrens Nest Strawberry Bed Pub)

Sounds like a plan...

ROK ON wrote: »

Feck this. I am bunking off work early to do this this afternoon.

Wish I had your job

niceonetom wrote: »

@MadHatter - is this what you mean? in a clockwise direction though. 4.4k with 60m of climbing. could be good training :pac: :pac:

is rugged road "rugged" as in there's grass in the middle and stuff? i've never ventured up that way but i certainly wouldn't be speeding down a road like that.

That's the route I'd suggest, but do it anti-clockwise so you are always turning left. It doesn't look like much on paper, but the uphill is a short sharp shock.

No grass down the middle of Rugged Lane, too much through traffic for that, it's just narrow and windy with a few potholes and loose gravel in places. Some pretty step sections and spits you out onto Strawberry Beds at a blind junction so definitely need to descend with care.

short circuit

niceonetom wrote: »

i'd join you if i could.

@MadHatter - is this what you mean? in a clockwise direction though. 4.4k with 60m of climbing. could be good training :pac: :pac:

is rugged road "rugged" as in there's grass in the middle and stuff? i've never ventured up that way but i certainly wouldn't be speeding down a road like that.

Stocking lane would be about 800mts all of it is a climb ... Rugged lane is longer .. about 1.2 - 1.5 kms ... but I reckon 800mts of climb and it eases off at the top.

Both roads are fine but wouldn't recommend a full speed descent on either of them as both will throw you off into lower road with busy traffic ... and the bottom is rather steep and blind. If you miss the turn and the traffic ... you will run into a wall on the opposite side ... and if you manage to miss that as well .. you will have a safe but rather wet landing in the Liffey.

For climbing I found that I had to be moving before I reached the bottom of either .. from a standing start, I couldn't clip in ...

smithslist

MadHatter wrote: »

No grass down the middle of Rugged Lane, it's just narrow and windy with a few potholes and loose gravel in places. Some pretty step sections and spits you out onto Strawberry Beds at a blind junction so definitely need to descend with care.

+1, and also there tends to be alot of gravel (or loose stones) on the bottom of the climb, so be careful of that.

But other than that great little (secret\hidden) climb that not many people in cars know about, so tends to be less traffic than Tinkers hill.

BostonB

Somerton Road Hill is short but it gets steeper as you go up.

Where is Stocking lane?

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stocking+lane,+Dublin&ie=UTF8&ll=53.262133,-6.31937&spn=0.053291,0.154495&z=13

BostonB

I thought it was near strawberry beds for a minute.

short circuit

Did a couple of laps of this today ... and here's the route and profile in case anyone is thinking of doing this anytime.