Alternative to coast road (balbriggan-skerries)

suzieb

Just wondering if there is an alternative road I can take to get to Skerries from Balbriggan so I dont have to drive along the coast?

I dont mind doing it in the day time but have to do it tonight and my nerves are gone as I just dont feel comfortable driving this road.

Someone told me you can go through Balrothery and come out at ardgillan but that would only lead me out to the part of the road that I actually hate!

Any alternatives and time it would take would be brilliant.

Thanks

The Hill Billy

Go to Balrothery & take the turn at the Balrothery Inn, then head towards the Blackhills/Ardgillan. When you come to the gates of Ardgillian take the right. Around 400m on there's a junction:
Straight ahead will take you by Ardla cemetery & down to Milverton & into Skerries.
Go right & this will take you to the main Skerries/Lusk road. Turn left here & this will bring you into Skerries.
Either route will take 10 to 15 minutes depending on how fast you drive.

To be honest, with the amount of boy racers tearing around up the Hills & also the state of the roads I think you'd be better off using the coast road.

Safe driving.

suzieb

Thanks Hill Billy thats great info.

Think I will chance the coast road so tonight,didnt realise the other route would be worse with cars flying up and down.
Least I have an alternatvie tho if i chicken out!
thanks

Morpheus

I take that back route quite often and I have rarely seen any racers on it! its a nice country spin to take.

The Hill Billy

Morphéus wrote: »

I take that back route quite often and I have rarely seen any racers on it! its a nice country spin to take.

I live in the Hills & hear & see them every night of the week. Especially at weekends.

Morpheus

ah well, you live up there so you will know better, generally though I would have assumed that there are more on the skerries road than on the back roads, one would think that their japanese rice burners are mostly too low for the potholes and dips

Note, if you are on the skerries road and intimidated, get yourself a handsfree kit (or a passenger with a mobile), have the gardai traffic section on speed dial (number below) and report the incident as it happens, directly to those who can do something about it.

If we all did this there would be far less idiots on our roads (and judging by the amount of crap drivers on irish roads that I have witnessed, probably a lot less traffic conjestion too!)

Garda Traffic Watch:
Call and report incidents of aggressive driving or driving hazards.
Tel:1890 205 805

Other than that my advice is to forget the tard in your mirror, concentrate on what you are doing and continue driving in a safe manner and if you can at some stage get his/her number plate then please do the above.

Maybe you can elaborate on the incidents that have occured which make you feel unsafe?

I drive that coast road regularly and although its a little bit hairy from skerries to the bend at the rail bridge its not too bad - that ive noticed.

This particular choke point, where the road narrows with a high wall on both sides of the road, the secret to this is go slowly.

for example (coming from balbriggan) go 2nd gear into the bend, keep a closer eye on the left hand side but you can be surprisingly close to that wall as the path is actually very narrow.

Whatever you do do not be tempted to swerve much to the left if meeting a bus coming from skerries, just hold your road position. Against all laws of physics, the bus WILL fit past

keep your speed to around 30mph (or less if you are still uneasy) until you are past it. do the same coming back but go slower as there are one or two large potholes on the left coming FROM skerries. If all else fails slow to a crawl again ignoring any idiots who are losing patience with your careful driving. All that matters to YOU is that YOU drive safe and arrive safe.

i admit that I usually only drive it evenings or on weekends but having cycled it on sunday I noticed how really really inept and incapable some drivers are, of driving up to AND overtaking, cyclists safely.

Morpheus

Hill Billy wrote: »

I live in the Hills & hear & see them every night of the week. Especially at weekends.

The hills have eyes! sorry! again though you can report these people to the authorities
Traffic Watch
Report incidents of aggressive driving or driving hazards.
Tel:1890 205 805