Route advice request: Kilorglin, Kerry to Mizen Head, Cork

DualFrontDiscs

Hi all,

Friday is the final day of a 7 day tour of Ireland, cycling between the four cardinal compass points of Ireland. Anyway, can any one offer alternative routes to Kilorglin, Killarney, Molls Gap, Caha Pass, Bantry, Mizen Head?

We're averaging about 145km a day, but slowing down. No mountains to speak of so far. Anything we can do to make it easier for ourselves?

Typing from mobile so apologies for typos.

Regards,

DFD

Murph100

Are you starting from Killorglin for this leg ? Assuming that you are, head to Killarney, take the 'bypass' road to Cork, after 20km you will see a turn off to the right for Kenmare, take that route. Take a left at the T Junction in front of Kenmare post office, over the bridge and heading for Bantry/Glengarriff. This will then bring you over the 'tunnels' aka The Caha Pass and on to Glengarriff and then Bantry, from then on its pretty much just rolling hills but no major climbs.

You could go via Ballyvourney, Ballingeary, Pass of Ceimaneigh instead of Kenmare but there are a lot of nasty little climbs, one short little bastard which must be nearly 20%. I reckon the Caha Pass is way easier, just one climb and by far ( like light years ! ) the more scenic.

blorg

Google Maps walking suggests 118km skipping the N71 to Kenmare but it looks a hell of lot hillier.

Google driving is 130 basically on the N71 but skipping a bit over mountains later to Bantry.

If you are asking what is easiest, from what I can see on Google Maps just following the N71 to Bantry looks like it. It is 142km if I force it to follow the N71 but looks MUCH less hilly than either 130 or 118 options.

You then just follow the R591 right turn a couple of km out of Bantry to Mizen Head.

ROK ON

I know that you want to make thins easy, so here is my tuppence worth:
(1) Killorglin Beaufort gap of dunloe black valley kenmare caha glengariff bantry. Pro very quiet roads but a short sharp climb from Black Valley to Molls Gap. Gap of Dunloe climb is a series of steps so very very manageable.

(2) Killorglin Killarney Loo Bridge Kenmare et al.
Pro no climbs at all until the Caha Pass. Con. Killarney to Turn off for Loo Bridge is the main Cork Road - hard shoulder but very busy. Loo Bridge to Kenmare is a busy **** road.

You could go Killarney Ballvourney Gougan Barra Bantry. Big climb up to Balleyvourney and then a lot of climbing around Gougan Barra.

IMHO - the best and most manageable route is thru Black Valley down to Kenmare and onto Glengariff.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Killorglin,+Co.+Kerry,+Ireland&daddr=Unknown+road+to:Unknown+road+to:Kenmare,+Co.+Kerry,+Ireland+to:Glengariff,+Co.+Cork,+Ireland+to:Mizen+Head,+Co.+Cork,+Ireland&hl=en&geocode=%3BFWLFGgMdiqJr_w%3BFXm0GQMdHPls_w%3B%3B%3B&mra=ls&via=1,2&sll=51.526688,-9.656982&sspn=0.135849,0.460052&ie=UTF8&z=8

lescol

Heading out of Killorglin take the Annadale Road (Bianconi corner) to cycle to Beaufort off the main Killorglin-Killarney road, it's normally very quiet. In Beaufort it's either a left turn to bring you over the bridge and onto the main road into Killarney or turn right to approach Molls Gap via the Gap of Dunloe, fabulous scenery and no coaches. Continue through Kenmare as previously directed, remember to remove the shades before entering the top tunnel, it's dark in there, scared the sh@t out of me last time I was there!

Dromcarrig

ROK ON wrote: »

(2) Killorglin Killarney Loo Bridge Kenmare et al.
Pro no climbs at all until the Caha Pass. Con. Killarney to Turn off for Loo Bridge is the main Cork Road - hard shoulder but very busy. Loo Bridge to Kenmare is a busy **** road.

The main road does have a hard shoulder practically the whole way to Loo Bridge if memory serves me correctly. I would agree that the Loo Bridge to Kenmare road is very busy and so would recommend only going as far as Kilgarvan. Opposite Healy-Rae's petrol station there is a narrow quiet road through the Borlin valley. The climb is gradual and no worse than any of the others. As you have to go over one hill then this is the one I recommend as the secenery is fantastic.

DualFrontDiscs

A big thank you for all the advice. We went the Loo Bridge, Kilgarvan route.

The main road wasn't particularly busy, there was hard shoulder most of the way and the climb was almost entirely car free and manageable, which was important after 6 days in the saddle already.

We finished the trip on Brow Head as planned and made it in daylight which was great.

Thanks again.

DFD.

ROK ON

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

A big thank you for all the advice. We went the Loo Bridge, Kilgarvan route.

The main road wasn't particularly busy, there was hard shoulder most of the way and the climb was almost entirely car free and manageable, which was important after 6 days in the saddle already.

We finished the trip on Brow Head as planned and made it in daylight which was great.

Thanks again.

DFD.

That wasnt ye today at the tea shop in Bonane between Kenmare and the Caha Pass, around 3pm. There was a cannondale, felt and about 3 others nice bikes parked as I was out for a cycle.

DualFrontDiscs

ROK ON wrote: »

That wasnt ye today at the tea shop in Bonane between Kenmare and the Caha Pass, around 3pm. There was a cannondale, felt and about 3 others nice bikes parked as I was out for a cycle.

Not us. We finished yesterday evening. Back in Dublin now. Great 7 days, all 4 compass points done, 986km, brookes saddle finally broke in

DFD.