Bike Hire & Suggested trails in Wicklow

Kimia

Hi all,

I'm a cycling newbie but would love to get out some weekend and hire bikes to cycle around, taking photographs etc. Do you have any suggestions as to where we would go? We are based just outside Dublin so Wicklow comes to mind as the handiest place for us.

Bear in mind, nothing too uphill/mountain biking - we would be looking for nice trails where you could cycle at leisure, taking in the scenary etc.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

mtbireland

Talk to Brian in Wicklow cycles about bike hire...

http://www.wicklowcycles.ie/bike-hire

Nice gentle tracks to start on would be those in Ballinastoe

blorg

Kimia wrote: »

I'm a cycling newbie but would love to get out some weekend and hire bikes to cycle around, taking photographs etc. Do you have any suggestions as to where we would go? We are based just outside Dublin so Wicklow comes to mind as the handiest place for us.

Bear in mind, nothing too uphill/mountain biking - we would be looking for nice trails where you could cycle at leisure, taking in the scenary etc.

Bit confusing.

#1 Wicklow is hilly and most of the nice bits involve hills.

#2 you say no mountain biking but yet you want to ride on "trails"? What do you mean by this- do you want to cycle off road or on road?

Kimia

Sorry if my post was confusing. I am a beginner so don't think i'd be able for hardcore mountain biking. I would prefer it to be on quiet roads I suppose. An easy trail (or route, maybe trail was the wrong word to use) would be great.

Gavin

mtbireland wrote: »

Talk to Brian in Wicklow cycles about bike hire...

http://www.wicklowcycles.ie/bike-hire

Nice gentle tracks to start on would be those in Ballinastoe

Yeah I don't think MTB trails are quite what the OP is after. I'm guessing more like fireroads for casual ambling through the country and taking photos.

To OP, there are fireroads in Balinastoe which you can cycle around on, there are fireroads in all of the coillte forests which could be good for cycling around.

Kimia

Sorry for being so dim, but what are 'fireroads'?

blorg

Kimia wrote: »

Sorry for being so dim, but what are 'fireroads'?

Fireroads are the wide tracks they cut between trees in forests so that in case of fire the entire forest doesn't burn down. They are bumpy but completely non-technical in MTB terms.

From your post though I'm taking it you just want quiet roads? Would you be planning on driving out with the bikes or starting in Dublin? What sort of distance are you thinking of?

Kimia

Well I'd say we'd try to hire bikes, and hopefully we can drive to a spot and then park up the car.

mockler007

well kimia,

First if you dont like hills your fcukd as that what wicklow is, one big hill.
If you want to take it easy give paul a buzz in the Phoenix park, www.PhoenixParkBikeHire.com he has giant bikes to rent at the parkgate gate, nice trails around the park, see alot of lads and ladies with cams,
even couples in bushes (ask Lumen)
If you want to do this alot more, id personally buy a bike. so you can go anywhere, anytime without worrien about rental, it will work out cheaper. and since you dont like hills you can start getting fit,
Coillte.ie will have their trails locations on their website

Kimia

hi Mockler, thanks for the Phoenix park tip - i'll definitely look that up.

It's not that i hate hills, it's just that i'm a beginner and from what I hear it may not be the best idea for us to try big mountain biking when we're so new at this.

Thanks for your help tho.

mockler007

Kimia wrote: »

hi Mockler, thanks for the Phoenix park tip - i'll definitely look that up.

It's not that i hate hills, it's just that i'm a beginner and from what I hear it may not be the best idea for us to try big mountain biking when we're so new at this.

Thanks for your help tho.

no bother dude, me mam does all that camera club ****e in the park, not calling it ****e now

Kimia

haha

blorg

Some suggestions, in each case drive to the start. If these are too short and you want longer say so. These are all on roads but generally quiet ones.

Laragh-Wicklow Gap (and back down), 7km each way, Wicklow Mountains National Park, very scenic

Blessington, around the lakes. 35.2km. No big climbs but a lot of up and down around Lacken. The other half is flatter. Very scenic.

Lugalla-Sally Gap and back, 7km each way. You are starting at the top of Lugalla so although you are at altitude there is not actually that much climbing. If you wanted you could go right at Sally Gap and walk up to the top of Kippure (it's a hard climb on a bike.) Very nice view from there.

Enniskerry-Glencree-Enniskerry, 24km. Very scenic loop particularly the road on the way out. You pass by Powerscourt Waterfall. Apart from a short sharp shock immediately after that it is gentle enough. Steep hill down back into Enniskerry. The roads in the middle of that loop around Powerscourt are also nice.

Enniskerry-Roundwood-Enniskerry, 33km. Head out up past Djouce (that is tough) and then along a quiet and pleasant road past Ballinastoe (MTB trails) to Roundwood. I have you going back on the pan flat main road in case you are a bit tired.

Laragh-Shay Elliot-Greenane-Rathdrum-Laragh, 31km. This has you go up the easier side of the Shay Elliot (Glenmalure) which is nevertheless a significant climb. Good view in places on the way up and down the other side. Potential tea stop in Rathdrum, from there the road back to Laragh is gently rolling.

w123

mockler007 wrote: »

well kimia,

First if you dont like hills your fcukd as that what wicklow is, one big hill.
If you want to take it easy give paul a buzz in the Phoenix park, www.PhoenixParkBikeHire.com he has giant bikes to rent at the parkgate gate, nice trails around the park, see alot of lads and ladies with cams,
even couples in bushes (ask Lumen)
If you want to do this alot more, id personally buy a bike. so you can go anywhere, anytime without worrien about rental, it will work out cheaper. and since you dont like hills you can start getting fit,
Coillte.ie will have their trails locations on their website

+1 on the Phoenix Park bike rentals, I took the wife, three kids and two of their cousins there. We rented Two adult bikes one with an infant seat on the back, the other with a tagalong attached and three decent mountain bikes for the older kids, it cost €20 and he didn't even ask our names. We have our own bikes, but you'd never get them all to the park without a trailer, we'll definitely do that again.