The Wicklow Gap, Tallaght to Bray

seanhunt

Hi Guys

I've been getting notions to cycle from terenure to tallaght and then up across the wicklow gap to bray via glencree/enniskerry and was wondering how tough it is if anyone has tried it or does it regularily? I've recently been slowly getting back into cycling, and have a fairly good knowledge of the wicklow roads on the eastern side of the wicklow mountains but this'll be my first time approaching them from the western side. I've been training again the last couple months (after about a year off the saddle) and can manage 30-35km per session without any serious struggles in anything between an hour and half to two hours depending on incline etc. I'm on a moutain bike. Any advice? If I see a sunny still day next week should I just go for it? Suffer later etc

IM0

are you sure you mean wicklow gap and not sally gap?
the route you describe you would usually pass Bray...on the way to Enniskerry and glencree comes later.

When you come down wicklow gap (to laragh - East side) you would then go to roundwood and then ride to calary and descend a long hill to kilmacanogue and on to Bray that way.

and from what you have been doing lately, doing this is quite a step up, your basically doubling or trebbleing your daily distance, not recommended if you dont have the training in your legs to back it, build up more gradually. Of course it can be done, it just depends on how much you are prepared to suffer or not, but it will be alot easier if you build up slowly and get more miles (in one go) in your legs

two approaches: you can either go for it and hurt some and maybe not enjoy it as much, or you can build up more, and ride it in a couple of months with more endurance and fitness, and enjoy it more, will feel easier, and you'll be able to do it again sooner

seanhunt

Hey, no I meant going from the west side up from tallaght all the way up toward brittas vilage and then up over kipure and down all the way to enniskerry... wouldn't be going toward laragh, just up and over, how hard would that be?

IM0

seanhunt wrote: »

Hey, no I meant going from the west side up from tallaght all the way up toward brittas vilage and then up over kipure and down all the way to enniskerry...

yeah thats Sally Gap like I said, should be fine, the only real climb is the 20k to Sally Gap, after that its all flat or downhill, and you have small gears on the mtb so once you pace yourself it should be fine.

Highway_To_Hell

I presume you mean this route , I have on occasion cycled home from work that way (Citywest - Dalkey) only hard section would be from the blessington road up to Kippure (10-15km) long drag but nothing too steep (long time since I have been up that road)

seanhunt

Thats the route. Long drag indeed! definatly could have used a few more weeks training in my legs but made it all the same, never appreciated the downhill on the glencree valley so much glad to have done it tho climbing up the stretchfrom foxrock to leopardstown on my way back to terenure after all that was a k i l l e r. I'd usually fly up it but yea a great days cycling. anyone know what the roads from dublin to naas are like?

Jip

seanhunt wrote: »

anyone know what the roads from dublin to naas
are like?

Boring, but that's just my opinion. I think it's a pretty boring route from Tallaght on the N81 (better than the N7) as far as Blessington, maybe because I've just done it so many times. It's only interesting on the hilly windy bit just after Jobstown as far as the Blue Gardinia at Kilbride or whatever it's called these days. Once in Blessington village you swing a right and that brings you into Naas. Not too sure about that bit as I've only every driven it.

poker princess

:cool: