Routes (MTB or Road) near Carraroe, Galway

Straatvark

Hi

Any recommendations on routes, passes or MTB tracks close to Carraroe, Galway that one "must do" when your there for a weekend please?

Thanks

spurscormac

You must try out the Derroura MTB trails near Oughterard.
Only about 30/35 mins from Carraroe.

ronanmac

+1 for Derroura, closer to Maam Cross than Oughterard from Carraroe, about 30 minutes. As for road cycling, there are no "must do's" but plenty of nice cycles. Carraroe to Ros a Mhíl crossroads to Oughterard to Maam Cross to Carraroe is a nice spin. Shorter spins back Ceantar na nOileán (Leitir Móir, Leitir Mulláin, check Google Maps for a few side road loops while back there). Plenty of scenic cycling on relatively quiet roads.

Dr_Colossus

Can't comment on the Derroura trails but agree with what ronanmac has to say regarding the road cycling. The Seanapheistín road from Ros a Mhíl crossroads to Oughterard is a good cycle, very quite traffic wise with a good mix of scenery and some hills. A slightly longer cycle would be from Carraroe to Spiddle, across the bog to Moycullen, back to Oughterard and then back through Seanapheistín to Ros A Mhíl. I don't particularly like the road from Oughterard to Maam Cross as it's rather narrow with heavy enough traffic on the way to Cliften.

Straatvark

Thanks everyone

Think I'm going to load the road bikes and to the "slightly longer" route proposed by Dr_Colossus.

Will let you know it were. Looking forward to the weekend.

sunshinyday

theres loads of road routes back there, go into the Cistín bar in Carraroe and ask any of the lads they will put you straight on some road routes.
If you go over towards Oughterard along the Sheanafeistín road you can take any number of roads once you reach the forestry area that will lead you to some good off road, not as technical as Derroura but still worth a look.

Also check with some of the local cycling clubs in Galway.
Enjoy.

Straatvark

Thanks everyone

What a beautiful area & country...

The Seanapheistín road, out and back, with its remoteness was exactly what we needed.

Windy & serious hard work out, but record speed back home