Clonard (Enfield) to Belfast

GTE

Hey all,

Im going to Belfast for college next year and Im hoping to be able to take the car.

In anticipation of this I was wondering what do the commuting regulars think about getting from Enfield Co. Meath to Belfast City and totally avoiding tolls. I also would start the journey at Clonard but its split between there and outside Enfield. The Longwood Trim road is a decent enough one but if going from Enfield the new Kilcock Summerhill Trim roads are very good.

The fully tolled way and I can only assume the fastest way is M4 (2.90), M50 (3 euro with no tag I think, and a pain to pay), M1 (dont know the toll) but as a student I would love to avoid all that lot. I'd also only do this trip at weekends or every second weekend depending on my class timetable and holidays etc. Its not a daily commute.

I was thinking of going.
Enfield
Via - Old N4, no way Id bother paying that toll.
Kilcock
Via - R158*
Summerhill
Via - R158*
Trim
Via - R161**
Navan
Via - N51
M1***


* The main reason why Im considering this route is because in recent years a rather great quality new road has opened between these towns which I think wouldnt be a bother driving on and would shorten drive times a bit as long as I dont get too stuck behind slow local traffic. There are few overtaking spots. I dont know if Google Maps has these new roads updated or not but going this way isn't exactly as cross country as going from Enfield to Trim direct in terms of the quality of the road itself.

** I dont know if this little network of new great roads extends to this part of the route so anyone who is in the know could shed some light on that.

*** Im not too sure if I get caught for a toll using this entrance onto the M1? According to the M1 wiki I would be joining on to the motorway at exit/entrance 10.

And on a final note would these towns be a pain in the arse to get through traffic wise?

Thanks to anyone who can help
bbk

Vic_08

It would be crazy going from Clonard-Trim via Kilcock, it would be twice the distance of using the direct R160 road via Longwood.

Trim is OK to get past as it has a ring road so you would avoid the town centre.

Navan is a pain and you will have little choice but to go straight through it.

J10 is past the toll, J9 is the one with the entrance/exit toll booths.

TBH I would just go M50/M1 and pay the 2 tolls, much easier drive. Can't see any point using the M4 toll just go through/around Enfield and join the M4 at J8 before Killcock.

If you are considering doing this as a daily commute I think you need to think again, doing that every day would suck the life out of you.

T Corolla

bbk wrote: »

Hey all,

Im going to Belfast for college next year and Im hoping to be able to take the car.

In anticipation of this I was wondering what do the commuting regulars think about getting from Clonard (basically Enfield Co. Meath) to Belfast City and totally avoiding tolls.

The fully tolled way and I can only assume the fastest way is M4 (2.90), M50 (3 euro with no tag I think, and a pain to pay), M1 (dont know the toll) but as a student I would love to avoid all that lot.

I was thinking of going.
Enfield
Via - Old N4
Kilcock
Via - R158*
Summerhill
Via - R158*
Trim
Via - R161**
Navan
Via - N51
M1***


* The main reason why Im considering this route is because in recent years a rather great quality new road has opened between these towns which I think wouldnt be a bother driving on and would shorten drive times a bit as long as I dont get too stuck behind slow local traffic. There are few overtaking spots. I dont know if Google Maps has these new roads updated or not but going this way isn't exactly as cross country as going from Enfield to Trim direct in terms of the quality of the road itself.

** I dont know if this little network of new great roads extends to this part of the route so anyone who is in the know could shed some light on that.

*** Im not too sure if I get caught for a toll using this entrance onto the M1? According to the M1 wiki I would be joining on to the motorway at exit/entrance 10.

And on a final note would these towns be a pain in the arse to get through traffic wise?

Thanks to anyone who can help
bbk

This is a serious amount of driving you are talking up to 200km one way trip cheaper to rent in Belfast. Seems unecessary to drive when accomodation is cheaper

amacachi

Trim-Navan-Slane-N51 would get you on the motorway and avoid the toll, but driving that every day would be insane, so eh, best of luck!

GTE

Sorry lads, I totally forgot to say Id only do this at weekends up and back if I come home from college every weekend, which I wont. Indeed that gives me a better case to just toll it but Im working out my plan B's.

Also, yeah Longwood Trim is a much more direct route. I could also be leaving via Newtown depending who I visit at the time so I wasnt thinking properly .

veryangryman

bbk wrote: »

Sorry lads, I totally forgot Id only do this at weekends up and back if I come home from college every weekend, which I wont. Indeed that gives me a better case to just toll it but Im working out my plan B's.

Also, yeah Longwood Trim is a much more direct route. I could also be leaving via Newtown depending who I visit at the time so I wasnt thinking properly .

Mate, im sorry if this sounds derogatory (its not meant that way but...)

If you can

a) Afford a car
b) Afford to go to college 200KM away

You should be able afford the extra tenner odd per week M1/M50 tolls.

That drive would kill me - ive done it once ever. Why would you make it any worse than it is. If you REALLY need to toll-dodge, go Leixlip-Clonee via R147. Dont be a fool and dodge the M1 though.

Victor

What are the back roads like on a rainy / icy / foggy November night?

JupiterKid

The R158 has indeed improved but it's still a regional route which is narrow and has an 80kph speed limit. Navan will be the biggest bottleneck as you have to drive right through the town.

The N51 from Navan to Drogheda is poor in alignment, surface and width. In fact, it's a pretty dangerous stretch of road.

Avoid the Enfield toll on the M4 and take the M4 - M50 - M1. It's faster and safer.

GTE

veryangryman wrote: »

Mate, im sorry if this sounds derogatory (its not meant that way but...)

If you can

a) Afford a car
b) Afford to go to college 200KM away

You should be able afford the extra tenner odd per week M1/M50 tolls.

That drive would kill me - ive done it once ever. Why would you make it any worse than it is. If you REALLY need to toll-dodge, go Leixlip-Clonee via R147. Dont be a fool and dodge the M1 though.

I have the Leixlip - Clonee one worked out too, I know the route well. Its just the roads after Trim I mentioned in the first post that I wasn't too sure about. Navan does seem to be the downside to it all, taking weather and ice out of the equation of course.

I like having things planned out to a decent extent. The reason Im doing the research on this route is because when driving home from an open day I noticed an exit for Mullingar which I found really odd. So I may as well research that route to see what it would entail or find a similar one because I think the Mullingar one brings you to Kells which is too far out of the way.

Indeed if I can afford a car etc. I can afford a toll but Im not treating this as the only way to go to Belfast. However, my budget by any stretch of the imagination is stretched so thin that a max of 380 of tolls per academic year would be gladly saved it I could do it without losing too much time. I know I wont be coming home every weekend with holidays and other things but thats the mindset I have.

Victors point is a very good one, those roads are bound to be awful some nights.

amacachi

bbk wrote: »

I have the Leixlip - Clonee one worked out too, I know the route well. Its just the roads after Trim I mentioned in the first post that I wasn't too sure about. Navan does seem to be the downside to it all, taking weather and ice out of the equation of course.

I like having things planned out to a decent extent. The reason Im doing the research on this route is because when driving home from an open day I noticed an exit for Mullingar which I found really odd. So I may as well research that route to see what it would entail or find a similar one because I think the Mullingar one brings you to Kells which is too far out of the way.

Indeed if I can afford a car etc. I can afford a toll but Im not treating this as the only way to go to Belfast. However, my budget by any stretch of the imagination is stretched so thin that a max of 380 of tolls per academic year would be gladly saved it I could do it without losing too much time. I know I wont be coming home every weekend with holidays and other things but thats the mindset I have.

Victors point is a very good one, those roads are bound to be awful some nights.

Look at it per week, 12 or so euro a week is a small price to pay to save 1-2 hours, less petrol usage, far safer roads and less wear on the car.

GTE

amacachi wrote: »

Look at it per week, 12 or so euro a week is a small price to pay to save 1-2 hours, less petrol usage, far safer roads and less wear on the car.

All of thats been taken into consideration, as I said Im merely doing a bit of research into the other routes I can take.


Thanks all
bbk

KenHy

Google maps says

Personally I'd just pay the tolls, (apart from the M4 toll, just go to the Killcock exit.