A good 60-70km route from either Drogheda or Slane?

austinbyrne21

Hi all,

Anyone out there living in/familar with either Drogheda or Slane? Finding it very hard coming up with routes, end up doing the same 1 or 2 the whole time. Any advice gratefully received!

Hoping for something in and around 60-70km.

Thanks in advance.

furiousox

Hmm..I have one of about 50k, its slightly repetetive and needs tweaking but it might give you something to go on.

Go out the Dublin Rd to Colpe roundabout, hang a right and come out at Platin, take a left, carry on towards Duleek, left at the Duleek graveyard and carry on to Julianstown, left at Julianstown, up the hill a bit then right to Laytown, go through Laytown/Bettystown, follow the road round to Mornington then left before Drogheda Grammar school onto Mill Rd.
Left at the top of Mill Rd and back through Bettystown/Laytown and carry on to Julianstown, right at Julianstown and back to Drogheda.

It's about 50k and I know you're doing Laytown/Bettystown twice but it's nice this time of year!

I'm thinking of trying Drogheda to Dundalk on the old road, then up Jenkinstown hill, out through Omeath then Carlingford, back through Dundalk and home to Drogheda.
Need the practice for next year's Tour of Louth!

PS What's your route?

drogdub

One route I use is Drogheda to Collon left onto N11 (Derry Road) sratight through Slane (terrible road to the bridge) keep going until left turn onto Platin Rd. Then either right at the cemetery at Duleek on to the Juleanstown Rd with many left turns to bring you to Beamore and Meadowview, or right after the factory which brings you to Beamore and the Dublin Rd.

With the exception of the road in Slane down to the bridge, you are on good Roads. But the climbing is at the start and its either mainly flat or downhill once you get passed a couple of short but tough ramps after Collon. Its about 60-70km

Cycling to Ardee is good too

feck sake lads

obviously it depends what way the wind is blowing.
but a great spin around 55 miles im old school ,drogheda take the coast road all the way to annagassan into castlebeligham to tallanstown to drumcondrath home by white mountain /collon/drogheda if it's a east wind can be tough on the homeleg but a great spin.i could give you a dozen routes from drogheda but im very slow at typing;)
btw if you get yourself an ordanance survay map you will find some great routes of the louth/meath area .
did i just mention louth/meath?:D

Jawgap

Here's a couple I do regular enough. they start in Bettystown, but you can improvise from Drogheda:-


Skerries - Rusk - Lusk Loop (x2) = 92km, but the loop is about 21km so just do one loop for a ride of about 70km


Slane - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/59912 - this one is about 57km, but including a trip to Bellewstown should wreck your legs bring it up to 70km.

Jawgap

feck sake lads wrote: »

obviously it depends what way the wind is blowing.
but a great spin around 55 miles im old school ,drogheda take the coast road all the way to annagassan into castlebeligham to tallanstown to drumcondrath home by white mountain /collon/drogheda if it's a east wind can be tough on the homeleg but a great spin.i could give you a dozen routes from drogheda but im very slow at typing;)
btw if you get yourself an ordanance survay map you will find some great routes of the louth/meath area .
did i just mention louth/meath?:D

I've done something similar - Bettystown - Drogheda - Termonfeckin - Clogherhead - Dunleer - Ardee - Collon - Drogheda - Bettystown. Great spin.

It comes in at about 84km, but starting in Drogheda should bring it closer to 70 - for added spiciness press on from Ardee to Kells, then back via Slane, that takes it up to about 120.

austinbyrne21

Thanks for all the advice lads. Didn't realise there was so many of us not based in Dublin!:D

I'd be familar with all these areas alright.

@furiousox - I would have done parts of that very same cycle when I was starting off, around the 30km mark. Out towards Duleek - Julianstown - Laytown - Bettystown - Morington - home. But it really is some lovely leisure spinning in good weather alright. The main route I've been using since is out towards Baltray - Termonfeckin - Clogherhead - Togher - Annagassan - C'bellingham - Dunleer - Tenure - Monasterboice - home.

I think we're gonna try the 2nd of these routes but adding in Ardee - Collon to bring it close to 70km. From the elevation chart on mapmyride and from what I remember there's practically a Cat1 climb;) coming out of Ardee on the way to Collon which would be around the 45km-50km mark.

So, that brings me on to another point... What's the best re-fuelling on-the-go type food/snack/drink to have with me?

@Jawgap - That Skerries - Rush - Lusk route looks very interesting alright. Can't see me getting in too many 60-70km spins before the Tour of Meath next week but I'll definitely look into it after that. Cheers!

@DrogDub - Don't think I'd have the hill-climbing prowess in my legs for the stretch from Collon to Slane.:o

CarlosK

austinbyrne21 wrote: »

Don't think I'd have the hill-climbing prowess in my legs for the stretch from Collon to Slane.:o

All in good time my friend... all in good time... thats the next challenge - Ardee to Slane. Bring it on... Pain? What pain!!! Pain is for whimps.

Smithzer

I do Drogheda, Tullyallen, Grangegeeth, Rathkenny, Slane, Donore Drogheda in the eve's.

Its a lovely spin along the Boyne from Slane to Donore.
Bout 45-50 km