Routes around Baltimore

on_the_nickel

Hello,

I'm back on the bike and heading to Baltimore on Thursday with the family for the weekend.

Can anyone recommend some nice routes around there? I might get away for a 100-120km spin on one of the days, but some varying 50-70km loops would also be great.

Also, I'm thinking of cycling to Baltimore from Clon, any advice on a nice route would be appreciated.

Paley

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Hello,


Also, I'm thinking of cycling to Baltimore from Clon, any advice on a nice route would be appreciated.

Re cycling from Clon, if you want to cycle for speed and don't mind lots of traffic then the N71 is fine.


Taking the more minor roads is quiter (but not completely so in the summer) and more scenic, but it's harder to bomb down a hill as you have to be a bit careful of cars coming round corners on the narrower roads.

Quieter route.
Turn left from N71 at Rosscarbery (past the Celtic Ross hotel) to Glandore (R597).

There's a wee climb. You go close to a decent stone circle, but have to take a left near the top of the hill if you want to see it.

The R597 goes into Glandore itself. There are bars which do food/coffee and have a very nice setting so it's almost worth it for that alone.

After you leave Glandore you can go straight onto Leap and rejoin the N71 or you can take the bridge to Union Hall. The N71 is a bit busy so the other route is more pleasant to cycle.

The main option from Union Hall to Baltimore is through the village, past the Catholic Church and up a short, windy hill (The Doctor's Hill).

Take the right at the top.

Then go straight on for about 4 kilometers til you come to the R596 at the old creamery. It's now a Joiners.

You can pick more or less any option at the crossroads and end up in Baltimore, albeit you'll add a few kilometers if you take the left and head towards Castletownshend. The right brings you to Skibereen. Straight on is probably the shortest.

Note that there are small roads being designated for touring cycles that you'll see about a kilometre before you hit the R596. They are signposted, but keep an eye out for them. I don't see them marked on Google maps. I'd consider taking them as they are even quieter and the surface is surprisingly good. You can choose the left or right.

Taking the right option brings you the back road into Skibbereen. You'll arrive at the post office.

Take the left at the post office to go onto the one way street of Market Street.

Continue straight through the round about.

That's the Baltimore road. It's a bit busy so I'd take the next option marked for cycling. It's a little left turn a few hundred metres past the round about.

There's a right at a kind of Y junction shortly after that but it should be marked as a cycle route.

That'll bring you to Lough Hyne (nice place for a hike with the family).

Cycle up the short little hill marked for Baltimore.

You'll then see more signs for the cycle routes to your left. I'd follow them as it's even quieter and the scenary is quite pleasant. It brings you into the start of Baltimore village itself.

on_the_nickel

Thanks, great info.

You lost me at Union Hall to be honest, but I've put together a route I might take based on what you said, and an urge to visit Inane and Toehead.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/157611

I think I'll head over to Glengariff to do the Healy and Caha pass loop as well.

Greyspoke

Check out the route of the W. Cork 200 that started in Baltimore. It's marked on the road so is quite easy to follow. A suggestion would be to follow the route out through Ballydehob to Schull and on to Goleen. From there it heads out to Barley Cove before following a smaller road towards and along the north coast of the peninsula with spectacular views across Dunmanus Bay. You can then cut back to Ballydehob and even take in the climb to the top of Mount Gabriel which has a great little road to the top of it (though the approach road is a bit broken up in places). The views from the top are just fantastic and make it worth the effort (assuming it's a clear day!)

on_the_nickel

Greyspoke wrote: »

Check out the route of the W. Cork 200 that started in Baltimore. It's marked on the road so is quite easy to follow. A suggestion would be to follow the route out through Ballydehob to Schull and on to Goleen. From there it heads out to Barley Cove before following a smaller road towards and along the north coast of the peninsula with spectacular views across Dunmanus Bay. You can then cut back to Ballydehob and even take in the climb to the top of Mount Gabriel which has a great little road to the top of it (though the approach road is a bit broken up in places). The views from the top are just fantastic and make it worth the effort (assuming it's a clear day!)

Perfect, thanks, I found the route on mapmyride and will definitely try to do this next year. Where will I find Mount Gabriel?

Paley

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Perfect, thanks, I found the route on mapmyride and will definitely try to do this next year. Where will I find Mount Gabriel?

It's just north of Schull. It's a handy distance from Baltimore actually.

Greyspoke

Paley wrote: »

It's just north of Schull. It's a handy distance from Baltimore actually.

Yea, you can't miss it - it's the one with the giant golf balls on top!

on_the_nickel

Thanks all, had a great time, very lucky with the weather.

Did the Glandore - Union Hall - Castletownshend route, which was brilliant, 60k of scenery with barely a car on the road.

Did Mount Gabriel the next day, wasn't as hard as I thought after 3 weeks off the bike. Lovely views from the top (pics 1 and 2), with a nice rewarding piece of road graffiti as well (pic 3). I can only assume the Livestrong chalkbot made it to West Cork after the Tour.

2 punctures soon after, running out of glue and realising the spare tube had a rip in it soon put paid to my spin though.

Beautiful part of the country though, going back soon!