Road Routes - Sandymount / Bray

Bairdsy

Does anyone know of some nice, easy going rides from Sandymount or even Bray? Looking for a bit of a quiet but long enough ride to break in my new bike. Just a rough general idea of route to follow. I have just moved to Ireland.

Thanks,

Paul Kiernan

From Sandymount you can quickly cross Eastlink, down Eastlink road and right (Alfie Byrne road?) to pick up nice easy off-road coastal cycle path to Sutton. From there can climb hill of Howth or take very nice coast road to Malahide via Portmarnock. Back the same way. Watch out for lorries around docks!

kincsem

Do you plan to start from Sandymount or do you have a car and are going to bring the bike in a car and start from some other point? How far do you plan to cycle, round trip? I assume you are using a road bike travelling on the road.

For a flat spin you could go south along the Rock Road through Blackrock (on the carriageway, not throught the village), continue up Temple Hill and take the right fork at the top. Continue along Stradbrook Road, Rowan Park, Deansgrange Road, Clonkeen Road, until you meet the Stillorgan Road (dual carriageway), turn left and continue south towards Bray.

A slightly hillier route would be before Blackrock turn up Mount Merrion Avenue, at Stillorgan go up Lower Kilmacud Road, at the top of Lower Stillorgan Road turn left, continue for about a kilometer, and turn right onto Blackthorn Drive, then left onto Sandyford Road and continue towards Enniskerry. This road to Enniskerry is a well known cycling route and is more countryside, less traffic.

If you want a flattish safe route you could go up to the Stillorgan Road by going up to Ballsbridge, then up Anglesea Road or [Sandymount Avenue, Smmonscourt Road], when you get on the Stillorgan Road you can go south in the cycle lane as far as you like. When you have enough done just cross the road and retrace the route. You will not get lost as it is just out and back with no turns.

If you want to start at Bray you will meet hills. A good route is out Upper Dargle Road, join the dual carriageway going south. It gets a bit steep approaching Kilmacanogue, but it is a nice spin. Keep to the hard shoulder. The only problem is finding a place to turn around. There is an off ramp before Kilpedder where you can get off left, go around a roundabout, and come back. If you want to go further you can go as far as the Ashford roundabout.

Use bikeroutetoaster.com to check out these routes.

lukester

This is the nicest route to Bray imo, have used it regularly. Great views from Vico Rd.

Basically hug the coast all the way out, taking in Dun Laoghaire, Sandycove, Coliemore Rd and Vico Rd.

Captain Havoc

lukester wrote: »

This is the nicest route to Bray imo, have used it regularly. Great views from Vico Rd.

Basically hug the coast all the way out, taking in Dun Laoghaire, Sandycove, Coliemore Rd and Vico Rd.

+1. I used to cycle that when I lived in Sandymount.

daragh_

Vico Road is nice. Plus you get a fun bendy road on the hill down into Shankill.

lukester

daragh_ wrote: »

Vico Road is nice. Plus you get a fun bendy road on the hill down into Shankill.

They've spoiled the fun a bit by putting ramps on that road. Good bunnyhop-at-speed practice. :pac: