Any good / safe cycle routes around the county?

I'm looking to start cycling again but I prefer the long interupted cycles (not city cycling) so I'm wondering if there are any good stretches of road for cycling on around Galway county.

I'm planning on starting with 5-10 mile cycles gradually increasing to 20-30 mile cycles

biko

There are some Galway lads over in the Cycling forum, they might know.

Head The Wall

5-10 mile trips won't get you too far around the county but it's good that you are starting.

Let us know your location or do you plan on driving to a certain spot and cycling from there.

definetly driving to somewhere and cycling from there. The roads around where i am have too many blind corners and hidden dips

I used to cycle everywhere years ago but once I got a car and moved out to the countryside I stopped

dec25532

Sometime, take the bike on the back of the car, travel to Newport in Mayo and cycle the greenway to Mulranny. It is amazing. About 12 miles there and 12 miles back. Did it last September on a weekend and it was great. Would do it again.
There is a five mile circuit around Gardenfield in Tuam which has a couple of nice, testing hills. Do it twice and it would feel like you have completed a marathon!

Aero28

dec25532 wrote: »

Sometime, take the bike on the back of the car, travel to Newport in Mayo and cycle the greenway to Mulranny. It is amazing. About 12 miles there and 12 miles back. Did it last September on a weekend and it was great. Would do it again.
There is a five mile circuit around Gardenfield in Tuam which has a couple of nice, testing hills. Do it twice and it would feel like you have completed a marathon!

Definitely a good choice, and i think it has also been extended in the last while and it goes from westport to mulranney now and could possibly go on to achill. Brilliant cycle route.

EhBenDisDonc

As Biko says, the Cycling forum is very active. Friendly too.

One suggestion is to drive above Kinvara to Carron. Just before Cassidys Pub, you can ditch the car and cycle East through a lovely quiet road in the heart of the Burren. If you take the road just opposite Cassidys, there is a lovely cycle to Ballyvaughan though it has to be said there is the odd vertiginous drop and the occasional climb.
When you feel comfortable with a good long spin, you could combine these 2 suggestions, leaving Kinvara, taking back roads through Carron and on to Ballyvaughan where some kind soul could pour a pint into you and take you home.

Otherwise, poring over Google maps will throw up lots of options closer to home. Perhaps use Mapmyride to plan some routes.

The Aware Connemara cycle is coming up in April. It's a beautiful route, and is really friendly. If you were to do one charity cycle in Galway this year, I'd pick that one.

orangebud

check out
http://www.mapmyride.com/

lots of good routes around galway

420 :P

dnme

Listen, just get out onto the back roads and cycle. I used to live near Athenry and would cycle to Newcastle, Monivea, Gurteen and so on. Also used to do the odd Saturday spin down to Ballyvaughan.
Just go and cycle, you wont die I promise you.

dinneenp

There's a few in Galway City forum, like this

TellTalesIrl

I live in the Headford area - which has extensive quiet roads that go for miles. For example when you approach Headford and take a left you move into a headland area that moves down to the lake. If you continue cycling through this area - very little signage you can cycle from that headland over to cross village, co mayo on backroads and go out and visit some islands on the way. best getting an ordance map survey of the area. Typical townland names - Kilbeg, Claran, Greenfields and onto into Cross village - dont know the townland names in that area. Fabulous cycling routes. I believe someone in Headford was hoping to set up cycling routes of the area but not sure if that has happened.