New in Cork, looking for touring routes and/or partners

cool irl

Hi,

I just moved in to Ballincollig and I'm hoping to do some bike touring. I'm looking for some easy to mid-ambitious routes near Cork. I can do 80 kilometres daily (let's keep it to one-day trips now), but that's on flat surfaces and I've already gotten to know the hills here (I wasn't really expecting 15% slopes). Do you know any routes? Or perhaps if someone could show me around, that would be grand.

twaimkit

Hi cool irl, it would be worth it if you havent already called into west end cycles in Ballincollig they wuld give you a few ideas for routes and the local club would probably do club training spins regurally. Ballincollig is a great starting point for routes to lisarda, lee valley, macroom, kinsale and carrigaline to name a few and all worth a journey.Also killarney adn west corkwhen you want to go further afield. Enjoy.

cool irl

I know west end cycles, I've already been there to get some equipment. Thanks for the tip, I'll ask them about some routes.

dvntie

I've heard that there's a group that leaves from the rugby club in Ballincollig every sat morning at 8.30. Never gone with them myself but worth a look. Apparently they do circa 100k

funnights74

Ha ha no there's no 15% slopes (just one 21% come to think of it) but plenty of good cycling routes on your doorstep.
Head towards killumney, also coachford - Dripsey, but that Saturday morning rugby club group sounds perfect in helping you find your way.

cool irl

funnights74 wrote: »

Ha ha no there's no 15% slopes (just one 21% come to think of it) but plenty of good cycling routes on your doorstep.
Head towards killumney, also coachford - Dripsey, but that Saturday morning rugby club group sounds perfect in helping you find your way.

There's a harsh slope south of Ballincollig that's allegedly 14,4%. I don't know how accurate Google Earth is, but I know that where I used to live, 4% slopes were already unusual.

It was too windy to cycle today, so I took a walk, but I discovered that there's a cycling road all the way to Cork, which was a nice surprise.

Don't the rugby guys cycle pretty fast? I'm mostly into touring, with average speeds of 20-30km/h (depending how familiar I am with the road).

funnights74

That road you found is probably the straight road, great for putting the hammer down and flat as a pancake, traffic wise very busy so be careful.
If you fancy a decent sportive then the stephen roche Tour de cure is on from midleton gaa club this sunday at 8.30, but you need to register before 23.00 tonight!!
Details are here, it's a super day out and a selection of distances to choose from.

http://www.stephenrochetourdecure.com/index.php

dvntie

cool irl wrote: »

funnights74 wrote: »

Ha ha no there's no 15% slopes (just one 21% come to think of it) but plenty of good cycling routes on your doorstep.
Head towards killumney, also coachford - Dripsey, but that Saturday morning rugby club group sounds perfect in helping you find your way.

There's a harsh slope south of Ballincollig that's allegedly 14,4%. I don't know how accurate Google Earth is, but I know that where I used to live, 4% slopes were already unusual.

It was too windy to cycle today, so I took a walk, but I discovered that there's a cycling road all the way to Cork, which was a nice surprise.

Don't the rugby guys cycle pretty fast? I'm mostly into touring, with average speeds of 20-30km/h (depending how familiar I am with the road).

Not sure how fast they go like I said I haven't gone out with them
As for killer hills near Ballincollig see below
http://app.strava.com/segments/699323
15%

cool irl

The bike lane was completely deserted when I was there at about 14.

I don't think that the longer tour distances are for me, but I'll definitely be there for the 15km one.

I used to cycle out through the Lee Valley to Macroom and than back in the main road, that was 46 miles for me from the city, as you're already in Ballincollig 'twould be less for you

dvntie

cool irl wrote: »

The bike lane was completely deserted when I was there at about 14.

I don't think that the longer tour distances are for me, but I'll definitely be there for the 15km one.

I never cycle on that lane
I did once and had to stop countless of times for pedestrians and joggers who were on the bike lane always use the road now

Ardennes1944

RoverJames wrote: »

I used to cycle out through the Lee Valley to Macroom and than back in the main road, that was 46 miles for me from the city, as you're already in Ballincollig 'twould be less for you

if only you'd do it now!

Colonialboy

Cork like its less famous cousin Rome is built on seven hills... you will soon discover that you cant do any route without encountering some hills...


I think An Oige do touring cycles,and theres a few clubs around.

Others may have mentioned them but you can find these on any map.

Back road via Inniscarra, Dripsey to Macrom (very scenic as your looking down on the lake) and then when you come into Macroom, hang a left and your on the main road back to Ballincollig, (nice and flat)

Else head from b'Collig to Killumney, after the village trn left up a big long draggy hill, take a left at the top and this will bring you into Crossbarry
and then head for halfway and back to Bishopstown, thats a nice spin going either way on a summers eve.
Or Killumney striagh on the back road, Aherla, Cloughduv, Crookstown Lissarda and back to Ballincollig.
Alot of people do B'Collig <> Lissarda or Macroom on a long evenings its flat and good exercise.

Theres various loops to kinsale go out via Halfway and come back via the Airport (hill) , or extend the loop and go into Innishannon and hang left before Innishannon town and loop into kinsale via dundurrow , or else hang left after innishannon after the bridge to Ballinspittle and then back via kinsale.

Or else head Bishopstown, Halfway, innishannon, Bandon and after Bandon left to old chapel dropping into timoleague and take the coast road back.
You can extend that by looping around the old head.

Else take a spin to Cobh via the city (cant use the tunnel) and then take the ferry back across the river and come back via passge, douglas or else go left when you get off the Ferry and come back via Carrigaline.

Any spin to and from Crosshaven from B'Collig, you can go via Ballinhassig, ballygarvan, five mile and direct to Carrigaline and then Crooshaven.

I expect you will see plenty cyclist on all of these routes, so dont worry about getting lost. As long as you see a hill in the distance and theres water on some side of you your alright... good luck. pm me if you need more specifics

cool irl

Serious question, do you regularly have horses on bike routes? Because I saw two separate horses on a bike route in park/forest in Bishopstown. Just standing in the middle, with no people around. I'm baffled.

Cork24

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/43969064

This is a Nice Route.

cool irl

Just wanted to mention that I tried the road to Macroom (66km there and back) today and I am very satisfied.

Cork24

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91444007/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

this is a nice route,

Coachford to marcoom

eoin88

Cork24 wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91444007/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

this is a nice route,

Coachford to marcoom

Cork24, that route is set to private, shall I add you as a friend or do you want to set it to public? Would be interested in seeing it as I'm also relatively new to Cork.

Just home from Macroom myself via Coachford and Dripsey. One of my favourite routes around Cork, and a beautiful evening for it too. Saw two pedal boats out on the reservoir, got me thinking about attaching a few floats to my bike and joining them!

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/63413158

cool irl

eoin88 wrote: »

Just home from Macroom myself via Coachford and Dripsey. One of my favourite routes around Cork, and a beautiful evening for it too. Saw two pedal boats out on the reservoir, got me thinking about attaching a few floats to my bike and joining them!

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/63413158

This is how I was going back just five hours ago. High five!

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91468125

Cork24

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91444007/

Sorry it should be public now..

I done that route last sunday. the coachford to macroom is easy the hard part is on the macroom road on the way back... its so open their was a good cross wind.

Cork24

dvntie wrote: »

Not sure how fast they go like I said I haven't gone out with them
As for killer hills near Ballincollig see below
http://app.strava.com/segments/699323
15%

you call that a hill ??

I dont even notice that

Cork24

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91473313/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

This is a Hill Climb,, Do this twice in a loop and you know all about it.

el Bastardo

Cork24 wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91473313/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

This is a Hill Climb,, Do this twice in a loop and you know all about it.

I've done it twice (on the way to those fckers up in Churchfield that are An Post). It's kinda short and being honest, if we're talking shorties, Richmond hill and that continuing bit up to the top of Patricks hill upsets me far more.

Roger Hassenforder

some breeze in Cork this evening,
went Ballincollig>Halfway>Kinsale>Airport, if you sat up coming down the airport hill to the magic roundabout you stopped.

eoin88

Cork24 wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91473313/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

This is a Hill Climb,, Do this twice in a loop and you know all about it.

I now know what I'll be doing tomorrow morning anyway! :pac:

eoin88

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

some breeze in Cork this evening,
went Ballincollig>Halfway>Kinsale>Airport, if you sat up coming down the airport hill to the magic roundabout you stopped.

Sorry, I'm only a blow in (pun intended ), what is this magic roundabout?!

el Bastardo

eoin88 wrote: »

Sorry, I'm only a blow in (pun intended ), what is this magic roundabout?!

Formerly Kinsale Road roundabout, now an interchange. It had magical properties... honest!

eoin88

Cork24 wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91473313/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

This is a Hill Climb,, Do this twice in a loop and you know all about it.

Had a blast at that yesterday, decided to head out to Temple Hill afterwards for comparison. Very tough, and not helped by that bloody sheepdog barking at my heels about two thirds of the way up! For completeness I then headed up Patrick's Hill afterwards, felt like a doddle after Temple Hill!

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/91978711/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

ostoplad

Hey All... Any few cyclist around Ballincollig doing the Ring Of Kerry this year or interested in a bit of group cycling during the summer evenings. Surely enough cyclist around Ballincollig area to start a cycling group Mondays and Thursday evening maybe around the lee valley or to Crossbarry/Innishannon and back via the viaduct or something like that.
If a starting point and time was named and who there is there nothing too official…

youtheman

el Bastardo wrote: »

Formerly Kinsale Road roundabout, now an interchange. It had magical properties... honest!

Or, as it is was sometimes called 'Panel Beaters Roundabout', 'cause there was many a job required to be done on an 'out of towner' who happened to find himself/herself caught up in the melee.