Sally Gap - conditions?

iregk

Last weekend I came up to Sally Gap via Kilbride so I can only speak from the cross roads on to Laragh. That part was completely clear so I'm guessing with the warmer air and rain the past two days it should be clear by now.

loinnsigh

Not so sure about the Glencree road though? This happened only yesterday.

smacl

I guessing the ice and snow will be gone, but it's looking wet and windy this weekend. Dithering whether to head up myself, or take a stint around the surrounding l-roads instead.

route66

loinnsigh wrote: »

Not so sure about the Glencree road though? This happened only yesterday.

Jeez, that was just on Wednesday afternoon and it's the road I am was planning to take: Glencree to Sally Gap :eek:



Will the snow ever go away? Maybe if I try again in May or June

(Wonder how business in the hippy cafe is doing?)

smacl

route66 wrote: »

(Wonder how business in the hippy cafe)

Hippy cafe was jam packed last Saturday, inside and out. Big crowd of reservoir cogs lads there, along with many others. Love that cogs kit! If you're keen to go up the gap, maybe take a route that goes up Glenmacnass and back via Kilbride or Luggala, as those seem like the better stretches. Ice aside, road conditions are pretty shocking though.

iregk

smacl wrote: »

Big crowd of reservoir cogs lads there, along with many others. Love that cogs kit!

Thanks smacl. While I had no input into the design of it I love it and have had many comment on it while stopped mid spin.

uphillonly

We went past Glencree on Tuesday & it looked ok on the climb up to Sally Gap past Lough Bray.

Featherbeds still had some snow last night on the side of the road but roads were clear.

coastwatch

Summer is here, it official. Pothole repairing at Sally Gap today.




Sally Gap.jpg

derealbadger

coastwatch wrote: »

Summer is here, it official. Pothole repairing at Sally Gap today.



Sally Gap.jpg

Good to see the Wicklow County council are using bikes now

kenmc

derealbadger wrote: »

Good to see the Wicklow County council are using bikes now

nah that was excavated from one of the potholes.

g0g

Note to anyone heading to/from Sally Gap the next few days. The Luggala / Lough Tay side is in bits! The council have put down new surface and there's loads of patches of loose gravel. It's on/off the whole way along that stretch, so don't be fooled into thinking it's the end of it at the end of any patch! Longest stretch I think was the bit around half way up near a bridge where there's a forest on the lake side of the road. Watch out for cars launching stones at you too!

Statler

g0g wrote: »

Note to anyone heading to/from Sally Gap the next few days. The Luggala / Lough Tay side is in bits! The council have put down new surface and there's loads of patches of loose gravel. It's on/off the whole way along that stretch, so don't be fooled into thinking it's the end of it at the end of any patch! Longest stretch I think was the bit around half way up near a bridge where there's a forest on the lake side of the road. Watch out for cars launching stones at you too!

The road is in bits from the Gap to Luggala alright, Wicklow County Council's usual bargain basement type of tarmac, and they weren't shy with the loose chippings... Anyone know if they've done the same on the Gap to Glenmacnass stretch? Road was fairly bad that way so presume they'll 'fix' it if they're up that way....

Dowee

Statler wrote: »

The road is in bits from the Gap to Luggala alright, Wicklow County Council's usual bargain basement type of tarmac, and they weren't shy with the loose chippings... Anyone know if they've done the same on the Gap to Glenmacnass stretch? Road was fairly bad that way so presume they'll 'fix' it if they're up that way....

As of yesterday the stretch to Glenmacnass has no loose chippings.

ThOnda

The tar was melting and sticking to the wheels yesterday afternoon. Amazing that this can happen in Ireland

-K2-

g0g wrote: »

Note to anyone heading to/from Sally Gap the next few days. The Luggala / Lough Tay side is in bits! The council have put down new surface and there's loads of patches of loose gravel.

I wish I'd seen this before I headed out last Sunday evening. The journey from Luggala to the Sally Gap is sketchy with piles of loose gravel all over the place. It's of a similar level of "quality" to the work done in the Featherbeds area a while ago.

Gasco

-K2- wrote: »

I wish I'd seen this before I headed out last Sunday evening. The journey from Luggala to the Sally Gap is sketchy with piles of loose gravel all over the place. It's of a similar level of "quality" to the work done in the Featherbeds area a while ago.

+1 - went from the Gap to Lough Tay on Sunday morning, was not fun, even at much reduced speeds the bike was wandering all over the place. I will be avoiding for a few weeks. I cannot understand the rationale behind this type of resurfacing - although I presume it is cheap.

BikeBoy

Please note there are also chippings on the Manor Kilbride to Sally gap road. However these seem to be bedded in but take care nonetheless.

Also the road from Glenmalure to the Rathdrum has lots of loose gravel. The stretch begins just after the Glenmalure lodge hotel and finishes just beyond the School house. Avoid at all costs for the moment.

The Noble Nudge

Is that the finished article just wait till the chippings are mashed into the tar by passing traffic?
Part of my usual commute but will have to avoid for a few months at this rate.

Gasco

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Is that the finished article just wait till the chippings are mashed into the tar by passing traffic?
Part of my usual commute but will have to avoid for a few months at this rate.

The Gap is part of your usual commute!? - much respect.

That appears to be the thinking behind it alright, and it can take some time for this process to complete. From memory the Liam Horner descent was given the same treatment in early July 2011, was still in rag order for the Orwell spin which was the second week of August - there were a few offs that day, it was a scary descent.

The Noble Nudge

Gasco wrote: »

The Gap is part of your usual commute!? - much respect.

That appears to be the thinking behind it alright, and it can take some time for this process to complete. From memory the Liam Horner descent was given the same treatment in early July 2011, was still in rag order for the Orwell spin which was the second week of August - there were a few offs that day, it was a scary descent.

I said commute but meant spin. Based in Tallaght so you would have go the gap 3 times a week.

Alek

Anybody done Sally Gap this morning? Any frost / ice on the road? I'm thinking of going there tomorrow at 8-9am and the forecast seems to be similar.

Blowfish

I did it last weekend and it was fine, though obviously it's a bit chillier this weekend.

Forecast is for low clouds so at a guess I'd say it'll be doable, but misty and damp.

nilhg

I was around the back of the Lakes from Blessington to the Hollywood-Wicklow Gap road, it was fine, can't see how it would have been much worse up higher, I'd have gone up in a flash slowly if I'd had time.

monkeyslayer

was up there today, crossed over glencree to manor kilbride, the roads were fine just very heavy freezing fog and mist at times but no ice that i could see... with all that moisture and freezing temps again tonight it might be different tomorrow... but if the sky is clear and the sun is getting the road id go for it

Alek

Thanks! I'll give it a go - there are only rare moments in new father's life when parents are over to mind the child and you can take your missus for a spin ;-)

The Noble Nudge

Drove up at 11.30am and back over 1.30pm very misty. No ice

uphillonly

I was up Featherbeds this evening, nearly the same altitude as Sally. Cold but clear. I'd imagine it'll go well below freezing tonight. 1.6C at 5pm. Windstopper head to toe, very grateful on the descent.

Don't recommend climbing so soon after Sunday lunch. Repeated on me all the way up.

uphillonly

Maybe not helpful as it's the end of the weekend but we went over Sally Gap on our Orwell ride today. All clear.

It was 4C up there and 9C when we dropped back to South Dublin. Conditions were similar so probably safe to estimate 5C less than town up at Sally Gap.

I haven't been up for a while but someone's added 'burnt out car' installation art piece near the car park looking down on Lough Bray upper.

Planet X

Wait for it...............

Inquitus

I am thinking of going over Sally Gap tonight, what do we think about conditions?