Clifden Cycle Hub

dernipper

Hi,

Hope this is the correct forum to post, looking for some feedback on the Clifden Cycle Hub in particular Route 4: Ballyconneely and Roundstone Loop ?

Plan to head off on a couple days cycling in Galway / West of Eire later in summer and would appreciate any feedback on this route, plan is for a leisurely spin, enjoy the scenery, food and a few stops in villages en route

Thanks

nilhg

I'm presumimg that you mean the routes here?

Connemara in general is lovely cycling country, you won't go to far wrong on any road out of Clifden, especially if the weather is anyway decent.

Most of the Ballyconeely-Roundstone loop was part of the Tour of Connemara route earlier this year, the roads are decent enough if a little narrow and twisty in places, there are no big hills just a few drags , with IIRC the worst being just before you come to the turn off for Dogs Bay.

Go for it I say, you can't go far wrong over there.

Lance Vance

I cycle a lot in Conemara. The Roundstone loop is a nice route with some lovely scenery. The bog road on that loop is one of my favourite sections of road to cycle and has a surprisingly good surface and great views. There are some lovely beaches such as Dog's Bay along that route.
Bog road: https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=clifden+google+maps&ll=53.455145,-9.95327&spn=0.028212,0.154324&hnear=Clifden,+County+Galway&gl=ie&t=m&z=13&layer=c&cbll=53.455182,-9.953216&panoid=0JkfErU_DuuHNWPlYt6W_g&cbp=13,67.86,,0,0

It would be worth your while doing loop 1; The Sky road loop, as there are some great views of Clifden Bay and the Atlantic. You should incorporate both the lower and upper Sky roads into this cycle. There is a lovely small beach called Eyrephort just off this loop.

Eyrephort Beach: https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=clifden&hl=en&ll=53.511992,-10.136583&spn=0.015542,0.038581&sll=53.3834,-8.21775&sspn=7.985387,19.753418&hnear=Clifden,+County+Galway&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.511992,-10.136583&panoid=H0oozJH0cssS1a14sqNI7A&cbp=12,320.93,,0,0

Sky Road https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=google+maps+clifden&ll=53.499203,-10.091629&spn=0.015546,0.038581&hnear=Clifden,+County+Galway&gl=ie&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.49914,-10.091007&panoid=CDu6c1ohuD1XDyOUFQn7wg&cbp=12,245.9,,0,0