Connemara Spins

TonyStark

Plan on heading down to a buddy of mine in Galway on Sunday after a Saturday of overtime in work :-/

Intention is to take the bikes out to Maam Cross and go for a spin. Looking for a recommendation on something in the range of 60-90km thats scenic with one or two hills thrown in for good measure.

Thanks, John

keppler

from Maam cross take the R336 and head north to Maum village. go through Maum village and follow the R336 until it joins the N59 at Leenaun. Take a right turn onto the N59 and head south west towards letterfrack. About 15 km approx along the N59 turn left onto the R344 and head south past the lough Inagh lodge and join up with the N59 again. Turn left onto the N59 and head east until you arrive back at Maam cross.
The route is a little over 40 miles and has some of the most amazing scenery I've ever seen. plently of hills, drags, flats etc. it has stretches of good road along with some bad, but all of Connemara is like that wherever you go.

CmacI

Hi there I just wanted to say that Kepplers route is pretty much the route I would choose also. I think Keppler meant left at Leenane , not right though?

If you wanted to add a few more kilometers (maybe 20 or so) I suggest a nice detour after you leave Killary behind. As you turn south away from Killary you have a small climb to do. A couple of kilometers after the top of the climb you will see a valley and a road into it to your right. Looking at Google maps its the 2nd road, not the 1st. It might be signposted "Connemara Loop" or Tully Cross but I cant recall. . Take it and after a couple of kilometers you will see the coast again. Spectacular views of Achill and the mouth of the Killary (weather permitting). Keep the sea on your right shoulder and follow the road. It will come out eventually at Tully Cross. Head for Letterfrack (if no signpost just head straight towards the mountains. When you rejoin the N59 again, head back towards Leenane and you will pass Kylemore Abbey and the road for Inagh will be about 2 or 3 kilometers past there on your right hand side. Alternatively you could turn right for Clifden, and head back to Maam Cross on the N59 to Galway from there, but that would be a lot of extra distance and the road isn't much fun with a lot of traffic.

Hope the weather is good and enjoy the day

keppler

yip...sorry I meant left. Nearly sent you to westport there:D

Esroh

No offence to the other 2 routes but I'll raise you Joyce Country a hidden jem off the Connemara beaten path
Go to Maam and turn right, into Cornamona onto Clonbur(great views of the Corrib) and on to Finny.
Added extra (Cycling Photo Thread Potential)
Take the 2nd right about 1/2 mile from the Church(you see arrows painted on the road) Climb is steep but short and views are worth the effort(Soak up the view of Na Fooey)
Turn Left at the top (views back over lough Mask). Down the hill along the shore of NaFooey .

If you stay on the low road just keep left along the lake (Larches may be open for coffee) and climb Ail Dubh enjoy the descent and turn left at the T junction (Pub in Kilmilkin is a coffe stop option). back to Maam and right back over the hill to Maam Cross.

If you need a few more km going into Cong is an option just before Clonbur.

CmacI

No offence taken - pretty much anywhere in Connemara makes for a spectacular cycle route.

TonyStark

Some great routes there guys! Will defo put them on the list! Just to get the work done on Saturday now and hit the road....needless to say my mind will be on other things. Hadn't thought of viewing my native Achill from afar!

G1032

TonyStark wrote: »

Some great routes there guys! Will defo put them on the list! Just to get the work done on Saturday now and hit the road....needless to say my mind will be on other things. Hadn't thought of viewing my native Achill from afar!

Have you ever climbed Minaun in Achill?

TonyStark

G1032 wrote: »

Have you ever climbed Minaun in Achill?

Nope, but its on my bucket list. :-)

G1032

TonyStark wrote: »

Nope, but its on my bucket list. :-)

On my list too. It's supposed to be savage. Reckon I'll need to put up a few miles over the winter and give that a go in spring. I've never even seen it so can't really imagine how steep it is.

TonyStark

G1032 wrote: »

On my list too. It's supposed to be savage. Reckon I'll need to put up a few miles over the winter and give that a go in spring. I've never even seen it so can't really imagine how steep it is.

Its pretty steep now even in a car. For downhill purposes one is advised to have car brakes recently serviced.

I can't remember if its a category 1 or 2?

Seaneh

TonyStark wrote: »

Plan on heading down to a buddy of mine in Galway on Sunday after a Saturday of overtime in work :-/

Intention is to take the bikes out to Maam Cross and go for a spin. Looking for a recommendation on something in the range of 60-90km thats scenic with one or two hills thrown in for good measure.

Thanks, John

The lap of Lough Corrib is about 120km, a bit longer than you'd asked for but it's a lovely cycle.

http://goo.gl/maps/kKIk4


Or else you can do the long loop that roadies in Galway like for training which is about 100km and includes a decent climb around the middle.

http://goo.gl/maps/SrwL2

Maidhci

TonyStark wrote: »

Plan on heading down to a buddy of mine in Galway on Sunday after a Saturday of overtime in work :-/

Intention is to take the bikes out to Maam Cross and go for a spin. Looking for a recommendation on something in the range of 60-90km thats scenic with one or two hills thrown in for good measure.

Thanks, John

Did you head out from Maam X on Sunday? Had planned to do a cycle to Maam and onto Leenane and return via the Inagh Valley but did not go as it was a miserable day here.

yop

TonyStark wrote: »

Its pretty steep now even in a car. For downhill purposes one is advised to have car brakes recently serviced.

I can't remember if its a category 1 or 2?

Cat 2, did it last year, still looking for my ass after it!

That finny loop is lovely, try to get it in couple of times a year, from Westport, Tourmakeady, Finny, Leenaun to Westport. Lovey loop.
The Connemara 160km is a great route to.
The whole place is class in fairness.
You can take right at Leeaun, head to Louisburgh via Killary then into Westport and back to Leeanun.
Or Leeaun to killary and right for Sheefry taking the Gaelforce route to Liscarney and back to Leeaun.

TonyStark

Maidhci wrote: »

Did you head out from Maam X on Sunday? Had planned to do a cycle to Maam and onto Leenane and return via the Inagh Valley but did not go as it was a miserable day here.

In the end didn't go to Maam :-( My mate who lives in Galway preferred to head out from Salthill out to Spiddeal and then to the Coral Beach. He didn't want the hassle of driving out and in again so we agreed. We hit out on a very pleasant morning sun was shining at about 8am from Salthill:

http://sdrv.ms/HOQGdH

Halfway point deserves the obligatory Boards Jersey shot taken out at Coral Bay:

http://sdrv.ms/1bqEcBF

Layers went on after though and the day literally turned to mush afterwards with headwinds, rain and traffic to boot. My mate got a pickup 70km. Every slight incline seemed to have him jiggered. He said it was his first spin of the year. I continued solo back to Salthill for the last 22km.

Will be definitely be heading down again :-) Really enjoyed the spin and thanks guys for all of the other route suggestions.

Colonialboy

CmacI wrote: »

Hi there I just wanted to say that Kepplers route is pretty much the route I would choose also. I think Keppler meant left at Leenane , not right though?

If you wanted to add a few more kilometers (maybe 20 or so) I suggest a nice detour after you leave Killary behind. As you turn south away from Killary you have a small climb to do. A couple of kilometers after the top of the climb you will see a valley and a road into it to your right. Looking at Google maps its the 2nd road, not the 1st. It might be signposted "Connemara Loop" or Tully Cross but I cant recall. . Take it and after a couple of kilometers you will see the coast again. Spectacular views of Achill and the mouth of the Killary (weather permitting). Keep the sea on your right shoulder and follow the road. It will come out eventually at Tully Cross. Head for Letterfrack (if no signpost just head straight towards the mountains. When you rejoin the N59 again, head back towards Leenane and you will pass Kylemore Abbey and the road for Inagh will be about 2 or 3 kilometers past there on your right hand side. Alternatively you could turn right for Clifden, and head back to Maam Cross on the N59 to Galway from there, but that would be a lot of extra distance and the road isn't much fun with a lot of traffic.

Hope the weather is good and enjoy the day

Thats the route I would also recommend, it has a few points where depending on weather you can take a short cut. The full route would be a tough day in the saddle, especially if the weathers bad. I always found that every road eventually loops back to the main road. The turn off after Killary that takes you to Glasilaun beach is a very very scenic spin.
Or just past Maam Cross is Recess you could park up there.
As someone else said any route in Connemara is good.
You cant get lost there, you can only get found!

Slo_Rida

What keppler said.