Sally Gap, Wicklow. ~ tomorrow??

Mamil biker

Thinking of heading up over SallyGap tomorrow from Glencree tomorrow. Anyone been up there last few days. Are the roads ok in relation to ice etc.

Don't want to go near the place if it's icy. Leaving Shankill about 11 ish, so gap about 12.30 ish.


MAMIL

Lumen

Like crossing the road blindfolded, you may survive the experience unscathed but it's never going to be a good idea.

Mamil biker

Would Glencree and out towards Johnny Fox pub be much safer do ya reckon.

Other option is to stay flat and head down Coast road towards Wicklow

Sir Arthur Daley

Tomo is going to be a nice day, wont be any ice either as it is not freezing tonight so go for it, just watch out for debris from the stormy conditions tonight.

g0g

I was thinking of chancing something similar this morning but avoided instead. From Bray to Wicklow on coast road and back N11 passed a reasonable amount of icy/frosty patches but nothing too bad. I'd imagine higher altitude would be a lot worse. Take care on some of the uphill (southbound) sections between Newcastle and Rathnew if you go that way. Also quite frosty at the merge with N11 just North of Ashford.

Ole Rodrigo

Am heading towards Waterford tomorrow along the Wicklow coast. I'll let you know how the roads are.

Busted Flat.

It is amazing how many clowns want to go into areas that are so unpredictable weather wise, and expect the rescue services to take them home free of charge. Is it a status symbol for these clowns, to put people at risk to rescue them.

coastwatch

Mamil biker wrote: »

Thinking of heading up over SallyGap tomorrow from Glencree tomorrow. Anyone been up there last few days. Are the roads ok in relation to ice etc.

Don't want to go near the place if it's icy. Leaving Shankill about 11 ish, so gap about 12.30 ish.


MAMIL

Hope to head head up that way too. Currently 11c in dublin with rain so i dont expect any icy conditions. Expect a head wind though.

smacl

Mamil biker wrote: »

Thinking of heading up over SallyGap tomorrow from Glencree tomorrow. Anyone been up there last few days. Are the roads ok in relation to ice etc.

Don't want to go near the place if it's icy. Leaving Shankill about 11 ish, so gap about 12.30 ish.


MAMIL

Wet and quite mild here in Ballyboden. I'd say head up by Glencree and check the Military road yourself. If you're not happy with it you can come straight back down either the way you came or via Crone woods, first left, a couple of hundred metres on from the Glencree junction.

Last winter, the ice was more concentrated on the section of road from L.Bray to the gap cross roads, and conditions far better on towards Laragh, as I think that side sees the sun first. The difficult bit would be the descent, so if you don't like what you see going up, turn back immediately.

Chips Lovell

Icy conditions depend on a number of factors including cloud cover and thus tend to be localised. The roads could be icy in one place and fine 10km down the road.

On Saturday for example, while people were coming off their bikes all over the roads of North Dublin, Wicklow was fine and even passes like the Wicklow Gap were ice free.

Similarly, the top of the Embankment was fine on Saturday morning but the same road was treacherous on Sunday morning.

In short, road conditions at one time and place will tell you very little about what they'll be like at another.

nerraw1111

I was up running on two rock yesterday and the main path was full of ice, big chunks too. It's not much higher than Sally Gap so it may be similar conditions.

Wicklowrider

Busted Flat. wrote: »

It is amazing how many clowns want to go into areas that are so unpredictable weather wise, and expect the rescue services to take them home free of charge. Is it a status symbol for these clowns, to put people at risk to rescue them.

Not an accurate observation in this case though is it?

On a bike you ride up the hills. You reach a point where you see it may be dodgy and you about turn and go some place else. Its not as if you suddenly find yourself snowed under somewhere and they have to send out the dogs to find you.

I've never heard of a cyclist being rescued from weather conditions in Wicklow - have you?

Chips Lovell

Wicklowrider wrote: »

I've never heard of a cyclist being rescued from weather conditions in Wicklow - have you?

I know two cyclists who have. One of them was an experienced hillwalker and all.

07Lapierre

Wicklowrider wrote: »

Not an accurate observation in this case though is it?

On a bike you ride up the hills. You reach a point where you see it may be dodgy and you about turn and go some place else. Its not as if you suddenly find yourself snowed under somewhere and they have to send out the dogs to find you.

I've never heard of a cyclist being rescued from weather conditions in Wicklow - have you?

Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes they climb Sally Gap from one side (usually with the sun at their backs) and the road is fine. At the top, they descend the other side at speed. The sensible thing to do would be to descend the road you've just climbed. But not everyone is sensible.

Being rescued doesn't mean calling out Mountain rescue crews. It could be calling the wife to come collect you after you've crashed and damaged either yourself or your bike.

Lusk_Doyle

Surely people have to realise that when there are national warnings out there about weather conditions and multiple reports on the likes of boards.ie, that they should maybe think of those that thet are leaving behind and the worry that their recklessness causes. What is the overwhelming urge to push it to the limit? Why do you feel the need to get out on your bike no matter what? It really bugs me that people are so lacksadasical with regard to their own safety and the potential effect that the consequences of said recklessness could have on those who rely on them.

CatFromHue

There are no National Warnings in place though?
http://www.met.ie/

Sir Arthur Daley

Today is one of the mildest days of the month, perfect day for sally gap.

Koobcam

Did the Blessington Lakes today, no probs with ice but lots of debris all over the place. Not exactly a warm day though, so it's really hard to say if the Sally Gap would be ok, even though it's just a few miles down the road.

07Lapierre

WikiHow wrote: »

Today is one of the mildest days of the month, perfect day for sally gap.

It'll be even better in April, May, June, July, August and September.

ThisRegard

Wicklowrider wrote: »

I've never heard of a cyclist being rescued from weather conditions in Wicklow - have you?

I posted one of them here before but there's photos from Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue from one of the bad weather spells on their Facebook page which shows two road bikes on the roof of one of their vehicles owned by two cyclists they came across who had got caught out.

Lumen

ThisRegard wrote: »

I posted one of them here before but there's photos from Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue from one of the bad weather spells on their Facebook page which shows two road bikes on the roof of one of their vehicles owned by two cyclists they came across who had got caught out.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showpost.php?p=83402727&postcount=740

ThisRegard

Cheers, trying to find specific posts on the touch version is a pain, I found it on the DWMRT Facebook page but couldn't link to it.

Wicklowrider

Lumen wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin//showpost.php?p=83402727&postcount=740

Nah.

Thats just the drivers own bike for getting home later

Alright, I'm convinced, there are some chancers out there.

diomed

Reminds me of the time I was doing my regular Stillorgan-Ashford-Stillorgan training spin. On my way back a cyclist came alongside me and said "I've just come back from the Sally Gap".

uphillonly

Just did a quick spin up Stocking Lane to the viewing point. 1C & damp roads. I'd expect them to be icy tomorrow morning.

get on your bike

Wicklowrider wrote: »

Not an accurate observation in this case though is it?

On a bike you ride up the hills. You reach a point where you see it may be dodgy and you about turn and go some place else. Its not as if you suddenly find yourself snowed under somewhere and they have to send out the dogs to find you.

I've never heard of a cyclist being rescued from weather conditions in Wicklow - have you?

I was defo thinking along same lines. Mountain rescue to bring Home cyclists is few and far between And in my view its not a status thing -just a nice route that the op may not do that often

get on your bike

Wicklowrider wrote: »

Not an accurate observation in this case though is it?

On a bike you ride up the hills. You reach a point where you see it may be dodgy and you about turn and go some place else. Its not as if you suddenly find yourself snowed under somewhere and they have to send out the dogs to find you.

I've never heard of a cyclist being rescued from weather conditions in Wicklow - have you?

I was defo thinking along same lines. Mountain rescue to bring Home cyclists is few and far between And in my view its not a status thing -just a nice route that the op may not do that often

Garzard

Went for a spin to SG today from Knocklyon, maybe I passed by a few of you. Wasn't too bad anyway, a good bit of water flow on some sections of road here and there and fairly strong crosswinds around the Featherbeds. Didn't rain though luckily.

I'd recommend the usual light but well-insulated jacket + hoodie, good gloves and full pants for cycling up around there. Bike lights would be handy as well. It's what I went up with today and had no issues at all.

Also a good idea to keep a fair bit away from road sides while cycling in crosswinds - was almost blown over into the ditches around the featherbeds a few times even while compensating.

Sir Arthur Daley

If the weather is going to be nice and they are suitably prepared with food/clothing for the journey i don't see the issue in taking on the sally gap, yes of course it be nicer to do it in April, May, June, July, August and September as previously said but if the weather comes nice grab the opportunity.

Onefortysix

Quite mild but changeable conditions, a good bit of standing water. Lovely day out over the gap though.

www.strava.com/activities/102850648

Mamil biker

Headed up to Glencree and wimped out about going up
Sally Gap (or military road for that matter). Was cold and windy. Nice spin down via Croone Woods and back to enniskerry.

Spent a while in Glencree reminiscing about biking up there 20 years ago. Me and a buddy used to have a spliff there and head off up the hills happy as can be. Great to be young!!

Plenty of good advice about watching the weather up there I'm them hills.

bcmf

Reading AA Roadwatch twitter feed and Gardai have warned motorists to stay away from Sally Gap due to ice

smurphy29

Yeah, I foolishly headed for the Gap today from Laragh. Very icy/snowy/slushy for a good few km, but made it to the crossroads with plenty of care. The road to Dublin was an ice-rink though and I ended up navigating the descent from the back of a car whose driver was kind enough to pick me up. Best avoided until it thaws.

Willo2011

yr.no weather app puts it at -1 up the Sally Gap at the moment and its expected to be 0 over night and in the morning. With rain and surface water, I reckon the chances of black ice will be pretty high. For that reason, I am going to avoid it. No point risking a bad injury for one cycle

zindicato

was gonna go up there today but decided against it just went around blessington lake instead... was a bit icy going up bohernabreena towards brittas then from there towards blessington it was just really nice:-)

uphillonly

smurphy29 wrote: »

Yeah, I foolishly headed for the Gap today from Laragh. Very icy/snowy/slushy for a good few km, but made it to the crossroads with plenty of care. The road to Dublin was an ice-rink though and I ended up navigating the descent from the back of a car whose driver was kind enough to pick me up. Best avoided until it thaws.

I was planning on going up this afternoon but turned round upon reaching Featherbeds. There was already ice on Cruagh Road below the viewing point & it was -1C at Featherbeds.

A passing cyclist warned me that Glencree was very dangerous.

I could see the road up to Sally Gap in the distance as it climbs past Lough Bray. Looked gorgeous with icy/snowy hills but probably not even safe for a car.

brayblue24

uphillonly wrote: »

A passing cyclist warned me that Glencree was very dangerous.

Very dangerous in this general area today, several accidents on black ice. Not just Glencree but also around Calary, Delgany etc. Beware folks