Limerick to Ennis route advice

acorn

Looking for a bit of advice from anyone that uses these roads.

Which is the better option :
A. hard shoulder on N18 to Shannon then Newmarket, Clarecastle or
B. Cratloe, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket.

Will be heading that way Friday evening

Thanks

tacklemore

Personally I'd take option B.

Not mad keen on the traffic flying past me on the N18

lismuse

I have used the first one before and it's a good option. Just make sure you don't miss the turn off for the flyover or you will end up on the motorway. Cycle lane from Dromoland to Clarecastle as well, not that it's needed.

denismac

I live on that route. I'd go for option B especially on a Friday evening. That dual carriageway is a dangerous piece of road as most people treat it as a motorway and the slip roads are dangerous to cross. Nicer scenery on the SMB to Newmarket to Clarecastle route anyway.

Nwm2

acorn wrote: »

Looking for a bit of advice from anyone that uses these roads.

Which is the better option :
A. hard shoulder on N18 to Shannon then Newmarket, Clarecastle or
B. Cratloe, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket.

Will be heading that way Friday evening

Thanks

Either are fine.

Hard shoulder not in great condition at the weekend, pushed me out toward the road some times, I'd have preferred to be tucked in a bit further.

mossym

what are you all on about? this is the cycling forum. of course the two routes mentioned are the direct and easiest/fastest routes, but as the cycling forum we should recommend heading out through ardanacrusha, out to clonlara cross, left, back road to sixmilebridge, up over gallows, sixmilebridge, then on to ennis, and that's only if the lad is in a rush. otherwise a circuit of the lake is the obvious choice

skerry

Without a doubt option B for me. I can't get my head around people using the dual carriageway when there are perfectly good, more scenic, less dangerous and less exposed options available at similar distance for the total journey.

Nothing I'd enjoy less biknig wise than ploughing along a straight non-descript road getting blown out of it by any bit of wind that's there as there is zero shelter to be had.

The Dagda

There is no way a single carriageway road like the Cratloe to Sixmilebridge road is safer than the dual carriageway main road.

Option B is very narrow and has loads of blind bends, hills and dips. Where as the dual carriageway has wide hard shoulders and long straight sections.

The best & safest way is to take the main road to Shannon and hop onto the bike lane at Shannon which goes all the rest of the way to Ennis.

Ryath

Asked the same question nearly two years ago.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81325253

Ended up taking the N18 out it's grand, wide hard shoulder most of the way just take care with the slip roads. It will busier on a Friday evening than when I did it. I wanted the most straight forward option if I was not tight for time I would go for option B.

veryangryman

The Dagda wrote: »

There is no way a single carriageway road like the Cratloe to Sixmilebridge road is safer than the dual carriageway main road.

Option B is very narrow and has loads of blind bends, hills and dips. Where as the dual carriageway has wide hard shoulders and long straight sections.

The best & safest way is to take the main road to Shannon and hop onto the bike lane at Shannon which goes all the rest of the way to Ennis.

Far less chance of speeding drivers on the old road. Hard shoulder is for breakdowns and accident recovery. Not cycling.

mossym

veryangryman wrote: »

Far less chance of speeding drivers on the old road. Hard shoulder is for breakdowns and accident recovery. Not cycling.

less chance, but if you meet them, they are in the same lane as you. on the main road, they're likely to be two lanes away from you, given the slower moving traffic is on the inside lane. i cycle the n7 from limerick to nenagh regularily in the hard shoulder, the closest cars come to me is on smaller roads where there are no hard shoulders, especially the "buzz the cyclist" brigade

cyclists on that road are a common sight, if he went that way the OP is highly unlikely to be the only cyclist on the road

I'd have no issue cycling either. both are fine.

thesimpsons

dual carriage has to contend with the trucks and yahoos who love to buzz cyclists - seen it many a time where they purposely come over the yellow line into the hard shoulder. that combined with the normal drag which a truck creates keeps me off that road much as possible. tbh most drivers on those back roads are very well used to cyclists (its a regular training ground up and down Gallows route) and I've found them much more courteous than dual carriage drivers

acorn

Thanks for all the advice and feedback.

Just for the record I opted for Plan B. It was grand for a lovely sunny evening and I had no traffic issues. Took Old Cratloe Road to Sixmilebridge and on to Newmarket and Clarecastle, ice cream break in Ennis then back roads by Drumcliffe and Ballygriffy to Corrofin. halted for the night in Kilfenora Hostel and rolled into Doolin in time for breakfast next morning.

Fingers crossed for more sunshine next weekend

acorn

mossym wrote: »

what are you all on about? this is the cycling forum. of course the two routes mentioned are the direct and easiest/fastest routes, but as the cycling forum we should recommend heading out through ardanacrusha, out to clonlara cross, left, back road to sixmilebridge, up over gallows, sixmilebridge, then on to ennis, and that's only if the lad is in a rush. otherwise a circuit of the lake is the obvious choice

maybe next time .....PS the "lad" is a ladette