Applewood Heights

escape m1

Hi Everyone

So myself and my other half have been looking at moving from our apartment in south Dublin city to a house for some time now and both of us have always loved the idea of living in Greystones. Lovely part of the world with the type of community that we would really like to be part of and we are both very aware of the commute and think that the positives outweigh the negatives over this as neither of us are particular attached to spending time in the city centre when we don't have to.

We have seen a couple of houses in Applewood heights come up and there are some there currently that we would be interested in but i would like some thoughts from the locals if at all possible on what the estate is like at the moment with a view to settling and raising a family.

Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated if it can help us in our overal plan of becoming part of this community and having as much knowledge as we can.

Thanks

Gmol

PM sent

pixbyjohn

Applewood Heights is a very nice estate. It is very close to the bus service and also close to Churches, schools and supermarkets. It is only a 15/20 minute walk to the Dart and centre of Greystones. It has a mature population and I think you will love the place if you decide to move to Greystones.
Good luck.

Charlie-Bravo

Nice houses in Applewood Heights. Style and proportion of rooms are generally good. They're at a stage of refurbishment in their life cycle if not already have been refurbished recently. Don't forget to have a building survey done before you buy

As for location, they're not too close and not too far from most services as pixbyjohn says!

escape m1

Thanks for all the info guys. As much as I think that I am happy with the commute, my other half is terrified that this would be something that we would regret in a while. Essentially i need to have the car for work and work in the city centre, usually need to be in for 930. Is this something that would ruin my life or is commuting in to the city like this not nearly as bad as people would have me believe. Honest opinions on this much appreciated and sorry most definitely rehashing a question that must have been asked many many times before.....

Gmol

It would probably take an hour, depending on what you do, you could take the train in
Starting an 9.30 would make it a bit easier as you would miss most of the 9am rush, only real way to see how it works for you is to drive from there one weekday morning and see how you get on.
A lot of people do that journey and don't find it too bad,the trade off is more than worth it

eleMental

I live in Charlesland which is slightly further away than Applewood. I've recently started working in the city centre and have driven in twice on regular weekdays. The first time I had to be in for 10am so I left just before 08:15 and it took me well over an hour and half door-to-door (traffic worst from Donnybrook where its single lane and it took almost an hour from here.) I swore I would never do it again because you hit both city centre workers driving in and much of the school traffic.

Yesterday I was in for 9am so I left at 10 to 7 and was in my office at just after 8 - was a massive difference. So if I had to pick I'd recommend leaving earlier and then getting breakfast in town. If you need to be in for 09:30, realistically you'll have to leave well before 8.

Overall though, as many posters have said, I would categorically choose taking the DART or 84X over driving - its cheaper, much faster and alot less stressful!! The 84X that passes by Greystones DART around 08:10 (its the last one in the morning) has you at Stephen's Green at around 09:10

2011

When working in town I drive to Bray and get the Dart in the rest of the way. There is free parking close to the station. The main reason for this is that it takes an eternity for the Dart to get from Greystones to Bray. However it only takes 40 minutes to get from Bray to Pierce Street station. In addition (unlike Greystones) there are Darts departing from Bray very regularly.

Charlie-Bravo

Needing a car for work, and having your workplace in town is a tough one. I have a general rule for any of my jobs in town, either leave before 7.15am to miss the heavy traffic or else organise meetings if I can help it after 10.30am. For leaving town after work, I know if by 4.30pm that I can get to the Burlington I'm not in traffic for an unnecessary amount of time. I know leaving early isn't a luxury, but if you can start early/finish early, it gives you a better work/life balance!

BigGeorge

my tuppence

Work in the city centre often. Drive to sandyford which is about 20 minutes, park in the all day car park with is €3 or €4 depending on which you choose, luas into town about 20 mins. Leaving home inGreystones to Grafton St is 45-50 mins reliably.

artvandelay48

astrofluff wrote: »

Needing a car for work, and having your workplace in town is a tough one. I have a general rule for any of my jobs in town, either leave before 7.15am to miss the heavy traffic or else organise meetings if I can help it after 10.30am. For leaving town after work, I know if by 4.30pm that I can get to the Burlington I'm not in traffic for an unnecessary amount of time. I know leaving early isn't a luxury, but if you can start early/finish early, it gives you a better work/life balance!

Definitely this. For a less stressful commute, leaving by 7:15 is essential. I have a theory that there are two rush hours for greystones commuters, or rather a bit of a lull in the rush hour. It seems that most drivers from south of the stones are coming through kilmac from 7:15 onwards and that dies down around 8. But then it gets busy after 8 closer to town with the school traffic. If you can be on the n11 at 7:15 then you should be in town by 8:15.

I am also a regular dart user and find it great for a fixed commute time. It takes the dart 8 minutes to go from greystones to bray so its not an eternity as previously suggested. I have never parked in the bray park and ride but I have heard that it fills up quickly. If you need the flexibility of more frequent darts, it may be an option, but if you are looking to reduce the commute time, I don't think you would save much by driving to bray (approx 8 mins, same as the dart journey).

pixbyjohn

escape m1 wrote: »

Thanks for all the info guys. Essentially i need to have the car for work and work in the city centre, usually need to be in for 930. ..

Dart, bus and Luas is not an option for the OP

cocker5

OP if you must drive each day I’d leave early.

I live locally and drive into Ballsbridge each day, im up at 6am and leave by 7am at the latest…. sometimes earlier, this is before any heavy rain / fog etc.
I turn off the N11 at Fox rock church and take a few short cuts otherwise id be forever getting into to work.

I get to Ballsbridge around 8am, which is perfect for me. I leave mostly around 5.30pm – 6pm and the traffic is pretty bad, all the way until loughlinstown.. then I fly out…. my trip each day is 18 miles each way…. in the morning usually an hour and in the evening the same if not worse depending on the day / weather etc.
But OP im going to hold my hands up and say I’ve totally had enough of the commute so much so I’ll be looking for employment closer to home in the new year, after 5 years of the daily commute - im nearly done.
It’s up to you, I love living where I live and wouldn’t change that but ill def. be changing my work place so the commute is better.

Best of luck with what you decide!

2011

cocker5 wrote: »

OP if you must drive each day I’d leave early.

I live locally and drive into Ballsbridge each day, im up at 6am and leave by 7am at the latest…. sometimes earlier, this is before any heavy rain / fog etc.
I turn off the N11 at Fox rock church and take a few short cuts otherwise id be forever getting into to work.

I get to Ballsbridge around 8am, which is perfect for me. I leave mostly around 5.30pm – 6pm and the traffic is pretty bad, all the way until loughlinstown.. then I fly out…. my trip each day is 18 miles each way…. in the morning usually an hour and in the evening the same if not worse depending on the day / weather etc.
But OP im going to hold my hands up and say I’ve totally had enough of the commute so much so I’ll be looking for employment closer to home in the new year, after 5 years of the daily commute - im nearly done.
It’s up to you, I love living where I live and wouldn’t change that but ill def. be changing my work place so the commute is better.

Best of luck with what you decide!

I would have thought that you would get in far quicker when leaving at 6am. I have been working in Intel (Lexlip) for the past few months and can get in there in 45 minutes when I leave at 6am (without any crazy driving).

cocker5

2011 wrote: »

I would have thought that you would get in far quicker when leaving at 6am. I have been working in Intel (Lexlip) for the past few months and can get in there in 45 minutes when I leave at 6am (without any crazy driving).

But your travelling along the M50 right? not the N11 into town?

I leave at 7am (if not before) im up at 6am

If you dont reach foxrock church by 7.30am its game over.... i turn off there and take back roads through estates and get into Ballsbridge at 8am.... if i went straight in N11 from Foxrock Church until Donnybrook its bumper to bumper and that alone can take an hour. The endless array of traffic lights arent helping either

2011

cocker5 wrote: »

But your travelling along the M50 right? not the N11 into town?

Yup.

I leave at 7am (if not before) im up at 6am

Misread your post, I thought you were leaving at 6am hence my surprise.

If you dont reach foxrock church by 7.30am its game over

Agreed

fortwilliam

cocker5 wrote: »

i turn off there and take back roads through estates and get into Ballsbridge at 8am....

Care to share the route?

cocker5

fortwilliam wrote: »

Care to share the route?

ok here goes….

Take the right at foxrock church, drive down until you hit the first set of traffic lights, take the left there.
Drive through this estate, you go right at the school gates, then next left. At the end of the road go right. (you are now on Newtown Park Avenue)

Next set of traffic lights go left, (at old TGI’s) drive to the end, take a right.

You’ll pass two sets of traffic lights, once your through the second set take the next left, down a small narrow road (cars usually parked either side) til you come to the end of the road, take a left.

At the next set of traffic lights go Right (this will take you down passed Blackrock college), drive to the end go right. This will take you down past Andrews College… at the end go left, onto the Rock road BUT this is the part of the rock road that files by.

This part from Foxrock Church takes me 20-30 max in the morning… straight in on the N11 would take me an hour from Foxrock church.
Hopes this helps, it seems a bit all over the place but trust me it works

clocha_liatha

greystones , beautiful place to bring up family, friendly and safe, have lived here for 30 years. love it.
commute by car is to town, ie Dublin is tough , you may try different routes etc but its a drag if you are travelling in peak times.
as you are interested in buying a house and its a big step , get up early some morning and drive to greystones with a flask of coffee and from there do your future drive to work.
ie try in out, its like people asking whats applewood or other estates like at night, drive around and see for yourself, its the best thing to do.
if you do move to greystones you wont regret it , its a grand spot

sinead81

I grew up in Applewood and I would move back there in a heartbeat!!! Commuting to town though is a trek..... a quicker way in my opinion is staying on the m50 and coming off at clonskeagh or even further at Red Cow and coming down through the Crumlin road, much quicker way of getting into town, yes more mileage but perhaps more sane by the time you get out of the car!!!! Otherwise the 84x and the Dart are great options

stanley1980

I grew up in Applewood so am totally biased but for my money it's the nicest estate in Greystones! Nice, solid houses, community spirit and 3 big greens for kids to play out on all day (and evening in the summer).
Back in the day, lads from the different estates played football matches against each other- really lovely memories of growing up there.
To paraphrase other people, yes it can be a drag commuting from the city centre but overall it's well worth it to live in such a great, safe town with a wealth of amenities.