Cycling along the Royal Canal

chopper6

I had a spin along the canal yesterday from cambells bridge(finglas) to about as far as carpenterstown before the daylight gave out and i had to turn back.

I was following signs for the Royal Canal Way which seemed to run out around the Castleknock area and the path became quiet narrow and rocky.

Is there a better route to travel,say as far as Leixlip(for starters) as my memory of the canals involved the towpath being on the opposite side to where the trail is now?

Any information at all would be appreciated as it's something i'd really like to do and i'm quite a novice at cycling.

Pinch Flat

chopper6 wrote: »

I had a spin along the canal yesterday from cambells bridge(finglas) to about as far as carpenterstown before the daylight gave out and i had to turn back.

I was following signs for the Royal Canal Way which seemed to run out around the Castleknock area and the path became quiet narrow and rocky.

Is there a better route to travel,say as far as Leixlip(for starters) as my memory of the canals involved the towpath being on the opposite side to where the trail is now?

Any information at all would be appreciated as it's something i'd really like to do and i'm quite a novice at cycling.

Theres a few threads here on the canals. I live half way between castleknock and porters town bridge - the worst part, it is narrow And slippy (tree roots). Plans are afoot to improve it. It is cyclable but dangerous in places, especially at coolmine station.

You could come off At castleknock, cycle the local roads and rejoin at porterstown - it's a mix of compacted gravel and grass towpath out to maynooth and beyond. Furthest I've gone is Enfield, but others have gone further.

chopper6

Pinch Flat wrote: »

It is cyclable but dangerous in places, especially at coolmine station.

You could come off At castleknock, cycle the local roads and rejoin at porterstown - it's a mix of compacted gravel and grass towpath out to maynooth and beyond. Furthest I've gone is Enfield, but others have gone further.

Yep..that stretch to carpenterstown is a bit hairy..the towpath is rock,roots and mud and there's a fairly steep drop on one side..does it improve further along? i want to avoid using roads if i'm gonna do it properly

Pinch Flat

chopper6 wrote: »

Yep..that stretch to carpenterstown is a bit hairy..the towpath is rock,roots and mud and there's a fairly steep drop on one side..does it improve further along? i want to avoid using roads if i'm gonna do it properly

If you can sweat it out to coolmine station you're over the worst - so probably about 750m of cruddy surface after castleknock station when you hit it. The path from coolmine to porterstown is a bit better - still a few tree roots and muddy. There's a road bridge that over sails the canal at porterstown - when you've teached that you're over the worst.

devonp

hi
i commute from Leixlip to city centre end May to end Sept or Oct depending on weather conditions.
i have a hybrid with front suspension which i engage for that tricky bit otherwise u could leave it locked off . its a great cycle and less stress than dealing with the traffic etc, only thing is the odd dog walker or fisherfolk with their poles across the path and some barriers to negotiate, only occ. need to stop. get a bell for the bike to warn walkers etc i come off at Dorset st then down Gardiner st to the quays.
in winter its too mucky and dark but doable at weekends when bright. the route is paved from the twelfth lock( Ck) to town and very good surface,compacted sand/gravel from Confey to mid way to kilcock,
enjoy

chopper6

It really is a lovely spin,the hairy bits notwithstanding.

I'm gonna have another go on Sunday and see how far I can get.

I wonder is it possible to cycle the whole length of the canal? Maybe bring a puptent and eat in pubs along the way.

chopper6

Pinch Flat wrote: »

If you can sweat it out to coolmine station you're over the worst - so probably about 750m of cruddy surface after castleknock station when you hit it. The path from coolmine to porterstown is a bit better - still a few tree roots and muddy. There's a road bridge that over sails the canal at porterstown - when you've teached that you're over the worst.

Here's a pic of the stretch known as Deep Sinking..the towpath is sharp rocks with a coating of mud and a fair drop to the canal.
A strange-feeling sort of place too.

Danjamin1

@chopper6 I remember you being quite anti-cyclist throughout a thread a while back, glad to see you've decided to give it a try & hope you're enjoying it

chopper6

Danjamin1 wrote: »

@chopper6 I remember you being quite anti-cyclist throughout a thread a while back, glad to see you've decided to give it a try & hope you're enjoying it

Really i was anti-a certain type of cyclist..but that's irrelevant now.

Yep i have my MTB for trails etc and a hybrid that i use for spins on the road..including work commuting.

I hadnt cycled for over 20 years and started again in September..the canal intruiges me though and i intend to cycle the length of it,probably might have to wait til the weather improves.

Danjamin1

chopper6 wrote: »

Really i was anti-a certain type of cyclist..but that's irrelevant now.

Yep i have my MTB for trails etc and a hybrid that i use for spins on the road..including work commuting.

I hadnt cycled for over 20 years and started again in September..the canal intruiges me though and i intend to cycle the length of it,probably might have to wait til the weather improves.

Ah yeah, water under the bridge. We're all anti-that type of cyclist,it's infuriating.

The royal canal looks a good route to tackle, I'm hoping to build up to some long spins this year myself. Doing the Western Greenway in the Spring and I was thinking of doing the Wicklow 200, though it'll require a bit of training!

chopper6

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Ah yeah, water under the bridge. We're all anti-that type of cyclist,it's infuriating.

The royal canal looks a good route to tackle, I'm hoping to build up to some long spins this year myself. Doing the Western Greenway in the Spring and I was thinking of doing the Wicklow 200, though it'll require a bit of training!

I hear there's some good trails in pheonix park too..anybody got any infO?

Alek

I am training cyclocross in Phoeno sometimes, you can technically ride off-road all around the park (~11km). Very nice singletrack here and there in the middle too:

http://app.strava.com/activities/224898506
http://app.strava.com/activities/187415779

OldBean

chopper6 wrote: »

Here's a pic of the stretch known as Deep Sinking..the towpath is sharp rocks with a coating of mud and a fair drop to the canal.
A strange-feeling sort of place too.

I've ridden it a few times on my touring bike. It's fun in a 'OH SH*T' kind of way if you're riding a bit faster.

Re: That strange feeling, as far as I know it's called deep sinking as it's both one of the deepest sections of the canal, and one of the barges that was transporting people and livestock hit a jagged rock on their way to Galway when the canal was in service. I think a few people and the livestock died, and the animal towing the boat was dragged into the water with the sinking barge.

Edit: I'm also pretty sure the original plans for the canal never intended on cutting through the spot of land Deep Sinking is located on. The guy who built the canal (Who as far as I can remember was a pretty horrible person) realised he wouldn't be able to see the canal from his property, so diverted the building to accommodate his wishes...

Edit Edit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEEz7BgBuQs

Pinch Flat

The bridge where the barge capsized is the next one along - porterstown, there's a plaque there commemorating it. I think 16 people drowned - the number is on the plaque.

OldBean

Is it definitely not Deep Sinking where the barge went down? For some reason it was always stuck in my head as the canal ran deeper there as well as having limited accessibility, so it took quite a long time to find bodies and clear the barge.

Pinch Flat

OldBean wrote: »

Is it definitely not Deep Sinking where the barge went down? For some reason it was always stuck in my head as the canal ran deeper there as well as having limited accessibility, so it took quite a long time to find bodies and clear the barge.

I think it's called the Deep Cut as well - due to the amount of limestone that had to be taken out, making the canal bank steep on both sides like it is.

Tragedy occurred in 1845 - this thread discussed it (might of been where I found about it as I live nearby and have a bit of a nerdy facination with canals / railways)

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056901793/1/#post83699595

chopper6

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I think it's called the Deep Cut as well - due to the amount of limestone that had to be taken out, making the canal bank steep on both sides like it is.

Tragedy occurred in 1845 - this thread discussed it (might of been where I found about it as I live nearby and have a bit of a nerdy facination with canals / railways)

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056901793/1/#post83699595

I guess the creepy feeling I experienced was well founded...16 people drowned..horrible.

I also have a nerdy fascination with canals..I've been fishing the royal for over 30 years and have a collection of artifacts that I found in mud after dredging.

With regards to cycling I now have the bug to see how far I can travel along the canal although a proper shot at it will probably have to wait for drier weather.

blobbie

Chopper6,

Plenty of info on cycling the Royal & Grand canals on this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=88717124

The last 7/8 pages kinda go a wee bit off topic as they discuss canal cycle path surfaces rather than the actual cycle but plenty of info on the 1st 15 pages or so.

OldBean

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Tragedy occurred in 1845 - this thread discussed it (might of been where I found about it as I live nearby and have a bit of a nerdy facination with canals / railways)

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056901793/1/#post83699595

Oh as do I! Pitched on jobs involving the Irish canal, uk canals, Amsterdam and Austrian canals over the last 12 months purely out of an interest in them. La
Fed the jobs near each one, just not involving the canals :pac:

Hoping to hit up some of the C&O canal when I head to the states on spring.

01Surveyor

First canal spin of 2015 yesterday.

I left Grand Canal Harbour late (0930) due to taking a header down the stairs into our basement before leaving......damn cycling shoes!! I headed for Hazlehatch into the teeth of a Westerly gale. The spin to the 12th lock was mind numbingly boring as usual, though I have never seen so many swans on the canal. The towpath hedgerows and trees were festooned with litter form the overflowing bins which don't seem to have been emptied for weeks. Sections of the towpath are officially closed due to works on the services below the path. However there is no problem bypassing the barriers as everyone is doing.
From the 12th to Hazlehatch via Gollierstown was as wonderful as ever though parts of the towpath are muddy and messy but its easily passable on a mountain bike. The approach to Hazlehatch is probably the worst.
I was knackered from battling the wind and so didn't carry on to the Lyons Estate as usual, but instead cut across form Hazlehatch to Maynooth via Celbridge and got onto the Royal there. The spin from Maynooth to Leixlip was lovely with the Pike Harbour works now complete.Leixlip to the start of the Deep Sinking was also very nice. The first section of the Deep Sinking was fine but the second and third sections were very slippery and the roots seemed to be worse but it is passable with care. I had to moderate my speed in deference to walkers and had one minor fall due to lack of momentum. Beware the drains (I think) that have eroded 3 or 4 sections of the path in the last section as the breaches in the path have got quite a bit bigger and you have to ride up on the ditch to get by. From the 12th lock to Phibsborough is unchanged though the Ratoath Road bridge works mean the road is closed and you can cycle straight across and back onto the towpath.

All in all an enjoyable, if slow spin (it took four hours!) with a lot more cyclists evident on the canals which cant be bad.

01Surveyor

Just read this thread fully and the tragedy in the Deep Sinking area has been well covered except for one well known 'fact'.

The rock encountered when building the canal pretty much did for the Royal Canal Company that eventually went bust. In order to minimise the cost The Deep Sinking cutting was limited to the width of a barge and this meant that barges could not pass each other it they met in the Deep Sinking. As a consequence barges carried a trumpet which was blown before entering the narrow stretchand if no reply was received it was safe to enter the Deep Sinking. The eerie atmosphere of this stretch of the canal is no doubt related to the terrible tragedy that took place in the area and at times the ghostly sound of trumpets can be heard.................................etc etc...............enjoy your next visit.

CatFromHue

Tracks and Trails, the show on RTE, was about the Royal Canal tonight. It looked absolutely stunning, it's on the player too.

BlazingSaddler

After reading this thread this morning thought I would take the baby for a walk between Clonsilla and Porterstown, I could swear I heard trumpets! Took a couple of pics of the plaque and presumably the location of the tragedy.

poochiem

mattb74 wrote: »

After reading this thread this morning thought I would take the baby for a walk between Clonsilla and Porterstown, I could swear I heard trumpets! Took a couple of pics of the plaque and presumably the location of the tragedy.

Is that the bridge on Porterstown Road?

BlazingSaddler

poochiem wrote: »

Is that the bridge on Porterstown Road?

Yes it is

poochiem

mattb74 wrote: »

Yes it is

Grand, that's where I started from when went to Mullingar but I didn't notice the sign. Going to go to maynooth with a gang for a spin on the canal and a few beers then the train back this weekend so will keep an eye out for the plaque.

wanderer 22

Planning a spin from Dublin to Maynooth along the Royal tomorrow morning, anyone know what condition it's in?

01Surveyor

I do the Maynooth to Dublin spin regularly. It is a beautiful run and apart from the Deep Sinking section the surface is very good, a mixture of metaled and grass paths. two short section of the Deepsinking are rough because of tree roots but its perfectly passable. I use a hardtail MTB but most of the route could be done on a hybrid or even a road bike. Enjoy your spin, supposed to be a nice weekend, I hope to travel from Clondara to Kilucan.

wanderer 22

Nice one , thanks. I'll take the cx bike - did it a couple of months back but just not sure what the surface will be like after the recent rain. Will be good training anyway I guess :-)

Mr. Grieves

The section to Maynooth holds up well after rain, you'll enjoy it on a cx bike. The Grand Canal gets much wetter where it's not surfaced.

Carawaystick

Is it not all grass west of the Dunboyne rail line?

Mr. Grieves

No, the grassy sections are well worn singletrack so they're quite firm. There's plenty of fast gravel sections too. Between Kilcock and Enfield it's very grassy with no worn track. I'd say that's very tough going in wet; I've only done it in the summer.

Qualitymark

The late Mary Mulvihill's Ingenious Ireland made an audio science tour to the canal: http://ingeniousireland.ie/podcast-audio-tours/quaternions-by-the-royal-canal/

01Surveyor

Thomastown to Richmond Harbour (Cloondara) yesterday.
Lovely morning, with excellent towpath surface from Thomastown/Killucan to Abbeyshrule. Westmeath Co.Co. have done great work on the towpaths and people are using the amenity, with lots of early morning runners and walkers and a few cyclists. Not a boat in sight! The mini Deep Sinking section on the approach to Mullingar is particularly nice. You now cycle on the North bank of the canal through Ballymaglavy bog (just after Ballynacarrgy) and this means you avoid what was one of the most difficult sections of the Royal. After Abbeyshrule the towpath reverts to grass (Longford have clearly not followed Westmeath's approach). TBH by the time I got to Abbeyshrule I was starting to find the constant smooth surface a bit boring and was yearning for a bit of variety......and I got it! Sections of the towpath between Abbeyshrule and the Shannon are hard work as the grass has got quite long and the path is wet and rutted in some sectiopns, nevertheless the spin is a delight and I arrived in Richmond Harbour after five hours of pleasant cycling and traveled on to Longford to pick up a lift home.
On previous spins I have always stuck to the way marked path but I am not sure that is necessary any longer as many of the un-waymarked sections of the tow path appear to have been developed and it is clear that parts of the original route are no longer in regular use. The problem is that you cans still take what appears to be a the best path only to find that the it peters out and you have to turn back and resume the marked route. Dont be too easily put off though as often a gate or sign can be disregarded and a section of rougher patth will lead to a bridge or lock allowing you to get back on course without turning back. e.g. the Ballymagalvy path is marked closed for 'works' but it is quite passable. There is a need to update the way marking to reflect the development of the towpaths, you cant even rely on John Dunne's TowPath Tours anymore.

Harrybelafonte

Can anyone recommend somewhere to stay half way along the Royal, for a two day trip?

Carawaystick

There's a big load of nothing from Enfield to Mullingar, so I'd suggest either of those 2 places
There could be B&B places off the route in between, maybe in Clonard.

01Surveyor

Mullingar is the obvious choice as there is a range of accommodation from BnB to Hotels. After Mullingar Cooneys in Ballymahon would be an option but its quite a bit further.

schemingbohemia

You could head into Kinnegad but Mullingar probably better.

Harrybelafonte

I'm reading the maps wrong. Thought it stopped in Mullingar

schemingbohemia

No it continues to Abbeyshrule in Longford or you could go on the Mullingar - Athlone Old Rail Trail greenway.

Red Kev

Mary Lynchs pub and B&B is right on the canal, just as it crosses the N4, nice pint as well.

01Surveyor

The Royal Canal towpath extends from the sea lock connecting to the Liffey at The Conference Centre all the way to Clondara where a lock connects it to the Shannon, about 175km. The entire length is readily done in two days and can be done in a day.

Carawaystick

Red Kev wrote: »

Mary Lynchs pub and B&B is right on the canal, just as it crosses the N4, nice pint as well.

If there's a B&B there that's probably your place to stop so.

Harrybelafonte

Appreciate that guys. Pity they have no website or email. Would they have bike parking facilitates and secure etc?

pm9999

We cycled it last year, in August. We took the bikes to Dublin by train and cycled to Clondara over 2 days. Our middle stopping point was in Mullingar. The B&B, the Marlinstown Court, was great, with our bikes locked up in a shed and a good hotel for food & beer just round the corner. Definitely recommended.

The bits that are proper cycle tracks are good, surfaces a mixture of tarmac through simple hard pack and gravel dressing, but all fine. As others have said above, some sections are simply grassy footpath and can be hard work. The section around Enfield/Kilcock was the worst, and I was picking grass out of our drivetrains for weeks afterwards. We were also surprised last year by how many pedestrian turnstile gates we had to go through. It was actually pretty tiring, as we had oldish/heavyish hybrids, with luggage, and for many of the gates, lifting the bikes over was the only option.

I would be very wary of doing it in the wet, and a MTB would be a better choice if this was the case simply to cope with the non – paved sections.

We are in our late 50s, cycle reasonably regularly on road, and felt quite pleased to have managed the Royal Canal. Quite challenging for us, but very enjoyable. Glad we did it.

Tigerandahalf

Hi

What way is the Royal Canal now to cycle.
I am hoping to get away for a few days. I have the option to take a tent but a bnb would probably be a treat and less hassle.

Is the route scenic or is it quite enclosed. Are parts of it littered with rubbish as you approach Dublin?

Either that I might head down and do the Waterford Greenway.

I am half thinking of doing a west east or vice versa from west coast to east. Rough calculations it is about 300km. Maybe 4 or 5 days though?

Thanks

Carawaystick

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Hi

What way is the Royal Canal now to cycle.
I am hoping to get away for a few days. I have the option to take a tent but a bnb would probably be a treat and less hassle.

Is the route scenic or is it quite enclosed. Are parts of it littered with rubbish as you approach Dublin?

Either that I might head down and do the Waterford Greenway.

I am half thinking of doing a west east or vice versa from west coast to east. Rough calculations it is about 300km. Maybe 4 or 5 days though?

Thanks

I came in along the canal today, there's no litter to mention, but there's a gap from Porterstown to Castleknock train station.

You can cycle the whole way from the North Strand road up to Castleknock station on hard surfaces, but there are 3 kissing gates to get by, and crossing Dorset st, But I'd reccomend starting there, for the views of Croke Park, and the change into a much more rural setting from Cross Guns Bridge in Phibsboro.

You can detour from Castleknock station by Roselawn rd, Delwood road, right onto Coolmine Rd, Left onto Clonsilla road, pass the roundabout and take the first left to Porterstown, where you can get back on a Dust gravel surface to Clonsilla. Then theres's a rough km to Pakenham Bridge, when it changes to singletrack earth, which was grand and dry today to Confey, when it's Dust again to Kilcock, with a rough gravel section near intel.

01Surveyor

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Hi

What way is the Royal Canal now to cycle.
I am hoping to get away for a few days. I have the option to take a tent but a bnb would probably be a treat and less hassle.

Is the route scenic or is it quite enclosed. Are parts of it littered with rubbish as you approach Dublin?

Either that I might head down and do the Waterford Greenway.

I am half thinking of doing a west east or vice versa from west coast to east. Rough calculations it is about 300km. Maybe 4 or 5 days though?

Thanks

I have cycled the Royal (and Grand) from Liffey to Shannon several times in the past few years. The last time was about three years ago. It is a beautiful cycle with varied surfaces all readily passable on a mountain bike or hybrid. I understand that the sections between Mullingar and Clondara have been hugely improved recently. I have done the entire trip in a day (12hrs.) If you are reasonably bike fit you will average 8-10mph. Doing it in a day is a bit frantic and two days would be more relaxed and give you time to take in the surroundings. The Railway runs beside the canal for much/most of its length so a return journey by train is usually an option. I did the canal loop (Dublin to Hazelhatch on the Grand, Hazel hatch to Maynooth on the road, and Maynooth to Dublin on the Royal) three weeks ago and the entire route was clear apart from a short diversion art Adamstown. Its a lovely spin and takes an easy three hours. The only dodgy area is the Deep Sinking (between Castlenock and Clonsilla Stations) the path is narrow, high above the canal, and very uneven, with tree roots and rocks. If it is wet it can be slippery. If you are a confident mountain biker you can fly through this section. The deep Sinking is a beautiful stretch of the Royal and shouldnt be missed even if you walk it.
The Loop is ideal for a test run.
Remember respect other towpath users, particularly walkers who can be surprised by a speeding bike.
Both Canals are beautiful, and beyond 'scenic', its another world and well worth a visit. I prefer the Royal myself but the wasteland of the Bogs on the Grand are spectacularly remote.

Hope you enjoy it.

PS. I hear the Waterford Greenway is lovely but can be very crowded

Tigerandahalf

Do the 2 canals meet outside Dublin?
Thinking I could do a loop from west to east along Royal and back on the Grand. I think it ends at Shannonbridge. Are you far from a rail station then.
Unfortunately the weather seems to have turned for this week. Hopefully it will pick up again.

I wouldn't mind having the option of camping away from the canal for a night.

01Surveyor

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Do the 2 canals meet outside Dublin?
Thinking I could do a loop from west to east along Royal and back on the Grand. I think it ends at Shannonbridge. Are you far from a rail station then.
Unfortunately the weather seems to have turned for this week. Hopefully it will pick up again.

I wouldn't mind having the option of camping away from the canal for a night.

No the canals dont meet, they enter the Shannon separately at Shannon Harbour (Grand) and Tarmonbarry/Clondara (Royal). They are about 80km apart. On the Royal you are close to the Railway, or beside it, as far as Mullingar after that they go their separate ways. The Grand is not as convenient but you're OK as far as Naas and again at Tullamore after which it is more remote. I had to get a bus from Cloghan/Ferbane to Athlone in order to get back to Dublin.
I think August is the ideal time to do the trip as you still have decent light early and late, and any grassy towpath should be in good condition as it gets more traffic in the Summer.
I forgot to mention that you do encounter some locked gates on the towpath and, combined with kissing gates and the odd stile, these are a nuisance on a bike.
I've never camped on the canal so I cant help you on that.
I strongly recommend the short loop as a taster, it really is lovely as you get a very representative sample of the Canals and The Deep Sinking and Gollierstown are two of the nicest areas.
TowPath Tours is a very good book on all of the inland water way cycling routes - well worth a read if you can get it. Collins Press
You should be able to get detailed maps online at Waterways Ireland or Inland Waterways websites

Tigerandahalf

When you say kissing gates etc would I have to pull the bike up out of the towpath to cross over or is it just a case of dismounting and walking the bike through?