Advice on buying in Riverwood Estate, Carpenterstown, Castleknock

pvt6zh395dqbrj

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone has any experience of the Carpenterstown area in castleknock.

We're not from the area and just started looking at houses there. Is it a quiet area? What are the creches and schools like? Is traffic bad etc.? how about the commute to city center?
Also if anyone has specific advice on Riverwood estate that would be great.

Really appreciate any advice.

tricky D

Moved to D15

beauf

Can you use the train? I would say the traffic is bad in the area at peak time. But theres a train. Or travel off peak.

Pinch Flat

I live in Riverwood estate. It close to everything we need - primary school (St Patrick's) - some parts of Riverwood are outside the automatic catchment area for castleknock community college, shops, blanch a short walk or drive. Phoenix park close by. the estate itself I like - we are here 10 years few years - was in fernleigh before.

We are in the section of Riverwood near woodbrook - so separate from the main estate which can be rabbit warren like in places.

Like beauf says its close to coolmine - one of the main reasons we bought. Never drove to the city centre commuting - unless you enjoy long spells in the car I wouldn't bother - I cycle to merrion square. Any other questions feel free to ask.

beauf

Cycling is a good option. 30~45 mins to most of town. Door to door. Half of the route is through the park, so you're off road for a lot of it.

annfield1978

Live in Annfield, for the past 7 years, as long as you are out of the house before 8:30 the traffic is fine. The school runs clog things up after that an then it settles down, but most areas are like that. Very quite area with young familes. Has great facilities in the surrounding areas between sporting clubs, parks etc

beauf

If driving I try to be gone be 7.30 or leave it till after 9. I get the train or cycle leaving around 9am and I'm still passing queues at that time. The train takes around 30 mins to town or 20 mins to the docklands.

a lot of the schools start at 8.30.

Pinch Flat

The schools will severely impact your ability to progress to town by car after 8.30. All the primary schools start at this time.

All the main routes will be extremely conjested - so carpenterstown road leading to castleknock college and through the castleknock itself will be busy - and that's before you'll be hitting the quays - they will be backed up to park hate street .

If you have to (or insist on) taking the car, I would leave before 8 on the very rare morning I need the car for work - or else (more often) get the train.

pvt6zh395dqbrj

Thanks a million for all the replies, I'd be getting the train to grand canal dock so my commute would be ok. My wife would be going to near Heuston so most likely driving there. Would that be a reasonable commute? - during school term what time you would recommend leaving to make it to heuston for 9am?

Scoil Cholim and Lutterstown CC are near Riverwood so I assume they would be the schools for Riverwood residents correct?- anyone any experience with those schools?

Any recommendations for Creches nearby?

Thanks again

beauf

You'd probably make it Heuston in 30 mins. But it be would stop start traffic much of the way. I'd go via the park.

You'd cycle it in the same time though. So thats another option once the weather picks up.

Yes about the schools. LCC is new so hard to judge what its like. I don't think they have a leaving cert class done yet. I could be wrong.

daymobrew

Pinch Flat wrote: »

The schools will severely impact your ability to progress to town by car after 8.30. All the primary schools start at this time.

St Patrick's 8:30am, Scoil Choilm 9am?, St Mochta's 9am, Scoil Thomais 9am, St Brigid's Blanchardstown 8:50am?, St Brigid's Castleknock 8:50am, CETNS 9am.

For commuting, I like the train, though I prefer to cycle and get the exercise.

I am on the committee of Riverwood Residents Association. Been here over 11 years. I like it.

Pinch Flat

daymobrew wrote: »

St Patrick's 8:30am, Scoil Choilm 9am?, St Mochta's 9am, Scoil Thomais 9am, St Brigid's Blanchardstown 8:50am?, St Brigid's Castleknock 8:50am, CETNS 9am.

For commuting, I like the train, though I prefer to cycle and get the exercise.

I am on the committee of Riverwood Residents Association. Been here over 11 years. I like it.

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up - castle knock community college as well - 9am start?

my little fella is in St Patrick's - so you basically have running school opening times from 8.30 to 9.00 - even more reason to avoid the area in a car at these times

AGC

beauf wrote: »

Yes about the schools. LCC is new so hard to judge what its like. I don't think they have a leaving cert class done yet. I could be wrong.

This will be the first year. They also start at 08.30

annR

Living in Riverwood 1.5 years now and really like the area. Neither of us commute to town so can't comment but we do get the bus / train into town at other times. However our little one goes to Scoil Choilm and we are very happy with it especially being able to walk to it. There are many creches in the area but the demand for them is very high so it can be hard to get a place in them.

StrawDub

I live on the rugged lane not far from Riverwood. Until very recently I used to cycle into Hueston station and it was very quick via the park.

On the days I didn't cycle I would drive into the Phoneix park going via the Strawberry Beds and parking outside the Zoo where there is free parking. I would then walk to Hueston. The traffic on park gate street/exiting the park is horrible once you hit 8 o'clock and its actually better to park up and walk. You also get to enjoy the park before and after work.

A lot of people used to bring a bike in their car and park outside the Zoo and cycle the rest of the way to work.

5unflower

Remy Elegant Jaguar wrote: »

Thanks a million for all the replies, I'd be getting the train to grand canal dock so my commute would be ok. My wife would be going to near Heuston so most likely driving there. Would that be a reasonable commute? - during school term what time you would recommend leaving to make it to heuston for 9am?

Scoil Cholim and Lutterstown CC are near Riverwood so I assume they would be the schools for Riverwood residents correct?- anyone any experience with those schools?

Any recommendations for Creches nearby?

Thanks again

I've more than once tried to get a 9am train from Heuston station, with my partner giving me a lift to the station...and I have missed it more than once by thinking that we'd get there in 30-40mins In reality you have to leave before 8am to make it to Heuston for 9am, which sounds crazy but was the only thing that worked for us. Cycling as suggested above would probably a lot less stressful.

AGC

5unflower wrote: »

I've more than once tried to get a 9am train from Heuston station, with my partner giving me a lift to the station...and I have missed it more than once by thinking that we'd get there in 30-40mins In reality you have to leave before 8am to make it to Heuston for 9am, which sounds crazy but was the only thing that worked for us. Cycling as suggested above would probably a lot less stressful.

You will get to the end of the park in about 15 minutes and then depending on Park Gate Street it could be 10 minutes going down the quays and swinging back up or 30 minutes

Pinch Flat

AGC wrote: »

You will get to the end of the park in about 15 minutes and then depending on Park Gate Street it could be 10 minutes going down the quays and swinging back up or 30 minutes

Or maybe walk the couple of hundred yards from park gate St to the station across the Luas bridge if you're being dropped off

If I absolutely had to drive to Heuston and leave the car, i'd park in the Phoenix park free of charge and walk down

beauf

The problem isn't helped by all routes to Heuston are bad in the morning.