Good place to run near Stepaside in Dublin?

runswithascript

I have moved into the area and I am looking for somewhere nice to run close to stepaside, perhaps there is a track or a park or some rugby or football pitches nearby?

cart man

Short distance to Marlay Park or if you like hill running Three Rock

First Up

De La Salle Palmerston rugby pitches just past the Stepaside Golf Course.

heebusjeebus

A circuit of Marley Park is between 3 and 4 km.
The road from Stepaside isn't wide enough to run on though so best drive to the car park in Marley.

rovers_runner

Don't bother with pitches.
The beauty of this area is there are nice long stretches up to a mile long uninterrupted by junctions etc.

Try to add some of the following into your run.
- new road from kilmacud luas and on into Ind estate. Following loop road around to leopards town rc juntion.
- use the road into the race course and follow it through to back road parallel to m50. Can get a couple of miles in here without paying heed to a road or junction.
- Westminster road around to foxrock village

If you want hills go down to cornelscourt village and use the hills back up towards carrickmines.
Also the road from Carrickmines retail park up to glencullen.

For a 5k time trial you can start at top of Ballyogan road (stepaside rd junction) go to roundabout at bottom of hill near Carrickmines retail park and back again.

First Up

I took it from the OP that he didn't want to run on roads.

djemba djemba

Large number of pitches down by the Beacon Hotel.

jamule

dusf wrote: »

I have moved into the area and I am looking for somewhere nice to run close to stepaside, perhaps there is a track or a park or some rugby or football pitches nearby?

Have a look out your window and take up mountain running, it doesn't get any nicer and you are spoiled in stepaside (when did running around a pitch become somewhere nice?).

First Up

jamule wrote:

Have a look out your window and take up mountain running, it doesn't get any nicer and you are spoiled in stepaside (when did running around a pitch become somewhere nice?).

As the OP asked about a track or pitch, I am guessing he wants to run intervals or do some sessions other than (or as well as) long runs. (I imagine he can see out the window perfectly well.)

jamule

First Up wrote: »

As the OP asked about a track or pitch, I am guessing he wants to run intervals or do some sessions other than (or as well as) long runs. (I imagine he can see out the window perfectly well.)

Thats alot of guessing there from someone who can't read.

First Up

jamule wrote:

Thats alot of guessing there from someone who can't read.

Well between you suggesting he look out the window and me trying to understand what he is looking for, I hope his Boards experience is worthwhile.

RacoonQueen

dusf wrote: »

I have moved into the area and I am looking for somewhere nice to run close to stepaside, perhaps there is a track or a park or some rugby or football pitches nearby?

Marlay park is good but closed at 5pm this time of year...the roads around stepaside/sandyford/ballogan are fine.

Are you looking for somewhere for short runs/sessions/long runs/hilly runs?

averagejoe123

It really depends what sort of distances you are looking to do. There are a load of different routes in the area depending what you are looking for. I don't mind hills so they are usually included in most runs. Shamefully I haven't done a huge amount of mountain running so will leave it to others to advise on that.

I will give you a few ideas mileage wise basing the starting point at the shops in Bellermine.

Parks/Grass area- Sandyford hall has 2 grass areas that are only a couple of hundred meters each. There are also some grass areas in Glencairn and in between Aikens Village and Bellermine. Unfortunately all of these are relatively short so if you are looking for a longer grass trail route you will be looking at Marley, Cabinteely and Mount Merrion as your closest options. Some people run around the Leopardstown race course but I have given up on this after being asked to leave a few times by security.

Running to Marley is not safe in parts unless you take the long way down by Dun Drum. One of the biggest park runs in Ireland here so check it out.

A good longish run on a Saturday would be to head down to Cabinteely Park via the Ballyogan road and take in the park run and back up- 11 mile round trip.

5-6 miles- Up to Ballyogan road through Sandyford hall, down to Carrickmines, turn right up Glenamuck road and straight back down from the golden ball.

7ish miles- Up to Ballyogan road through Sandyford hall, down to the Carrickmines roundabout, crossover left to Glenamuck road N, left on Brighton avenue through Foxrock village, left on the Leopardstown road and straight back up.

Slightly over 2 miles straight down to Dundrum via the Sandyford road so a handy hilly 4.5 miler.

All the above being said I would just get out and explore if I was you. Head out the door with no plan and see where you end up.

RacoonQueen

averagejoe123 wrote: »

Running to Marley is not safe in parts unless you take the long way down by Dun Drum. One of the biggest park runs in Ireland here so check it out.

From Belarmine you can run down Sandyford road and cut through the Kilcross estates/bracken hill/sandyford view/rockview/ticknock and come out at the M50 bridge and straight down to Marlay from there. Not the most pleasant run but shorter than the Dundrum route and safer than directly up the Blackglen road.

First Up

RacoonQueen wrote:

From Belarmine you can run down Sandyford road and cut through the Kilcross estates/bracken hill/sandyford view/rockview/ticknock and come out at the M50 bridge and straight down to Marlay from there. Not the most pleasant run but shorter than the Dundrum route and safer than directly up the Blackglen road.

And a nice uphill slog on the way back!

RacoonQueen

First Up wrote: »

And a nice uphill slog on the way back!

Character building towards the end of a long run or hard session

OP, you can also do a nice long slog up the Enniskerry Rd. There is footpath a good way up past Kilternan.

If you run down to the N11 and cross it you have footpaths to everywhere, can go out to the coast easily from there.

The Ticknock development I mentioned in the post above has a little grassy route that is up by the hill out to Lamb Doyles at the exit where the old total fitness gym is. It has a path worn through and is lit by streetlights...it's a nice little hilly interval session. ~600m to follow the path around.
Right across from Marley just off harolds grange road is a small park with a bike track and walk track, tarmaced around. It's ~560m around. Both are good places to do sessions.