Royal Canal on a Road Bike

Thargor

cletus wrote: »

The Grand Canal is done too, as well as the Barrow Line (although they have it labelled as the River Barrow)

You mean all the grass paths are replaced with tarmac/smooth sand and gravel the way the Royal Canal is as far as Maynooth?

cletus

Thargor wrote: »

You mean all the grass paths are replaced with tarmac/smooth sand and gravel the way the Royal Canal is as far as Maynooth?

No, sorry. I meant they have a street view on Google Maps. It was I response to the post saying that the Royal Canal had a street view

Thargor

Oh crap sorry should have realised.

Carawaystick

buffalo wrote: »

It's been closed off for months, part of the bank collapsed I believe. edit: going on seven months...

https://twitter.com/royalgreenway/status/1200453046834257921

If its not dry after the lockdown drought, it'll never be dry enough...

RunDMC

I was through there on the bank holiday Monday; there were no fences across the path and the bank looked like it had been repaired already. Perhaps there was some more that needed to be done.

R

The Davestator

Going to cycle the canal on Thursday and Friday next week. Maynooth to Cloondara and train back to Dublin.

Has anyone any recommendations for wild camping spot along the way. I am thinking of Ballymahon.

Cheers

unhappys10

The Davestator wrote: »

Going to cycle the canal on Thursday and Friday next week. Maynooth to Cloondara and train back to Dublin.

Has anyone any recommendations for wild camping spot along the way. I am thinking of Ballymahon.

Cheers

The canal at Ballymahon is a 5min walk from my home house. Can't really think of anywhere you'd camp apart from a random field. Few out of the way spots just beyond Ballymahon that would be isolated and nice.

The Davestator

unhappys10 wrote: »

The canal at Ballymahon is a 5min walk from my home house. Can't really think of anywhere you'd camp apart from a random field. Few out of the way spots just beyond Ballymahon that would be isolated and nice.

Thanks very much.

unhappys10

The Davestator wrote: »

Thanks very much.

Actually, could possibly divert to Newcastle forest, 5 mins from the canal and I've often seen tents in there when I'd be walking the dogs. Could go in off the path and set up a tent and you'd never be seen.

Mercian Pro

The Davestator wrote: »

Going to cycle the canal on Thursday and Friday next week. Maynooth to Cloondara and train back to Dublin.

Maynooth to Cloondara may be doable in a day particularly if you have a tailwind. At the moment the forecast is showing westerly winds both days so you might consider taking the early train to Longford before cycling to Cloondara and back to Maynooth as we did here: https://royalcanalgreenway.ie/greenway-in-a-day/

bovis

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Maynooth to Cloondara may be doable in a day particularly if you have a tailwind. At the moment the forecast is showing westerly winds both days so you might consider taking the early train to Longford before cycling to Cloondara and back to Maynooth as we did here: https://royalcanalgreenway.ie/greenway-in-a-day/

Heres a link to an archive of the "greenway in a day".

https://web.archive.org/web/20191227202254/https://royalcanalgreenway.ie/greenway-in-a-day/

Waterways Ireland recently took over control of the royalcanalgreenway.ie website and strangely it's been inactive ever since Apologies Mexicanpro - it wasn't our (i.e. RCAG voluntary group) plan to relinquish control but we had no choice.

Mercian Pro

When looking up the Royal Canal Greenway site, I came across this:https://www.facebook.com/100001817210305/posts/3857919260945276?sfns=mo
Looks like work is about to commence on upgrading the section of towpath between Phibsboro and Ashtown. This went through the Part 8 planning process way back in 2015 and now it seems that work is starting at Broome Bridge next week. No indication yet as to whether sections of the path will have to be closed but the work mentioned in the article seems to mainly involve the area around the bridge.
Unfortunately, the drawings that accompanied the Pt 8 process included a dotted line in some locations with the note "Possible future area for Greenway widening" so it's probable that it will still be narrower than ideal in these areas.

Edit: Looks like it is just enabling work in and around the bridge that is starting now with the main Phase 4 contract yet to be placed.

Thargor

Whats the Grand Canal like these days out of interest? Has it all been resurfaced like the Royal? I did it from Tullamore a while ago but the endless rutted grass paths nearly broke me.

Dizraeligears

Ive seen people camping in Clondra right at the harbour.Theres also a spot just outside Clondra with a lock,could be more private.
Friends of mine regularly camp and fish at a secluded spot on the Inny near Abbeyshrule , a very short distance from the canal,never a bother.Can PM with locations.
Only thing is,no shop in Abbeyshrule or Clondra for getting stuff.Nearest shop to Clondra is Tarmon,not so sure about Abbeyshrule.

bovis

Dizraeligears wrote: »

Ive seen people camping in Clondra right at the harbour.Theres also a spot just outside Clondra with a lock,could be more private.
Friends of mine regularly camp and fish at a secluded spot on the Inny near Abbeyshrule , a very short distance from the canal,never a bother.Can PM with locations.
Only thing is,no shop in Abbeyshrule or Clondra for getting stuff.Nearest shop to Clondra is Tarmon,not so sure about Abbeyshrule.

It's very possible to do it in one day. We cycled from Enfield to Clondra in one day last summer. Just over 100km and we weren't marathon cyclists. But if you do want to camp it's very doable. I would recommend pitching your tent on the opposite side to the greenway towpath on a quite part away from a village and if you set up late in evening and are gone in morning you should have no problems. Check out @urbanfarn_ on Twitter as he did a wild camping trip on the canal last summer too and posted about it. Clondra harbour is a safe place to camp. Obviously "leave no trace" and you will be fine.

devonp

Thargor wrote: »

Whats the Grand Canal like these days out of interest? Has it all been resurfaced like the Royal? I did it from Tullamore a while ago but the endless rutted grass paths nearly broke me.

No, nothing like the Royal, still lots of grassy rutted sections...
with an MTB or gravel/Cx bike and wider tyres is still very doable at a slower pace...makes for a challenge....which has been taken away from the RCW now for the most part

Thargor

Yeah probably better to leave it as a nice nature reserve tbh.

Hurrache

It's like what I said on the Greenway holiday thread, I don't think the potential for tourism has really been appreciated. Plenty of farms along the way, all it'll take is a couple landowners to set aside a plot of land for camping for a fee, simple wash facilities, get local producers to provide food for packed lunches, breakfasts and so on, even local pubs get in on the act. Tour organisers can sort it, get to a certain point and they can even organise bike storage and transport while you stay at a hotel where they deliver your glad rags at a destination and get a train home.

There's a huge amount of red tape in fairness, but wouldn't it be wonderful to traverse the country by bike?

Mercian Pro

bovis wrote: »

Waterways Ireland recently took over control of the royalcanalgreenway.ie website and strangely it's been inactive ever since Apologies Mexicanpro - it wasn't our (i.e. RCAG voluntary group) plan to relinquish control but we had no choice.

Thanks bovis. Such a shame RCAG are no longer involved with the website as it was very professional and a great source of up to date information on the canal. At least the Royal Canal Greenway Facebook page is still active.

The archived page includes the text of the Greenway in a Day article but unfortunately the photos, map and video have vanished. I must see if there is any other way of republishing it online.

Mercian Pro

Another update (and delay) on publication of plans for the Deep Sinking section of the Greenway:
https://www.facebook.com/1549278628668036/posts/2577427935853095?sfns=mo

magicbastarder

are they testing to see if the steep side can take a boardwalk?

Mercian Pro

magicbastarder wrote: »

are they testing to see if the steep side can take a boardwalk?

I assume you are referring to the north (Delwood) side even though the bank on the south (railway) side is probably steeper but not as high.
The post mainly seems to refer to the south bank but, if the intention is to propose one side or the other, presumably they will have to check out ground conditions on both banks.

magicbastarder

the photo is not too clear, but i assumed it was taken from the south (railway) side, where a boardwalk seemed to be the only option?

bovis

magicbastarder wrote: »

the photo is not too clear, but i assumed it was taken from the south (railway) side, where a boardwalk seemed to be the only option?

From what I observed the barge did a ground survey of both sides of the canal bank. I would imagine that all options will be closely considered.

magicbastarder

i took it from this text that the south bank was still being considered:
"Constructability, engineering constraints, proximity to the rail-line, and future DART expansion requirements are elements that require further assessment along the south bank of the Deep Sinking."

i had thought that DFB had said no to the idea of a boardwalk.

beauf

I assume the boardwalk is much more expensive and compromised but with far less objections to overcome than the other bank.

magicbastarder

yeah, that's the issue - and DFB said they want the boardwalk to be able to take an ambulance; in case someone has a heart attack halfway between castleknock and coolmine.

beauf

That's a game changer in terms of cost. An ambulance.

Mercian Pro

DFB initially said a fire tender AFAIK but scaled it back to a 4x4 and Waterways Ireland also looked for vehicle access for maintenance purposes. Referring to it as a boardwalk is a bit misleading as it would really end up being a cantilevered roadway if those requirements have to be met.

The real scandal in all this is the ridiculous amount of time it is taking. While Covid 19 is a valid enough reason for stopping the investigations, other delays over the past decade are inexcusable and a very poor reflection on Fingal Co Co, Waterways Ireland and the NTA.

Mercian Pro

beauf wrote: »

I assume the boardwalk is much more expensive and compromised but with far less objections to overcome than the other bank.

A perfect summary of what must have been obvious to Fingal for years. And we still are nowhere near the major battle when they eventually go for planning permission for the north bank scheme.