Royal Canal on a Road Bike

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117922743#Comment_117922743

The first and last of those sections are wide enough, I would've thought. The first section includes a bridge over the railway, so I guess the only option for widening without a multi-million euro project would be to narrow the canal.

The middle section is narrow indeed, and the thorny hedges narrow it further. I've travelled along there with a secateurs to make future commutes more pleasant. However, the other side of the fence is industrial land, with the adjoining part of it empty (i.e. no structures). I don't see why they can't CPO the small strip of land needed?

Weepsie

I'd take the resurfacing under that stupid bridge/tunnel for now. But yeah, that narrow stretch is crap and prone to flooding too. Only thing about widening it is that there often nesting swans there and they were there before me

Mac-Chops

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117923610#Comment_117923610

They're some of the hardier swans around too and don't move for anyone!

There was an IT article on this yesterday too, with a few more details.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/royal-canal-dublin-city-council-seeks-to-narrow-segments-1.4679196?localLinksEnabled=false

"

Waterways Ireland said “the proposed slight widening will be accompanied by both dredging and lining of the canal bed” and would “use a profile that limits potential loss of navigation capacity, while also ensuring that any ecological impacts are minimised”.

The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, which was founded in the 1950s following plans to fill in the Grand Canal on Dublin’s southside, said it was “concerned” by the application. A spokesman said any incursion into Dublin’s canals was a cause of concern and the plans would be studied in detail by local branches and a submission would be made.

"

9320

Typical IT headline - why not "DCC seeks to improve walking and cycling facilities on Royal Canal"?

Also, there are probably about 5 members of the Inland Waterways Association as opposed to how many potential cyclists and pedestrians along the route?

Mercian Pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117922743#Comment_117922743

According to DCC, the plans will be uploaded by the middle of next week, half way through the display period!

TooObvious

I was out for an early morning spin yesterday and took in some of the Royal Canal. Heading West, into what looked like impending doom with a black cloud looming closer, and with the sun shining behind us, we noted a strange white line on the black cloud. As we watched we could see that the cloud was moving but the line, which was generally straight with a few kinks in it, was not. Eventually we figured out it was a reflection, but of what????

Yes, we saw a reflection of the royal canal on the clouds, and you could see the outline of it for quite a bit. Amazing stuff!

That's my story for today!

Duplotastic

@TooObvious That's amazing. What a cool phenomenon.

Fian

My brother and I cycled from Abbeyshrule to my home in Dundrum on Saturday. We were taking it easy. Really enjoyable, we were lucky with the weather and it is a lovely route. We stopped in Furey's bar for lunch, which was very welcome. Despite it being a Saturday with nice weather there was very little navigation around pedsetrians required. Everybody seemed to be in good form and pleasant.

One important word of warning, there is a bridge shortly after "nanny Quinn's" called Darcy's bridge. You approach from the left side of the canal (heading towards Dublin). You can continue on that side and tbh it is the natural thing to do. However that side comes to a dead end, you have to cross the bridge and continue on the right side of the canal. Ridiculously the sign to tell you to proceed on the right side is on the right side of the bridge, so you won't see it unless you know to cross. We were lucky that a passer by warned us and saved us having to double back.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Darcy%27s%2BBridge/%4053.4945771%2C-7.1090999%2C16z/data%3D%214m5%213m4%211s0x485d929b3e0a7563%3A0xaadc6b52d441f085%218m2%213d53.4944611%214d-7.1092255

Crazy the only signs are on the other side of the bridge/canal!

Was a lovely route. I have previously done the wexford greenway the great western greenway. The mayo one is very good, the wexford one is terrible, this one is best of all. The mayo one has nice views but is very exposed to wind and weather. The Wexford one is not exposed but there is literally nothing to see but a hedgerow on both sides, with the occassional glimpse of the sea, a tunnel or a view. this one has a great balance, nice calm water beside you teh whole way and decent views.

Look forward to when it extends all the way into dublin. We left it at the confey bridge (which meant we had to bounce over one section with a mud track between maynooth and Leixlip, then went over teh liffey in St. Catherines park, came out in lucan, climbed up to the grifeen valley park and followed it to the grand canal, short stint on the grand canal then came by road through jobstown into tallaght, old bawn road, dodder valley park and on home to Dundrum.

really enjoyed it. We stopped for lunch at Furey's bar which was nice too. I went for burger and chips but the chicken parmigian (which came with both pasta and chips) my brother got was definitely the clear winner, I would order that next time. Was an early start so hadn't had much breakfast and the fuel was definitely welcome!

NamelessPhil

I used the Royal Canal from Maynooth to Mullingar on Saturday morning too as part of my ride to Sligo. It's not much slower than using the main roads and keeps you away from traffic. I was taking it handy enough and I stopped for about 30 minutes at the coffee stand at the Ribbontail Paddlers just before the Boyne Aquaduct. I left my house in South Dublin at 9am and was in Mullingar just after 1pm and in Sligo by 8pm. It's a great amenity, the surface is good and it'll be great once it's extended into Dublin city centre

Cyclingtourist

I've done the 'deep sinkings' a couple of times on a bike but each time it was pretty scary.

These days I give it a miss and either just go as far as the twelfth lock or if I want to go farther I take the free train to Maynooth and start from there.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037675#Comment_118037675

Its only 1-2km of a dead end as there's eventually a barrier there.

I got caught on it years ago when out walking.

Your next mission should be to bike from Dublin to Athlone via Mullingar

Fian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037936#Comment_118037936

"Free" train? How is it free and from where - Heuston? Can you bring bikes on it? Can you go further than maynooth on it?

I guess that the "deep sinkings" is that patch of grass/mud track? I imagine it would have been unpleasant if it had been wet, but it was rock hard so not too bad even on gatorskins. I have cycled out to the greenway and travelled along it a bit before turning back home before, so not the first time I had traversed that bit. I do not fancy the road running beside the canal tbh, narrow enough and traffic seems to be fast and heavy.

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118038864#Comment_118038864

The Deep Sinking is around Coolmine - a single-track section with a big drop down to the canal.

Between Leixlip and Maynooth is the next section scheduled to be properly surfaced, last I heard final design should be done before the end of the year.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118038864#Comment_118038864

"Free" train? How is it free and from where - Heuston? Can you bring bikes on it? Can you go further than maynooth on it?

It's 'Free' if you're my age. :-)

Free from Connolly. If it's the commuter train you can bring your bike no problem but it stops in Maynooth.

buffalo

Last Kildare section still inching toward construction...

https://twitter.com/CathMurphyTD/status/1468544253160734720

Steoller

Was on it at the weekend, heading for Enfield, with the intent of doing a session as much off-road as possible. started in Celbridge and joined the greenway at Pike's bridge in front of Carton House. I used to think the Maynooth to Carton section was OK, especially compared to the Carton to Leixlip section. But when I got out past Maynooth harbour, it was like night and day. Miserable evening, but i couldn't keep the smile off my face.

Looking forward to the Leixlip-Maynooth section being finished, because then, apart from Celbridge main street, I'll have an almost totally off-road route from my front door to longford.

Rosahane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118639743#Comment_118639743

It needs to be properly maintained though. For most of last year there were brambles growing out of the ditch in spots between Maynooth and Kilcock - take the face off you if you didn't spot them in time. They eventually cut them some time in October.

RunDMC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118639901#Comment_118639901

This is a common problem, not just on the greenway. The law states that there can be no cutting, grubbing or burning of hedgerows between 1st of March and the 31st of August.

R

Mercian Pro

Road safety is a typical excuse used by Local Authorities for cutting of hedgerows during the nesting season and presumably is allowed for in the legislation. I very much doubt that Waterways Ireland would be prosecuted for cutting back errant brambles along canal towpaths/greenways.

For info on what we will eventually have between Maynooth and the Dublin border, see the link to the Part 8 Report at Kevin Baker's excellent Trello sitehttps://trello.com/c/J42GZBAq

buffalo

btw, last update I saw from KCC was on 21st Jan when they said construction would start March 2022 and last for 18 months.

Rosahane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118641011#Comment_118641011

It was just briars growing out at head height and above, so hedge cutting restrictions not applicable. If I was walking along there, I'd do what I do walking on the Leixlip stretch and just cut them back with slash of a pocket knife as I walked along!

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118642949#Comment_118642949

I don't see how they are not applicable? It's uncultivated land that's in the text of the law.

https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/general/section-40-wildlife-acts-consolidated.pdf

Rosahane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118643431#Comment_118643431

It's covered by Section 70!

buffalo

Drawings for most of the remaining Kildare section went online today: https://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/AllServices/Roads/RoadSafetyCyclingandSustainableTransport/SustainableTransport/SustainableInfrastructureProjects/RoyalCanalGreenway-MaynoothtoConfey/

A few things jump out at me.

It goes along the road for some of the stretch between Pike bridge/Carton House and Deey bridge/Blakestown level crossing, I think due to narrowness of the existing track. Looks like a kerb-separated track in the existing hard shoulder.

No access from Greenway into KCC's own properties at the Amenities - instead cyclists will have to go around on unprotected infrastructure on the road.

It goes on the road again at Louisa Bridge, but it looks like a shared ped/cycle facility, which is crazy. The amount of foot traffic at times around there with Intel workers is very high. They're also changing the surface of the road and there's a dipped kerb further on, so it seems to be offering a choice to cyclists to use the path or the road. Maybe that's good actually?

It stops short of Cope Bridge, which is the one access point I had been looking forward to being modernised. :/

Seth Brundle

There will be parts of the canal side fenced (given the drop) - I'm not sure of the height of it (CC-SCD-0030) - hopefully it won't be excessive.

I'm disappointed that the works don't go as far as Confey Slipway (the county boundary). Hopefully I'm missing something but it looks like it doesn't even provide for decent access/exit from Cope Bridge FFS. Access currently is quite restrictive for someone on a bike on in a wheelchair...

a_shed

Hi

I have a road bike with only enough clearance for 700x25c tyres. I've been using Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons for a number of years and thankfully rarely get a puncture.  My current set have 1000 miles on them.  Recently, I have started using tow-paths and after a few spins totaling 100k,  I got a puncture.  This wasn't the end of the world (it took 25 mins to replace the tube and get going again), and the tyre came off/on easily enough. But I've decided to try a more puncture proof tyre and was looking for experienced tow-path users' advice.  

Initially I was going to go for Gatorskin Hardshells but there are a lot of comments regarding how impossible they are to fit at the side of the road.  And since I'm aiming for a solo 300k spin, I'd prefer to try and minimise the puncture risk, but at the same time be able to sort one should the need arise.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.   

Effects

I've cycled the tow path a good bit using 25mm Schwalbe Durano Plus. Never had a puncture.

I switched to 28mm, which fit my frame, despite manufacturer saying it would only take 25mm max.

Gerry

The section along carton to pikes Bridge is very nice to cycle, tree lined etc. it's not that.. narrow. putting people out on the road there is nonsense.

tnegun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118877846#Comment_118877846

I've used Schwalbe marathon plus for several 1000kms commuting and only gotten 1 or 2 punctures when the tyres were getting worn. I'm always impressed at the chunks of glass and other debris I pull out of them without getting a puncture! I used to cycle the Grand canal from Park west to Adamstown and then the Royal from Maynooth harbour to Carton 5 days a week to avoid traffic and crap roads so a fair bit of towpath.

Effects

I've got marathon plus on my cargo bike. I got a puncture from a really tiny thorn a few months back. Really surprised/annoyed!