Cycling the grand canal

Pbreath

Thinking of cycling some of the grand canal (as a training spin, on account of there being no cars). Was thinking of doing about 40k out (out to around naas) and then turning around and doing 40k back, wondering whether it’s cycleable by road bike, and whether people would recommend it (as a quiet long spin, not for anything above moderate intensity). Thanks in advance

Harrybelafonte

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2055943815/1/#post66469289

Multiple threads about it. Here’s one.

LennoxR

Pbreath wrote: »

Thinking of cycling some of the grand canal (as a training spin, on account of there being no cars). Was thinking of doing about 40k out (out to around naas) and then turning around and doing 40k back, wondering whether it’s cycleable by road bike, and whether people would recommend it (as a quiet long spin, not for anything above moderate intensity). Thanks in advance

It's doable in sections by road bike, but at least two sections, between Lucan and Hazelhatch Bridge and then the last section before Sallins are very muddy and rocky and basically, not doable by road bike.

You have to find ways around those parts, fortunately there are some very nice quiet roads, notably 'Arthur's Way' in the area.

guanciale

From Inchicore to Adamstown is tarmac.
From Adamstown to Hazelhatch is grass, waterlogged and very marshy in patches. Its about 5km and unless its dry is hard going and a good workout in terms of rolling resistance and balance.
From Hazelhatch to past Ardclough (junction of Kill-Straffan road) is tight gravel and tramac. That section is doable on roadbike.
From there to Sallins is grassy and waterlogged. For me it is the toughest section on the entire canal. 6km and even in summer it is marshy.

Most road-bike tyres wont get traction also the clearance will not work with mud and grass.
After Adamstown you really need a CX or MTB type tyres and clearance.

Lovely cycle though.

mi16

^^^ well said guanciale!

I can echo this as I recently did Dublin to Tullamore on a hardtail MTB. The grass sections are far too soft for a road bike, even in summer I wouldn't say it's doable!

The Royal is similar with a track only out as far as Blanch/Coolmine iirc.

Another option if you're looking someplace car-free would be the Athlone-Mullingar greenway. Straight, flat and 40k each way..

silverharp

a commuting question, where the canal hits the luas line out to the park west section, can you use the cycle path when its dark (winter evenings)? does the section have lights?

G-Man

Yes cycle lane along canal from Blackhorse Luas to Parkwest is reasonably lit -and there is often other cyclists and walkers.

I have never had a problem in years -- except hot friday summer evenings. The whole barge pub scene is replicated at every lock along the canal.. And its fierce funny for them to hassle a cyclist - sorry about that.

silverharp

G-Man wrote: »

Yes cycle lane along canal from Blackhorse Luas to Parkwest is reasonably lit -and there is often other cyclists and walkers.

I have never had a problem in years -- except hot friday summer evenings. The whole barge pub scene is replicated at every lock along the canal.. And its fierce funny for them to hassle a cyclist - sorry about that.

cheers and i'd imagine they aint the office worker or student set :pac:

G-Man

Ah now - easy on the stereotype, but it was not good sometimes..

- I would say if walked through the barge pub set and asked them to clean up, dont make noise etc, you would get some hassle too.

devonp

Cycled the Grand from Lucan 12th lock to Shannon Harbour Co. Offaly y'day.
the spin was part of a new 300 Audax (in progress) doing the above part then crossing over to the Athlone -Mullingar greenway and back to Dublin via the Royal canal.
official start is the Phoenix park, i was collected at Lucan.


this was tough!!, i did it on a heavy hardtail MTB (35-38c tyres), others had lighter CX/gravel bikes

it would be very difficult on a road bike especially the Grand part and i wouldn't recommend it on such. its mainly rough track /grass with some fine gravel and a few tarmac sections. we had to divert due to works near the end but got back on the canal to finish the Grand section at Shannon Harbour


i had planned to finish at the halfway point, fathers day duties etc, and i was really whacked at this point anyway.
two others completed the 300+ back to Dublin( major Kudos to them) and said the second half is much more doable with the greenwaying of the Royal, as is being monitored here on the Royal canal thread.
one other left the Grand section early and made his way over to the Royal and still ended up with 200Km (Kudos), a bit like the Long Heron Audax.


later in the summer i'll jump on the Royal at Louisa Bridge (local to me) and do the second half in reverse.


Doing the whole 300+ is a real test..have fun:)

HugoMyBoss

Very interesting.

G-Man

Well Done !

IS the kildare part outside dublin the worst of it along the Grand Canal , rough grass I remember..
I think there are proper paths the rest of the way along the Grand Canal. Of course many are gravel only, so no good for road bike.

The 300 in 2 days would make a great way of getting short stay and residents themselves to do cycling over a weekend - it would revive many a midland village, which have very little tourism potential otherwise.. They could easily provide short routes as well. ... Say Edenderry to Enfield along old railway.. Or Tullamore/Ballycommon to Kilbeggan and lough ennel also.

I read somewhere that kildare co/co only supported the royal canal as they said it connected more urban areas.. But its the two together that make a great cycle..

devonp

yes its pretty tough until about Ardclough near the Lyons estate, but many sections are just rough track and grass, the paths (tarmaced sections are kinda rare!!) and around Tullamore there are more proper greenway type paths.
but as i said the Grand isn't suitable for road bikes, (as a whole, except for the dublin bits prob.)

loyatemu

are there any plans to improve the Grand Canal track?

nilhg

loyatemu wrote: »

are there any plans to improve the Grand Canal track?

There are plans in Offaly, how long it will take to complete is anyone's guess

https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/home/304696/offaly-county-council-unveil-plan-for-32km-greenway-on-the-canal.html

http://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Planning/News/Grand-Canal-Greenway-Planning-Report-280318-pdf.pdf

I'm not aware of much being done in Kildare on the Shannon bound part of the Grand but there is a plan for the Barrow line known as the Barrow Blueway which is currently the subject of a very contentious planning battle, the canal part has PP but the river section was refused, which has been appealed to ABP by Waterways Ireland

http://kfmradio.com/news/23022018-0751/permission-granted-kildare-barrow-blueway-project

https://www.waterwaysireland.org/barrow-towpath-plans

http://www.savethebarrowline.com/news/default.html

To Alcohol

loyatemu wrote: »

are there any plans to improve the Grand Canal track?

I've been on to Local councilor and a TD in Sallins re the stretch from Sallins to Ardclough and the last stretch from Hazelhatch to Adamstown.

The emailed me with some sort of case reference that had been opened with Kildare Co Council. Checked high and low on that website but could never find any update or any reference to the case reference.

mloc123

To Alcohol wrote: »

I've been on to Local councilor and a TD in Sallins re the stretch from Sallins to Ardclough and the last stretch from Hazelhatch to Adamstown.

The emailed me with some sort of case reference that had been opened with Kildare Co Council. Checked high and low on that website but could never find any update or any reference to the case reference.

Adamstown to hazelhatch would be great to have done. At the moment it is passable on a CX bike but in winter not a chance.

The alternative road route via peamont isn't too bad if you avoid it at peak commute times.

Missus Doubtfire

Hazelhatch to Adamstown is mostly within the South Dublin County Council area. It might be an idea to check there for updates

G-Man

The original funding was only as far as Adamstown. It was the ESB who wanted to bury a cable to the new Grangecastle industry parks from the inchicore substations..

Just goes to show how much cycling is depending on random funding from others.

Hazelhatch to Adamstown is nearly the worst stretch would mean so much - its train station, it also is a link to Celbridge town.

nilhg

nilhg wrote: »

There are plans in Offaly, how long it will take to complete is anyone's guess

https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/home/304696/offaly-county-council-unveil-plan-for-32km-greenway-on-the-canal.html

http://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Planning/News/Grand-Canal-Greenway-Planning-Report-280318-pdf.pdf

I'm not aware of much being done in Kildare on the Shannon bound part of the Grand but there is a plan for the Barrow line known as the Barrow Blueway which is currently the subject of a very contentious planning battle, the canal part has PP but the river section was refused, which has been appealed to ABP by Waterways Ireland

http://kfmradio.com/news/23022018-0751/permission-granted-kildare-barrow-blueway-project

https://www.waterwaysireland.org/barrow-towpath-plans

http://www.savethebarrowline.com/news/default.html

First signs of something stirring in Kildare,

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/kcc-talks-extend-grand-canal-greenway-south-kildare/232484

feartheclaw

Hi all, is this route (Dublin to Shannon Harbour) possible on a hybrid bike at this time of year?
Thanks,
ftc

mi16

feartheclaw wrote: »

Hi all, is this route (Dublin to Shannon Harbour) possible on a hybrid bike at this time of year?
Thanks,
ftc

I would think sections on grass would still be doable on a hybrid at this time of year. Don't underestimate how much tougher it is cycling on the unpaved sections though + you could get a nice westerly headwind punishing you too.

I did Dublin to Tullamore last November on a hardtail MTB and found it very tough. And I do a lot of road cycling!

a148pro

feartheclaw wrote: »

Hi all, is this route (Dublin to Shannon Harbour) possible on a hybrid bike at this time of year?
Thanks,
ftc

I did dublin to sallins on a gravel bike with very wide tyres (47 mm) last week but I'd say it would be well doable on a hybrid. Not necessarily comfortable or ideal, but doable. There is a reasonable amount of grass but as it doesn't seem to get much traffic and we haven't had too much rain there aren't that many muddy parts.

Hope to do more past sallins tomorrow.

mloc123

a148pro wrote: »

I did dublin to sallins on a gravel bike with very wide tyres (47 mm) last week but I'd say it would be well doable on a hybrid. Not necessarily comfortable or ideal, but doable. There is a reasonable amount of grass but as it doesn't seem to get much traffic and we haven't had too much rain there aren't that many muddy parts.

Hope to do more past sallins tomorrow.

I tried Straffan to Sallins recently and gave up after 1km... it is doable but not enjoyable

Roadtoad

Both canals are well served by trains, one could cycle west and train east kind of thing, for people uninterested or unable for a big loop or out-and-back.

a148pro

Did shannon harbour back to tullamore, reasonably tough going west of pollagh even on 47mm tyres. It would certainly be doable on a hybrid but would involve several sections of several miles on reasonably long grass. Also some long sections of unpleasant bumpy stone paths. If it came at the end of a long cycle, heading west, would be pretty challenging. Long lengths of clay path also but very little wet mud thus far.

Tullamore to pollagh was good surface the whole way.

Will have to come back for the middle bit!

Yes quite doable by train, inter city stops at tullamore and sallins, commuters may stop at more

Whatever lads managed the 360km audax over both canals in one day deserve some kind of award

Carawaystick

Has anyone come up from Athy to the Grand Canal on a bike?

a148pro

Carawaystick wrote: »

Has anyone come up from Athy to the Grand Canal on a bike?

That's next on list - as in the full barrow way. I gather from the book that encouraged me into doing these in the first place, that of the 3 routes, barrow is the hardest going, though not sure if that covers the portion you described. As I understand it there is one stretch that is gritted, the rest is grass so it can be tough after rain

smacl

feartheclaw wrote: »

Hi all, is this route (Dublin to Shannon Harbour) possible on a hybrid bike at this time of year?
Thanks,
ftc

I've done city centre to Digby's bridge and back quite a number of times at this time of year on a hybrid with CX tyres. Only concern at present would be the reports of attacks by scumbags at Bluebell which has kept me away from this route for some time now. In terms of bike, it comes down to the tyres and how much mud you're willing to put up with. Also much slower and more tiring when its been wet, which will affect the distance you're likely to cover. Fantastic craic at the same time.

blueballfc

smacl wrote: »

I've done city centre to Digby's bridge and back quite a number of times at this time of year on a hybrid with CX tyres. Only concern at present would be the reports of attacks by scumbags at Bluebell which has kept me away from this route for some time now. In terms of bike, it comes down to the tyres and how much mud you're willing to put up with. Also much slower and more tiring when its been wet, which will affect the distance you're likely to cover. Fantastic craic at the same time.

I recently did Edenderry to Daingean and back, 41 tyres, tough slog alright, doable on a hybrid for sure but be prepared to go slow slow slow

blueballfc

a148pro wrote: »

Did shannon harbour back to tullamore, reasonably tough going west of pollagh even on 47mm tyres. It would certainly be doable on a hybrid but would involve several sections of several miles on reasonably long grass. Also some long sections of unpleasant bumpy stone paths. If it came at the end of a long cycle, heading west, would be pretty challenging. Long lengths of clay path also but very little wet mud thus far.

Tullamore to pollagh was good surface the whole way.

Will have to come back for the middle bit!

Yes quite doable by train, inter city stops at tullamore and sallins, commuters may stop at more

Whatever lads managed the 360km audax over both canals in one day deserve some kind of award

never realised that that Pollagh to Tullamore was paved, that must be a 20 km stretch right ?

a148pro

blueballfc wrote: »

never realised that that Pollagh to Tullamore was paved, that must be a 20 km stretch right ?

Not entirely sure as we were tearing it to catch Tullamore train, which then was 40 mins late without any announcement at station or information

One side, the south side was a local access road and while the trail sent you over the bridge to the north side of the canal onto a bumpy ish track with grass down the middle, they seemed to have just done the other side in either road quality or flat grit the whole way. There was a roller parked up. Again, the signs were sending you over the bridge onto a much poorer surface but it seemed near perfect on the other side.

Then from a bit out of tullamore on its nice grit and even tarmac, with a lot of traffic

Don't quote me on pavement but its certainly much easier going than the grass track west of pollagh

blueballfc

its amazing like a county council like offaly and similarly westmeath (for the royal canal) can push ahead with this work while bigger CC like Kildare etc are dragging their heels.

mloc123

blueballfc wrote: »

its amazing like a county council like offaly and similarly westmeath (for the royal canal) can push ahead with this work while bigger CC like Kildare etc are dragging their heels.

In fairness. Westmeath had very little to do as most of the canal already had tarmac road running alongside it.

blueballfc

fair point for the canal but the still they the old rail line between mullingar and athlone

mloc123

blueballfc wrote: »

fair point for the canal but the still they the old rail line between mullingar and athlone

True.

Kildare on the other hand can't manage to do the 2km from Intel to Carton or Hazelhatch to Adamstown.

10pennymixup

The towpaths are canal property not council property.

It's up to Waterways Ireland, under the Dept of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Josepha Madigan, to develop the towpaths with the necessary planning permission from the relevant local authorities.

cdaly_

Carawaystick wrote: »

Has anyone come up from Athy to the Grand Canal on a bike?

I did Monasterevin to Graiguenamanagh on the canal side in July. Going was tough but doable. Stretches of grass (was pretty sparse due to summer drought), gritted path.

nilhg

Carawaystick wrote: »

Has anyone come up from Athy to the Grand Canal on a bike?

Athy to Vicarstown is mostly tarmac road on the Canal bank, after Vicarstown there's a stretch of unimproved towpath that wouldn't be great for a road bike but Ok on a CX/Gravel one, near Fisherstown there's a stretch of tarmac, then more grassy towpath. Around Monasterevin there's a mixture of grit and tarmac, then from Ballykelly on through Rathangan to Ballyteague it's mostly grassy towpath, you come back onto tarmac road then through Lowtown and into Robertstown.

The grassy stuff is fine on a CX bike though progress would be slower than on a grit surface

10pennymixup

Kildare County Council Sports Partnership do an excellent hard copy walking trails booklet that can be ordered on line, showing which towpath/ side of the canal is best for walking and where the trail changes side. It covers the Grand, Royal and Barrow/ Barrowline. Might be of help to some one.

It is called Towpath Trails, I had a copy sent to me from KildareCoCo SP when I rang 045980546 and left a voicemail.

Not much to do with cycling but someone might find these interactive boating charts of the canal interesting LINK

blueballfc

Some movement from Kildare CC
“Kildare County Council has erected site notices all along the Grand Canal throughout the county outlining plans for the Greenway”

https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/home/355050/kildare-greenway-site-notices-appeared-over-christmas.html?fbclid=IwAR3p0Gw4rNF2YHj9RVmxbDkr7hKcDWX1x9ELxm3zJ9FPBcNu6piey8dB9KA

blueballfc

blueballfc wrote: »

Some movement from Kildare CC
“Kildare County Council has erected site notices all along the Grand Canal throughout the county outlining plans for the Greenway”

https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/home/355050/kildare-greenway-site-notices-appeared-over-christmas.html?fbclid=IwAR3p0Gw4rNF2YHj9RVmxbDkr7hKcDWX1x9ELxm3zJ9FPBcNu6piey8dB9KA

Following on from the above looks like 12th lock to Hazel hatch planning permission has been submitted.
https://consult.sdublincoco.ie/en/consultation/part-8-grand-canal-greenway-hazelhatch-12th-lock?fbclid=IwAR2906FcFazHVn8e_-T50Xo4eI7Aub7rwdAsknCKGZx0RD67dqArE2k4_zU

TooObvious

That's great news, that section even on a CX bike always added a fair chunk to the commuting time. Certainly was no quicker than skirting around Peamount. This will make the canal commute a lot more attractive.

mloc123

TooObvious wrote: »

That's great news, that section even on a CX bike always added a fair chunk to the commuting time. Certainly was no quicker than skirting around Peamount. This will make the canal commute a lot more attractive.

This will make my year

I have used it a few times on the way home from work, but I think it is actually slower than via Peamont. The only advantage being... the peamont road at 4-5pm is like death race 2000

TooObvious

mloc123 wrote: »

This will make my year

I have used it a few times on the way home from work, but I think it is actually slower than via Peamont. The only advantage being... the peamont road at 4-5pm is like death race 2000

I hear ya, Peamount road is dangerous, lots of close overtakes. I'm hoping that when all the bridge works are complete at lock 12 that the original path from lock 11 remains, as i hate cycling over that crappy red bridge in the rain. Death trap.

Anyway, here's looking forward to getting off the N7.

tnegun

Plesant suprise this morning from Adamstown to Parkwest(and possibly further) the gates have been fixed in a slightly open position allowing bikes to pass at speed!! Nice xmas present as I use it 3/4 times a week and they are a pain and have numerous scratches on my bike from clipping them.

blueballfc

more news from grand canal in Offaly
completion of linkage of the Grand Canal Greenway to the Royal Canal Greenway
and sion from Poolagh to the Lough Boora Discovery Park see link
https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/home/356637/offaly-s-grand-canal-greenway-gets-huge-400-000-funding-boost.html

ED E

tnegun wrote: »

Plesant suprise this morning from Adamstown to Parkwest(and possibly further) the gates have been fixed in a slightly open position allowing bikes to pass at speed!! Nice xmas present as I use it 3/4 times a week and they are a pain and have numerous scratches on my bike from clipping them.

They started works just before Christmas. Working from 12th Lock east. Should be clear as far as Suir Road.

SPDUB

ED E wrote: »

They started works just before Christmas. Working from 12th Lock east. Should be clear as far as Suir Road.

They hadn't done anything at the 4th lock by last Friday .Still only a narrow gap

ED E

SPDUB wrote: »

They hadn't done anything at the 4th lock by last Friday .Still only a narrow gap

Damn, WI are slow as can be so.

niallo32

Nice to commute along the canal with the kissing gates open - scramblers racing along the tow path from across Labre park up to the bridge at Kylemore this evening though