Dublin to Derry

Hoboo

Going from North County Dublin, is it better to go M1, then out by Monaghan, or up to Belfast and then on to Derry? Going to Moville, but will need to get to Derry first.

There is another thread from 2012 but roads may be improved since then.

Cheers.

Wishbone Ash

I go M1 to Newry by-pass then A28 to Armagh/Caledon/Aughnacloy and then A5 on to Derry via Omagh/Strabane. (Skerries to Derry in approx 3.5 hours)

Westwood

Go up the M1 and take the ardee exit on up through Monaghan and into auchnacloy then onto strabane and into lifford of Donegal, is the quickest way have been doing it for 15 years

Hoboo

Thanks for your replies. We'll be leaving around 2 on a Friday......any bottle necks?

CeilingFly

50/50
If it was off peak times, I'd go Belfast, then A6. Good roads, most towns bypassed. The only possible snarlup is Belfast, hence its best offpeak route.

Other route is M1 to N2 Ardee, on to A5 (same road as n2 but in ni) and through Strabane to Derry.

Only problem is a lot of this route is single track and in NI you can get stuck behind slow drivers quite often and not many safe overtaking areas.

Hoboo

CeilingFly wrote: »

Only problem is a lot of this route is single track and in NI you can get stuck behind slow drivers quite often and not many safe overtaking areas.

Exactly what I want to avoid. Guy who's driving just wants a nice easy run on as much decent road as possible, 20 mins extra isn't an issue. Belfast be better roads for that? We'd be at Belfast comfortably by 3:30, should be ok for traffic?

CeilingFly

100% Belfast route then. Mostly motorway or dual carriageway and you'll be through Belfast before rush hour traffic.

Lord Glentoran

CeilingFly wrote: »

50/50
If it was off peak times, I'd go Belfast, then A6. Good roads, most towns bypassed. The only possible snarlup is Belfast, hence its best offpeak route.

Other route is M1 to N2 Ardee, on to A5 (same road as n2 but in ni) and through Strabane to Derry.

Only problem is a lot of this route is single track and in NI you can get stuck behind slow drivers quite often and not many safe overtaking areas.

Agreed. You can get to Monaghan quickly enough but the N2 to the border and the A5 are infuriating. I tend to go to Armagh and then the A29 to Maghera to the A6 - but Armagh and Dungannon can be difficult. M1/M2/A6 are fairly consistent with time, but you do burn much more fuel.

Wishbone Ash

Hoboo wrote: »

...We'll be leaving around 2 on a Friday......any bottle necks?

Omagh and Strabane/Lifford especially around 5 on Friday evenings.

Hoboo

Great, thanks all for your help.

Hoboo

Lord Glentoran wrote: »

but you do burn much more fuel.

Guy who's driving has a company car so that's ok. Cheers for the help.

dashcamdanny

Westwood wrote: »

Go up the M1 and take the ardee exit on up through Monaghan and into auchnacloy then onto strabane and into lifford of Donegal, is the quickest way have been doing it for 15 years

This is the quickest.

Done the rest many times.

Only problem is rush hour in Omagh.

Lord Glentoran

dashcamdanny wrote: »

This is the quickest.

Done the rest many times.

Only problem is rush hour in Omagh.

Apart from Milk lorries, no hard shoulders and very few places to safely overtake. You'll be hard pressed to get above 70 km/h. Other than that, and Strabane, you'll be fine. The bit between Aughnacloy and Ballygawley is much improved though.

dashcamdanny

Lord Glentoran wrote: »

Apart from Milk lorries, no hard shoulders and very few places to safely overtake. You'll be hard pressed to get above 70 km/h. Other than that, and Strabane, you'll be fine. The bit between Aughnacloy and Ballygawley is much improved though.

Yep. Highly depends on what time you travel.
If I use the motorway route its about 30 miles longer and you use way more fuel as you are doing motorway speed. Plus its a very bouring trip. It balances out to be around the same time .

If you travel after 7pm or even at late night, you and push on fast and do it in 3 hours going the Ardee way.

Wishbone Ash

Lord Glentoran wrote: »

.. and the A5 are infuriating...

It's funny how 30/40 years ago the A5 was the best piece of road between Donegal/Derry and Dublin. Now it's the worst. It hasn't really changed much in that time apart from a few cosmetic bits.

(I've cycled it a few times also - not a pleasant experience).

Lord Glentoran

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

It's funny how 30/40 years ago the A5 was the best piece of road between Donegal/Derry and Dublin. Now it's the worst. It hasn't really changed much in that time apart from a few cosmetic bits.

(I've cycled it a few times also - not a pleasant experience).

I haven't cycled it - every time I think of doing that I think of horrible narrow and twisted parts like Bready between Derry and Strabane, or nearly all the road between Newtonstewart and Omagh.

No hard shoulders at all on the A5 either! In contrast, the wide, empty A28 between Aughnacloy and Caledon doesn't appear to make sense until you realise it uses the formation of the long-gone Clougher Valley Railway.

Wishbone Ash

Lord Glentoran wrote: »

... In contrast, the wide, empty A28 between Aughnacloy and Caledon doesn't appear to make sense until you realise it uses the formation of the long-gone Clougher Valley Railway.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

circadian

A5 is a death trap on a bike. Jaysus it's bad enough in a car. Can't wait until it's finally upgraded.

OP at that time of day you're going to hit bottlenecks somewhere along the way. I'd recommend the Belfast route off peak for sure. Possibly go up through Nutts Corner to the A6? Has anyone tried this at rush hour?

OldMrBrennan83

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