Short Intense Climbing Routes South Dublin/Wicklow

CormacH94

Looking for routes for really short but intense (as intense as Ireland allows) climbing routes, been doing Botharnabreena - Cunard - Viewpoint - Kilmanshogue as a quick 42 km spin but find it a bit disjointed as it isnt a great loop.

Anyone have any good 50km 1000m climbing routes they'd be willing to share?

Another relevant question, is it possible on Strava to search routes by climbing/length?

Grassey

Are you looking for long sustained climbs?

Or max elevation over given distance?

52km route - 1032m

Most of the roads around there interconnect so it's easy to vary climbing/distance, but you'll be struggling to find a nice 21km @ 7%

crosstownk

This route is almost 15km of climbing and easy to slot into a 50km spin in Sounth Dublin/Wicklow.

CormacH94

Max elevation over given distance more than anything, only really have time for short spins atm so looking to get as much climbing in as short a distance/time as possible, but I like the look of the route you posted there.

How does approaching the gap from this side fair in comparison to the botharnabreena side? I see the max elevation is 500m? over what distance and what grade would that make it? Fairly useless when it comes to understanding categories and gradients

CormacH94

Whats the craic with Kippure mast road? Passed it a fair few times, are you allowed past the gate on a bike?

crosstownk

Here's how Strava calculates categories.

I find ridewithgps.com useful for showing % grades.

CormacH94

crosstownk wrote: »

This route is almost 15km of climbing and easy to slot into a 50km spin in Sounth Dublin/Wicklow.

Whats the craic with Kippure mast road? Passed it a fair few times but are you allowed down (up) past the gate on a bike?

Miklos

You could do the auld figure of eight around Cruagh/Stocking Lane;
go up Cruagh to the Viewing Point, down Stocking Lane and right at Mount Venus Road, left at the junction back past the Merry Ploughboy and down to the foot of Stocking Lane, up Stocking Lane and down Cruagh, left at Mount Venus Road and then right at the junction back down to the foot of Stocking Lane.

Back up Cruagh once more should get you up to 1000m.

Wishbone Ash

CormacH94 wrote: »

Whats the craic with Kippure mast road? Passed it a fair few times but are you allowed down (up) past the gate on a bike?

Probably not officially allowed but loads of us do it regularly without ever being stopped.

smacl

CormacH94 wrote: »

Max elevation over given distance more than anything, only really have time for short spins atm so looking to get as much climbing in as short a distance/time as possible, but I like the look of the route you posted there.

How does approaching the gap from this side fair in comparison to the botharnabreena side? I see the max elevation is 500m? over what distance and what grade would that make it? Fairly useless when it comes to understanding categories and gradients

Bohernabreena side is steeper if you take in the Cunard climb. On the other side, if you're in the Glencree direction you have the wall (starting at Oonagh bridge) / old long hill circuit as an option which is another steep one. If you're in the Kilmashogue area, Marlay park / Kellystown road / Ticknock / Masts is another short sharp shock.

Ballinascorney, up to the Military range, Sally gap, and back via Piperstown is also a nice circuit if it suits you better to come from that side. Nice route in either direction.

smacl

CormacH94 wrote: »

Whats the craic with Kippure mast road? Passed it a fair few times but are you allowed down (up) past the gate on a bike?

No big issue with it AFAIK, but it is a really horrible descent if there's a cross wind, and there's always a cross wind.

magicbastarder

crosstownk wrote: »

Here's how Strava calculates categories.

cheers, but i did get a chuckle given the example they showed; after explaining the climb is calculated with metric figures, the screenshot is done using imperial.

Lumen

Bit far out, but this is my local loop.

12.5km with 2400m climbing every 100km.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/53.1520958,-6.1077863/53.1433934,-6.1339698/53.1467686,-6.1646817/53.1682757,-6.137453/53.1591456,-6.1056527/53.1520958,-6.1077863/@53.1560323,-6.1539256,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e1

CormacH94

smacl wrote: »

Bohernabreena side is steeper if you take in the Cunard climb. On the other side, if you're in the Glencree direction you have the wall (starting at Oonagh bridge) / old long hill circuit as an option which is another steep one. If you're in the Kilmashogue area, Marlay park / Kellystown road / Ticknock / Masts is another short sharp shock.

Based in Drimnagh so the Botharnabreena/Cunard side is the one I've been using most as I find it quicker to get to considering I'm only using my phone and an earpiece as navigation (makes my first time cycling routes a bit touch and go) also I've gotten Cruagh and Cunard mixed up, will update the OP

With the Botharnabreena/Cunard climb and Kilmanshogue I hit about 839m, but I'm really liking the idea of approaching from different sides, seems to be a bit more climbing over distance as apposed to doing most of it at the start of the ride

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

Bit far out, but this is my local loop.

12.5km with 2400m climbing every 100km.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/53.1520958,-6.1077863/53.1433934,-6.1339698/53.1467686,-6.1646817/53.1682757,-6.137453/53.1591456,-6.1056527/53.1520958,-6.1077863/@53.1560323,-6.1539256,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e1

My car struggles to get up Red Lane :eek:

wanderer 22

A couple from my Strava:

55k, 1320m - https://www.strava.com/activities/1507609302


56k, 1029m (up to Kippure mast, it's grand on a road bike, descent as mentioned is horrible!) - https://www.strava.com/activities/620178475

smacl

CormacH94 wrote: »

With the Botharnabreena/Cunard climb and Kilmanshogue I hit about 839m, but I'm really liking the idea of approaching from different sides, seems to be a bit more climbing over distance as apposed to doing most of it at the start of the ride

If you want to add a bit to the Cunard climb without adding too much distance, rather than Bohernabreena, keep on up Ballinascorney, hang a left here which takes you all the way back to the very bottom of Cunard and got up from there. This adds most of the Ballinascorney climb for not much extra distance.

On the other side, if you head out towards Enniskerry, the Killegar road is one of the gnarlier climbs up to Glencullen which leads you on to Cruagh, Military road and back either via Stocking lane or Piperstown for a few extra ramps. I'd advise against going down the Killegar road as it is all blind corners and very sharp bends and the prospect of meeting horses or tractors going the other way.

ED E

Bohill Lane, Red Lane, Sugarloaf, Enniskerry, Devils Elbow and home. Lovely bit of climbing.

Takca

CormacH94 wrote: »

Another relevant question, is it possible on Strava to search routes by climbing/length?

Try this (look in the filter tab) https://www.doogal.co.uk/strava.php
it stops working sometimes if too many people use it at once as strava limits the number of requests he can make. Just come back later if that happens.

CormacH94

Thanks for all the replies so far, have a few good ideas for future routes