Ireland cycle routes

beggars_bush

Hello, looking for a few suggestions for good cycling day routes to do when the 20km limit is gone. Up to 100km. Climbs and scenic routes are a bonus

Sligo
South Donegal
Mayo
Leitrim


Cheers.

Tell me how

Check out strava and in particular the 'My Routes' section where you can map your own route and see distance, and more importantly elevation.

Or check out this link where similar are available.

https://www.mapmyride.com/ie/sligo-c/

cletus

The website below is excellent for planning a route, as it automatically routes for the most cycle friendly roads, rather than the quickest route

https://cycle.travel/

Also, I bought Cycling in Ireland, and it's excellent. Well worth the money

https://www.bookdepository.com/Cycling-In-Ireland-David-Flanagan/9780956787453?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Base1&utm_source=IE&utm_content=Cycling-In-Ireland&selectCurrency=EUR&w=AFFPAU9S3GPDNLA8VCQ4&pdg=pla-293946777986:cmp-9463711619:adg-98687126840:crv-420380901788:pos-:dev-m&gclid=CjwKCAjwq832BRA5EiwACvCWsfYZwXd4_F0bfnWfwBCyrNpLd_zicCXlT1SOgqstDwFlGXcEBOa_VhoCBSEQAvD_BwE

crosstownk

I mostly use ridewithgps.com to plan a route. I find it easy to use and the elevation profile is handy.

dastardly00

cletus wrote: »

Also, I bought Cycling in Ireland, and it's excellent. Well worth the money

https://www.bookdepository.com/Cycling-In-Ireland-David-Flanagan/9780956787453?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Base1&utm_source=IE&utm_content=Cycling-In-Ireland&selectCurrency=EUR&w=AFFPAU9S3GPDNLA8VCQ4&pdg=pla-293946777986:cmp-9463711619:adg-98687126840:crv-420380901788:pos-:dev-m&gclid=CjwKCAjwq832BRA5EiwACvCWsfYZwXd4_F0bfnWfwBCyrNpLd_zicCXlT1SOgqstDwFlGXcEBOa_VhoCBSEQAvD_BwE

+1 it's a great little book

beggars_bush

Thanks for suggestions there
I generally don't like tracking my cycle with tech apart from the simple bike computer

PhillySteak9

The route used by the Donegal Bay Sportive is both scenic and challenging.
Starts in Donegal town. Then Killybegs, coast road to Carrick, Meenaneary, over Glengesh to Ardara then over the mountain to Inver and back to Donegal. 100km. Option to loop through Glencolumbcille and/or the Bluestacks for 30/60km extra.

PhillySteak9

Also, the Tour de Achill route is a good one. Basically every road on Achill plus a detour onto the mainland to take in Mulranny. 115km including the descent to and climb out of Keem Bay.

Tigerandahalf

Is it possible to load any of these routes on to a garmin device by syncing over your phone.
Don't want to be fiddling with a laptop.
Be great to find a route on strava and just sync it in a couple of seconds.

DonegalBay

PhillySteak9 wrote: »

The route used by the Donegal Bay Sportive is both scenic and challenging.
Starts in Donegal town. Then Killybegs, coast road to Carrick, Meenaneary, over Glengesh to Ardara then over the mountain to Inver and back to Donegal. 100km. Option to loop through Glencolumbcille and/or the Bluestacks for 30/60km extra.

Of course I would highly recommend this Donegal route, but definitely add on the Glencomcille Loop. After passing through Carrick and heading in the direction of Glencolmcille, turn off left for Malinbeg and then loop back into Glencolmcille and back road to Meenaneary. Great scenery.

A favourite of mine in Leitrim/Sligo would be Manorhamilton-Kinlough-Loop of Mullaghmore-Up the Horseshoe-then the road from base of Horseshoe along the base of Benbulben to the N15 beyond Grange-then turn-off for Glencar lake and back to Manorhamilton.
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DonegalBay

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Is it possible to load any of these routes on to a garmin device by syncing over your phone.
Don't want to be fiddling with a laptop.
Be great to find a route on strava and just sync it in a couple of seconds.

Donegal Bay Spring Sportive routes are on Strava.

cletus

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Is it possible to load any of these routes on to a garmin device by syncing over your phone.
Don't want to be fiddling with a laptop.
Be great to find a route on strava and just sync it in a couple of seconds.

Most apps that allow you to create a route also allow you to export the route as a gpx file, which can be read by Garmin. If you do it on your phone (assuming smart phone) it's a relatively seamless process

Takca

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Is it possible to load any of these routes on to a garmin device by syncing over your phone.
Don't want to be fiddling with a laptop.
Be great to find a route on strava and just sync it in a couple of seconds.

Strava routes can now be synced to a Garmin device by staring the route

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/05/garmin-launches-strava-komoot-route-sync-works-on-devices-a-decade-old.html

A) Ensure your Strava and Garmin Connect accounts are linked, specifically with the courses toggle
Create new course on Strava (and star it) *OR* un-star and re-star an existing course
C) Sync your Garmin
D) Done

KevRossi

The road up over Easkey Bog is stunning and quiet. If you're in Sligo it's around 100 Km.

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Sligo/54.0802912,-8.8532627/54.2557428,-8.8767802/54.2764286,-8.4764121/@54.1737582,-8.9195108,10.75z/data=!4m16!4m15!1m5!1m1!1s0x485ee9b5677caee9:0xa00c7a997317380!2m2!1d-8.4760888!2d54.2766103!1m0!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-8.6698444!2d54.2533798!3s0x485ec4557046940d:0xe70eaf436492eae8!1m0!3e1

smacl

A lap of Lough Mask in Mayo is great cycling, taking in Lough Carra to avoid the N84. Plenty of small bohereens and gravel roads to explore down there as well.

Another +1 on Cycling in Ireland, great little book.

Takca

KevRossi wrote: »

The road up over Easkey Bog is stunning and quiet. If you're in Sligo it's around 100 Km.

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Sligo/54.0802912,-8.8532627/54.2557428,-8.8767802/54.2764286,-8.4764121/@54.1737582,-8.9195108,10.75z/data=!4m16!4m15!1m5!1m1!1s0x485ee9b5677caee9:0xa00c7a997317380!2m2!1d-8.4760888!2d54.2766103!1m0!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-8.6698444!2d54.2533798!3s0x485ec4557046940d:0xe70eaf436492eae8!1m0!3e1

+1 for that route a great climb, funnily enough that route shows the return leg on the N59 when I look on my phone, but on the laptop its on the more coastal road running parallel. If you want a nice quiet road with great coastal views then take the coastal road, although it can sometimes have debris on the road surface from farm traffic.

Also if you fancy taking on a bit more climbing on the way home you can divert up Ladies Brea
https://www.strava.com/segments/7171499

Large bottle small glass

beggars_bush wrote: »

Thanks for suggestions there
I generally don't like tracking my cycle with tech apart from the simple bike computer

I'm all for using the bike to get away from it all, but imo if you want to get the most out of your local area you'll need some kind of assistance from technology.

The alternative is a good look at a map beforehand and just wing it when out on the road. Not a bad option if you have a good sense of direction but you'll probably be less brave/adventurous when getting tired, wind picks up etc etc

A GPS device with turn by turn would do my head in personally and I find the "track" feature on my etrex a great middle ground. When I map a route, I'm effectively drawing a virtual line on ground which won't change or send me and notification if I leave it.

On a typical spin that I've mapped I will almost never follow in its entirety, but it is always there as a guide to rejoin, follow parallel etc. Most of the time I don't even know it's there.

I'd be slow to blindly follow a sportive route, what's fine in a big group can be horrible solo. The SKT tour routes are very popular with local cyclists who are missing out on the best of roads for one reason or another

@Kevinrossi route is decent, the road up by Lough Easky is pretty

If Cycling Ireland were worth a sh1te for anything but racing cyclists they should be leading the way in this sphere of recreational cycling routes, touring cyclists etc etc.

cletus

Another perspective on using a GPS unit for cycling. I don't race, nor am I a member of a cycling club. The odd time I'll cycle with a friend or two.

I bought the 520+ specifically for the turn by turn option. I wanted to be able to plan out a route on smaller roads that were unknown to me, so when I'm out on a cycle I know which little boreen I selected the night before.

I don't have voice prompts turned on, so the map in front of me is a reference point.

I don't measure watts, I don't check my heart rate, but I do like to keep an eye on the speed I'm knocking out
I

beggars_bush

Takca wrote: »

Also if you fancy taking on a bit more climbing on the way home you can divert up Ladies Brea
https://www.strava.com/segments/7171499

Then down to aughris for a pint

plodder

The two routes of the Westportif in Mayo (www.westportif.ie) are good. The 150km is particularly spectacular with some tough climbs. The 80km route is fairly flat but you can take a detour at Delphi to go over the Sheefry pass which probably reduces it to about 70km.

beggars_bush

Going up to Donegal next week, around Glenties
Any cycle routes/roads recommended? Or not! Cheers