Trails Around Limerick?

Thargor

Looking to do a bit of off road around Limerick on a new MTB, nothing mad, flat forest trails/gravel tracks would be ideal for me. Im going to check out Cratloe woods soon and up around Woodcock Hill over the next couple of weeks.

Looking on Google Earth I see a network of tracks and trails stretching from Bunlicky lake over the tunnel and a long way out the Shannon over towards the River Maigue:



They look ideal but how do you actually get on them? I asked in the Limerick forum but no answer.

Anywhere else like that around? Not really interested in technical stuff just off-road exploration/cross country trails.

Stark

Is Ballyhoura too far for you? The trails there are quite beginner friendly.

covey123

Second for Ballyhouras,miles of fire roads if you don't fancy anything too technical,with the options of trying the trails.
Galtees and Silvermines mountains also not too far away.

Thargor

Oh yeah thanks should have mentioned I knew about those, Ill get to them sometime but they're all a drive though, I could be in the Burren or 20 other places for the same effort.

Is there anything else within cycling distance of the city like Cratloe and Woodcock Hill? I hear theres a lot of dirt tracks around Shannon Airport aswell, thats all Im looking for really.

I am genuinely baffled by those tracks along the Shannon, they'd be great for an evening spin for me when I felt like a change from the roadbike but I literally cannot find a way onto them, they're obviously seeing traffic but I cant think of a way onto them, there is a gate at the yellow arrow in my pic but its triple ziptied closed and I dont want to cut them:

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6517318,-8.6725756,996m/data=!3m1!1e3

A couple of km of trails through a nature reserve outside my door would be perfect but its sealed off as far as I can tell...

covey123

Thargor wrote: »

there is a gate at the yellow arrow in my pic but its triple ziptied closed and I dont want to cut them:

Easy, bring 6 cable ties with you on your spin.... put
3 on the gate on your way in,3 on the way out, it would be like you were never there:p:P

Biopace

Trails in and around Limerick

XC - Cratloe, Mooghaun Woods, Tountinne, Ballyhouras

Enduro style - Killaloe, Ballyhouras, Keeper Hill

Gravel - Cratloe/Gallows Hill, Ballyhouras, Slieve Felim way, Keeper Hill, Greenway from Rathkeale.

cletus

covey123 wrote: »

Easy, bring 6 cable ties with you on your spin.... put
3 on the gate on your way in,3 on the way out, it would be like you were never there:p:P

Or lift your bike over? Easier to ask for forgiveness, than ask for permission

Thargor

cletus wrote: »

Or lift your bike over? Easier to ask for forgiveness, than ask for permission

Its one of those 8 foot high ones they put in with that green spiky fencing that goes along by the motorways, tbh if I dont figure out a way in soon I probably will be opening it up, its starting to really annoy me

Treepole

Thargor wrote: »

Its one of those 8 foot high ones they put in with that green spiky fencing that goes along by the motorways, tbh if I dont figure out a way in soon I probably will be opening it up, its starting to really annoy me

If you look at Google Maps they seem to be accessible via the cement factory?

Thargor

Treepole wrote: »

If you look at Google Maps they seem to be accessible via the cement factory?

24 hour security down there, not a hope of going in that way.

mart 23

Thargor wrote: »

24 hour security down there, not a hope of going in that way.

I think all green space around the lake is owned by the cement factory and as such its private land .

Treepole

Thargor wrote: »

24 hour security down there, not a hope of going in that way.

Well it is all private property. So if you were going in the other side it would be the same thing?

cletus

Treepole wrote: »

Well it is all private property. So if you were going in the other side it would be the same thing?

I presume it's less the morality of it, and more that the a trial security at one end won't let him pass

David6330

Murroe / Glenstal Abbey Wood - fire road
Lough Derg Way - Starts from Limerick City and brings you out along by the hydro electric plant. Nice and flat
Theres a short trail from UL to Annacotty by the river.

Thargor

David6330 wrote: »

Murroe / Glenstal Abbey Wood - fire road
Lough Derg Way - Starts from Limerick City and brings you out along by the hydro electric plant. Nice and flat
Theres a short trail from UL to Annacotty by the river.

Some good ones there thanks, never heard of the Lough Derg Way.

cletus wrote: »

I presume it's less the morality of it, and more that the a trial security at one end won't let him pass

Yeah Ive already been down there its definitely a no-go. I think Ill be able to get in over this side if I cycle out past Mungret and come at it from that side up this road:

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.6357126,-8.7009442,3a,39.3y,319.75h,85.14t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQGB7j6GYWIW8IM8lmnFfxw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DQGB7j6GYWIW8IM8lmnFfxw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D213.59558%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192