Advice on cycle Royal Canal start in Athlone

coleen

Hi we have 2 night and want to cycle some of the Royal Canal. We are thinking of basing ourselves in Athlone. So we are thinking of 30km the first day we arrive as it will be after lunch.
Then the 2nd day a longer cycle 50-60km.
On day 3 we will be checking out of where ever we are staying and heading towards Kerry so maybe we could drive and start somewhere else and do 1-2 hours cycle.

Any advice and tips welcome 🙏

PhillySteak9

I wouldn’t base yourself in Athlone. Athlone isn’t on the Royal Canal. It’s at one end of the Old Rail Trail greenway, so the only option you have is to cycle out of the town in one direction.
Much better to base yourself in Mullingar. That’s actually on the canal so you can cycle in two different directions from the town. For the shorter cycle I’d recommend cycling east to Nanny Quinn’s. Lovely canal side pub that does food. 17km each way.
For the longer cycle you can head west. 30km would get you to Abbeyshrule. I think this stretch is the best bit of the greenway; really quiet out in the bog. The Rustic Inn in Abbeyshrule does food and is also on the canal.
Mullingar Park is a nice hotel in Mullingar, not really in the centre, but more modern than some of the other hotels.

Trekker09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058361372/advice-on-cycle-royal-canal-start-in-athlone

If you were make you base in Longford you could get the train back. I cycled from Maynooth to Longford and got the train back to Maynooth.

https://greenwaysireland.org/royal-canal-greenway/

beggars_bush

The royal canal is a good distance from Athlone, 22km. If you want to start from your accommodation you'll be cycling on the N55 to Ballymahon which is not a safe road for cycling due to traffic volume, bends and no verges. You can go back roads that keeps you off that road but it'll be longer.

If you can transport your bikes, drive to Ballymahon or Abbeyshrule and cycle towards Clondra. The next day start in abbeyshrule and go towards Maynooth.

There is a good bike hire place in Ballymahon

You could also do the old rail Greenway towards mullingar that actually starts in Athlone

On the way to Kerry try the west limerick greenway

coleen

Thanks for that . Is the old rail greenway towards Mullingar a nice cycle ?
We can transport the bikes so could drive somewhere from Athlone to start.
So maybe on Monday we could either do the old rail greenway

And then Tuesday start in Ballymahon or Abbeyshrule and do a longer cycle.
I had booked a place in Athlone with bike storage, so not sure if I would be better off to move or just drive to a start location .

GavPJ

Not sure if it helps but the cycle from Maynooth to Mullingar is a nice cycle

with plenty of nice stop offs for food etc. Enfield has some nice coffee shops

but if you go a bit further it will bring you to Furey's bar. Lovely food there

if a little expensive. No food on Sundays though. Moran's in the Hill of Down is

a lovely place for a pint & a pizza. Nanny Quinn's is great for food, further

up is Cunningham's. Nice stop off too. Just before you get to Mullingar is

Mary Lynch's. Nice for food but no food on a Sunday too. Enjoy the trip.

breadevery

I've cycled the rail trail between Athlone and Mullingar a few times and I wouldn't recommend it. I find it very boring. It's long sections that are dead straight, mostly in between 2 hedges so there is no view.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122428375#Comment_122428375

Mary Lynch's not even open.

Old rail trail is straight and not very eventful.

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122429090#Comment_122429090

Crikey! When did it close?

I'll stop at Nanny Quinn's on my next cycle so.