Greenway Holiday

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Myself and herself are thinking of some kind of break (maybe a week) later during the Summer when things calm down (and we can travel). We'd be dragging taking our two teenagers along.
One idea is to traipse along one of the greenways.
Herself wouldn't be a cyclist and wouldn't be keen on spending time on the road so a greenway would be perfect.
There is the Mullingar one but that may be too close to home to be a holiday.
Given that, there are really only two that I can think of (please correct me if I'm wrong) - the Great Western in Mayo or the Deise in Waterford.
I think something that could keep the three of them occupied with an occasional cafe along the route would be perfect.
Has anyone been on these and would they recommend it?
I'd be thinking of self-catering - any good accommodation (3 bed house!) suggestions along one or other of these routes?
I know that they're short but the options here aren't all that great, I guess!
Any attractions that you'd suggest that mightn't be in the usual tourist advice?

I'm aware of the map created by riddlinrussell here... but don't know if more greenways have opened up since then.
Any advice appreciated.

I've been thinking of a similar thing. My idea was to park in Westport, cycle the Greenway to Achill, and have two nights booked in one of the hotels there. Spend the second day cycling around Achill, and back to Westport on the third morning.

All obviously with plenty of stops for food and drink, along with pints on the evening

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Myself and herself are thinking of some kind of break (maybe a week) later during the Summer when things calm down (and we can travel). We'd be dragging taking our two teenagers along.
One idea is to traipse along one of the greenways.
Herself wouldn't be a cyclist and wouldn't be keen on spending time on the road so a greenway would be perfect.
There is the Mullingar one but that may be too close to home to be a holiday.
Given that, there are really only two that I can think of (please correct me if I'm wrong) - the Great Western in Mayo or the Deise in Waterford.
I think something that could keep the three of them occupied with an occasional cafe along the route would be perfect.
Has anyone been on these and would they recommend it?
I'd be thinking of self-catering - any good accommodation (3 bed house!) suggestions along one or other of these routes?
I know that they're short but the options here aren't all that great, I guess!
Any attractions that you'd suggest that mightn't be in the usual tourist advice?

I'm aware of the map created by riddlinrussell here... but don't know if more greenways have opened up since then.
Any advice appreciated.

I would highly recommend the Waterford Greenway. Base yourself in Dungarvan, should be plenty of options for accomodation and bike hire. The Greenway to Waterford is approx 45km in total, if you just go as far as Kilmacthomas, about 23km, lovely options for food in the Coachhouse Cafe on the Greenway or Kierseys in the village. Great scenery on this route also, along the coast and through the tunnel in Durrow. Also, you have Clonea beach in Dungarvan, hire a kayak for a morning. Plenty to do around the town and plenty of food options, the Tannery, The Moorings, Merrys, Cookhouse 360 - all well known and good quality

Some of the Kilkenny Cycling Routes are nice from what I recall - quiet roads and/or hard shoulder. I did a bit of exploring the day after the Tour De Kilkenny last year, and that was my impression. Planned to go back with one/ both children anyway!

Been meaning to do the Waterford one for years, hopefully this year as have never done a cycling holiday! Cycling to work and occasionally at the weekends is probably enough!

A fairly fit club cyclist will get bored pretty quickly on a Greenway, especially if there for a week.

From Dungarvan, decent day trips would include
*Ardmore Cliff Walk
*The Cunnigar
*Brickey Canal
*Mahon Falls
*Hike around the Cruachan/Seefin

Some lovely quite beaches either side of Clonea, from Annestown all the way to Whiting Bay to explore.

Wouldn't be hard to make a longer hard spin for yourself by doing one way leg on Greenway and returning on some of brilliant back roads in the area. There is a huge amount to explore.

If you are not to precious about your road bike and weather is dry, you could ride the canal tow path to

If they're like my teenagers, they have a new found appreciation for the old bike in the shed in these current times. My long game of not ditching bikes, just because they haven't beed used for a number of years finally pays off.

I'd say there's a few of us watching this closely, our family had an identical discussion the weekend.

All options mentioned here have come up, bar the Mullingar Greenway which I'm not familiar with, stupidly so as it's close to family and would make a great day out

I'd say let your search for accommodation decide between the two. From recent experience, self catering houses are in demand so you may not find it that easy.

There's little to choose between the two areas. Westport and Dungarvan are great towns. The Copper Coast is nice (depending on what your kids are into) and Achill also has great beaches and good surfing options.

Just find the best fit for accommodation and choose on that basis.

Suir blue way highly recommended, barrow way and both canals also offer good stretches if for some reason the big hitters above don't work out.

David Flanagan's book on cycling in Ireland has a bunch more suggestions.

The waterford greenway is better for family. It's better ground, wide tarmac nearly all the way, on the old train line pretty much all the way and has two or three good cafe options.
We stayed in an AirBnB in the middle and went out and back to both ends over the course of a weekend, good cafe options.

The Westport to Achill one was (and is) the original trailblazer for the concept in Ireland but is not as easy ground and the last time I did it the actual greenway finished on a nondescript laneway just off Achill. There's savage ramps coming into and out of Westport.

We cycled onto Achill and it was all a bit Father Ted. Coming into Dungarvan is much nicer to finish.
In saying that when we did the Waterford one it also finishes outside Waterford in the middle of nowhere.

I don't know the other Greenway but I have done the Westport one. Westport to Newport isn't particularly scenic but the rest of it is very nice. Newport and Mulranny are both pretty villages.

Peterx wrote: »

The waterford greenway is better for family. It's better ground, wide tarmac nearly all the way, on the old train line pretty much all the way and has two or three good cafe options.
We stayed in an AirBnB in the middle and went out and back to both ends over the course of a weekend, good cafe options.

The Westport to Achill one was (and is) the original trailblazer for the concept in Ireland but is not as easy ground and the last time I did it the actual greenway finished on a nondescript laneway just off Achill. There's savage ramps coming into and out of Westport.

We cycled onto Achill and it was all a bit Father Ted. Coming into Dungarvan is much nicer to finish.
In saying that when we did the Waterford one it also finishes outside Waterford in the middle of nowhere.

I believe the Western Greenway has been extended so it now goes all the way to the bridge onto Achill (previously the final kilometre or so was on the road). There is a hotel over the bridge, but it is a bit like going back to the 80s.

We're planning to do a bit of the Waterford Greenway later in the summer so was looking at the route. It too has been extended and now goes into Waterford City though it does still dump you out onto the quays some way short of the main city centre.

cycled from keel in achill to westport and back this time last year in one day

100+km steady enough

yeh achills a bit weird the chipper at keel isnt wasnt open on a saturday evening in june, they really dont help themselves - the campsite was pretty busy amaxing scenery though

Personally I if I was doing the Westport to Achill Greenway the way I'd do it is to spend couple nights in Westport exploring the town, Croagh Patrick etc, then base yourself in Achill for a few days. As someone said above the Westport to Newport stretch is nothing special but from there to Achill the scenery is beautiful. Could hire a bike from Achill Island Hotel (Ostan Oilean Acla) and cycle from there to Newport and back, that's presuming you don't bring your own bikes. Nevins as mentioned above is brilliant for food and couple pints, then there's a few pubs in Mulranny Village and Mulranny Hotel itself before finishing off the cycle at Achill Island Hotel in Achill Sound(just before the bridge).

Bringing the car and parking it up in Achill then allows you to stay a few days there in either hotels, bnb's, self catering, campsites etc and explore the island by car, would be very tough to cycle all around the island, impossible in fact if you are bringing kids. Tonnes of beaches, few restaurants, lots of nice pubs, a 9 hole golf course, fishing, hill climbing and Outdoor Pursuit camps (kayaking, windsurfing etc), horse riding etc, plenty to keep the kids occupied. The Atlantic Drive is amazing even on a bad day watching the waves crashing against the rocks and a drive up Minaun mountain overlooking Keel beach is something else on a good day.

If you are driving down to Achill I'd highly recommend driving from Mulranny to Achill via a village called Currane, the drive is a bit of a hidden gem and has spectacular scenery with views of the Atlantic, Croagh Patrick, Clare Island and Achill Beg. Adds about 10-15mins extra on to your journey but well worth it. Couple of small beaches in Currane too.

Peterx wrote: »

We cycled onto Achill and it was all a bit Father Ted.

Have never thought of this but you're right! Stunning beaches though. On a day of either good or bad weather they're amazing.