Barrow way on a road bike

I did the stretch from Vicarstown to Robertstown a few weeks ago, not long after the hot spell of weather. On cx tyres it was fine, but there are a few stretches of grass that might be tricky now on road tyres with the recent rain. There was one particularly rough stretch that's used as a farm track that was slow going even with the cx tyres.

I saw this video last year of a few lads doing it on what looks like 28cc tires.

I'd just make sure its been dry for awhile before doing it though.

I did it the other weekend on a gravel bike with 38mm tyres. It’s an absolute beaut of a route and I’d recommend it to anyone. But I have 28mm tyres on my commuter hybrid and I wouldn’t have fancied my chances on that to be honest. That video of the lads makes it look like a nice compacted gravel surface, interspersed with bits of rough. In reality it’s the opposite. One stretch in particular, after Carlow, is basically singletrack.

Now I did Dublin to Graiguenamanagh in a day, so maybe if you were planning on going much more slowly you’d be grand on the road bike. I’d be **** a brick about punctures personally though, and I don’t think I’d enjoy it. And it is a very enjoyable route!

Are you planning to go down and back in a day, or just get to St. Mullins in a day.

Including the spin from Enfield to Robertstown, you'd be looking at about 135km one way.

Robertstown to Rathangan is easy gravel, Rathangan to Monasterevin is lumpy grassy canal bank, Monasterevin to Athy is a mixture of the two, and from Athy on I don't think there's any work done, a good lump of it is single track/walking trail

130k probably quite doable depending on your fitness, but just bear in mind that it does not in any way equate to 130k on the road or the Royal, which is probably one of the easiest cycles around particularly if wind behind you? I did it ex Dublin and limped into Carlow much tireder than I would have been on equivalent distance over road. Decent chunks of it are green and tougher going in consequence. May depend on whether Waterways have cut the grass but from above poster who did it recently it seems they have. In theory it could be done on 28mm and large portions of it would be grand, but it would be really unpleasant on some of the grassy sections. Like its not like grass in a housing estate, its lumpy hardcore type ground. The second half of it, from Carlow down is really nice. Don't miss the last bit to St Mullins either, even if only going to Graigue.

I did St Mullins to Athy last Autumn on a road bike with 28mm tyres... would not recommend unless there has been a severe drought (was fine for most but up near some places where it was damper it was lethal).

It was slow enough going on the MTB when I went back the following week. You could do it in a day I reckon.. but unless you are used to that type of riding its fairly sapping. Much more so that a ride of similar duration on the road.

In my case, I am not used to MTB and my arms were in tatters from the wide grip and the shaking about. I was also with an A1 rider who was on a gravel bike and had to hold a constant 200w for about 3 hrs, which drains the legs pretty quick on that terrain. But if you left early, took your time and are on a suitable bike you are comfortable with.. I reckon you are good.

... and the scenery is unbelievable. Well worth the trip.

Planning the full Barrow Way next week. Camp overnight at St. Mullins and then cycle to New Ross for the bus back.

If anyone has any updates from recently, I'd love to hear them. Thanks

Hey - I did it last week and it was stunning. I used a gravel bike with 32 mm tyres (Marathon Plus). PSI of 55-60. With the good weather, this was fine as there was no muck.

It was a bit slower than planned due to the amount of grass and rock tracks so I ate in the Lord Bagnal hotel and camped alongside the river just outside Mhuine Beag. There is works going on, but no detour away from the river that I saw! It can be tricky to see what side to be on, but i asked people and didn't go too far wrong. With the good weather, there were plenty of people around to ask.

Finished in St. Mullins which was lovely. This was the end of my enjoyment! The cycle from St. Mullins to Gowran to get the bus was a killer. So many hills. It was also 25 on the bus one way to the airport so expensive enough.