Royal Canal on a Road Bike

As a cyclist and walker one of the problems I have encountered in shared spaces is the number of us who wear headphones or are engaged in conversations on the phone. I always use a bell on the bike and will give a gentle ring when approaching pedestrians. Problem with headphone wearers or phone users is that you have to approach so close for be heard and ring the bell so loudly you are likely to startle them with the possibility they actually jump out in front of you.
First word problem I know but it’s just my observation.

Afternoon Folks,

Im planning on cycling along the Canal next weekend, been 4 years since I last did. Im heading from the North County Dublin area and would usually hop on the canal at Maynooth.

Was considering getting on at Leixlip Confey this time round, would there be any issues with the track from there to Maynooth. Id be on a basic road bike with regular tyres.

Cheers.

Is the canal all doable (will be on a gravel or MTB) from the city out? Thinking of getting the train into Connelly and getting straight on the canal as soon as I can probably at Spencer dock and then probably the whole way to Longford or near about. Obviously id like to stay off city roads for as much if it as possible so if there's large parts not open I would probably just cut that bit out and start further outside the city. I did try look back through the thread but struggling to find much about the canal in next the city. Any recommendations or advice gratefully appreciated.

Clarke's Bridge to Bloody Sunday Bridge under Croke Park is now open. The last bit from Bloody Sunday Bridge to Binn's Bridge is due to open on the 20th August I believe.

R

As a follower of this thread, just wanted to say a big thanks to posts like this and the various others for the ongoing updates. Took a morning train Heuston to Athlone on Friday and cycled from the Athlone Train Station back to the IFSC pretty much entirely on off-road greenway! Excellent experience and really enjoyed it. Have been as far as Maynooth a few times but never beyond there.

I hadn't realised (the previous 3 times!) just how uninteresting the Athlone-Mullingar greenway is bar a couple of attractions along the way, although granted the surface is beautiful! Previously I've done the Mullingar to Maynooth stretch on a road bike with 28mm tyres, but I have to say this time with 45mm was a lot more comfortable and I was less nervous about punctures (had 2 the previous time!).

But the real adventure starts around Leixlip. Lots of interesting stretches after that and defo think I'd have found it tricky enough on 28mm's a few times. That said, deep sinking wasn't at all as intimidating as I had expected it to be. The route gave me a chance to see lots of parts of Dublin I've never seen before - I mean I've driven roads all over the city, but you get a great different view coming in along the canal. Great getting to go across the M50 alongside a waterway too.

For anyone looking for a short adventure I'd highly recommend either Maynooth or Leixlip back to the City Centre. I did note two sections on a narrow path did have clear signs saying no bikes at both ends. I felt bad doing that but it was very quiet, I dismounted for the couple of people I passed and I couldn't see an obvious alternative. It's also confusing somewhere near Intel on a new section how there's a bike path right by the road but then a much nicer trail just in off it beside the canal.

Anyways thanks again and if anyone wants a GPX or whatever just shout.

I've done the 'deep sink' riding a loaded bike a couple of times and found it scary but maybe that's just me.

As I have free transport being in my seventies I hop on the train in Drumcondra and start my journey to Longford at Maynooth.

According to Peter Clarke's Walking the Royal Canal, it was named after a director of the company, Robert Deey. See also William Pike, Joseph Mullen and James Bond.

He also says that Louisa Bridge is the only bridge on the canal named after a woman - Louisa Connolly, wife of Thomas Connolly (of Castletown House), who was again a director.

I just took my first steps on Greenways this weekend also. Stayed in Mullingar and rented a bike there for convenience and did loops of the Old Rail Trail to Moate and then the canal to Abbeyshrule. Fantastic way to unplug and get some air in the lungs again, I've been using Shokz Openfit 2 for a while cycling now too and they work really well to balance entertainment vs safety and zipping along to some Solarstone was pretty meditative. I'd planned a Greenway trip as a goal 2 years ago when I tried to get back into cycling but was hit with a medical condition that stopped me getting on a bike again until this summer so while small it was still an important milestone for me. I'm working up to doing a longer one-way but it'll be a while as I try and get back into some sort of shape (beyond middle aged potato).

Cycled on the Deep Sinking for the first time last week. The crushed stone was fine as was the old path. Only issue is to give pedistrians priority on the section!

That bridge is 16 kilometres into the route and from there you can complete the full 145 kilometre to the river Camiln at Clondra county Longford easily on a gravel bike.

If the weather has been wet I would suggest staying on the road until the next bridge at Leixlip Confey and joining the canal there as the section between Lucan and Leixlip can be mucky.

Meant to post this last week, but I spotted a large mound of small gravel at the Castleknock end of the deep sinking. So looks like they are getting ready to do some more work on the section.

There was a truck again today dropping more loads.

Last question, if you started in Maynooth or Kilcock, how far can you on a road bike? Thanks