Off road cycling from Dublin to Galway

[evelynmorgan]

Hello, does anyone know which part of the new off road cycle path between Dublin and Galway is completed. I intend to do this route late July. Many thanks Eve

[pwa]

I haven't heard of this route, but I imagine that it is likely to make use of the tow paths on the Grand Canal, which connects Dublin to the Shannon.

[kilroya]

Heard nothing about this either. I live in Dublin.
Any links to this?

[iviehoff]

Rather little of it, by the sounds of things. They only started planning it recently and it is proposed to be ready by 2020.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin-Galway_Greenway
http://www.aecom.com/Where+We+Are/Europ ... e,+Ireland

This sets out which parts of the Royal Canal section are already prepared for cycling, which is about 50km of it. Though it sounds like you can in principle cycle all of it if you don't mind cycling on a muddy footpath rather than a prepared cycle trail, and wheeling through any tricky bits. It sounds like all other parts of the greenway, beyond the Royal Canal, are at an early planning stage.
http://www.waterwaysireland.org/cycling-on-the-royal

[roclite]

I cycled this stretch May 2014 as part of an 11-day coastal tour from Rosslare. I based the route
on Route 7 in Cicerone Guide "Cycle Touring in Ireland" by Tom Cooper. Once you navigate your
way out of busy Dublin, the Grand Canal towpaths are very good but are not always tour bike friendly
with frequent gates (sometimes locked) and busy roads to traverse. I stopped overnight at Edenderry and
Athenry, B&B easy to find and very cheap (approx. 30 euro) at this time of year. The grass towpath sections
were a bit boggy in places but easy for MTB, hybrid or tour bike. Depending on your chosen route, you will pass
through Shannonbridge and probably follow the minor R roads to Galway. I don't know if the route has been
improved since my trip but there is nothing major to put you off.

[evelynmorgan]

Any information I have found gives the impression that the route in nearing completion but I can't actually find which bits are not finished. Thank you Roclite, your comments were very useful