Scenic route to/from Cork

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Jeremy_S
Posts: 2
Joined: 2 Sep 2015, 7:24pm

Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by Jeremy_S »

At the end of the month I aim to cycle from Dublin to Cork and back (to do the Ring of Derry).
Looking for suggestions of route / sites worth taking in on the way.
Had thought to go via Waterford? Hope to allow two days for the journey each way - so not too much of a crooked route.
Thanks for any help?
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by pwa »

My parents have just moved back to the UK after about 15 years living near Waterford, and I would say that it is not worth visiting. The waterfront looks good from the other side of the river, and that's about it. Rubbish shops, dreadful cafes and roads clogged with slow moving traffic.

Kilkenny is better, so I might suggest having that as one of your stops. Little places like Clonmel and Lismore are okay. Cashell is okay too. Most small towns have a bit of rough and ready charm.
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by iviehoff »

Dublin to Cork by direct main road/motorway route is about 260km, any pleasant cycling route would be longer. Waterford isn't particularly worth visiting, and will extend the route substantially. A much nicer town and about half way between Dublin and Cork by a more direct route would be Kilkenny, assuming you don't mind riding roughly 140-150km a day, bearing in mind that minor Irish roads tend to have fairly rough surfaces and it tends to be pretty windy and in the course of a week in Ireland you must expect to encounter rain a few times, and Irish signposting being what it is you are probably going to go the wrong way a couple of times because you probably aren't going to be using 1:50 000s for such trajectories, though I suppose modern electronics can fix that.

Cork to Killarney is about 85km by direct main road route. Wikipedia says Ring of Kerry is 180km around. But about 20 years ago, when I was fit enough to do 200km audaxes, I did a day ride of the Approximate Ring of Kerry as More Suitable for Cyclists in a day out of Killarney, and in this case the cyclist actually shortens it, basically by cutting off some corners and using minor roads wherever possible inside the ring: that shortened it slightly to about 160km, but it did have some Extra Hills. The main road isn't very pleasant for cycling, and you can't avoid all of it, but we did ride the scenic western end of it. And we were lucky to have a nice sunny day with relatively little wind - more normal quantities of wind would have made this 160km even more a challenge. But with it being less than a days ride from Cork to Killarney, you can have overnights to the west of Killarney and thus do the RoK in 3 days out of Cork at about 120-130km per day.

Right, so these are some indicators of the distances you are proposing to ride. What are you thinking so far?
Norman H
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Joined: 31 Jul 2011, 4:39pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by Norman H »

Have you a particular reason for travelling via Cork? I would have thought Killarney or Limerick would be more direct. I would be tempted to use public transport, at least for part of the way. I don't know what the current situation is with Irish trains but buses will take bikes in the luggage hold, subject to space being available.

I would echo what others have said about the Ring of Kerry. Lots of traffic including coaches, although by the end of the month it might be a bit less busy.

There is a much nicer road that passes right through the middle which you can access from Molls Gap. Go through The Gap of Dunloe and just head west when you get to the other end. The G-o-D is a bit of a tourist trap but if you stay overnight at the Black Valley Hostel at the southern end, you can set off early morning when it's much quieter. When you get to the west coast, say around Waterville, head off around Ballinskelligs and Valencia Island.
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by iviehoff »

Limerick is in the same visitor category as Waterford, and is somewhat to the north of a straight line from Dublin to Killarney - I think OP, if not detouring south to Cork in one or both directions, would find rather more in way of nice or reasonably pleasant small towns to stay in, such as #1 mentions, if he stays to the south of Limerick - though Portlaoise (pron port leesh), noted for its prison, and a junction of many busy roads, isn't one of those nice small towns.
Jeremy_S
Posts: 2
Joined: 2 Sep 2015, 7:24pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by Jeremy_S »

Thanks guys for your constructive comments. I aim to visit a friend in Cork - hence location mentioned. Will certainly take note of suggestion to not expect much of Waterford if I end up going that way, and will try Kilkenny - Clomnel route one way. Also have seen other notice that R o D can be busy - so probably shifting to Ring of Dingle instead. You have all helped me on my first trip to Ireland. Cheers
Norman H
Posts: 1331
Joined: 31 Jul 2011, 4:39pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by Norman H »

Since you will be visiting Cork anyhow, you might like to consider West Cork for touring. The three peninsulas, (Mizzen, Sheeps Head, and Beara) are all excellent.
cc1085
Posts: 95
Joined: 8 Feb 2015, 11:41pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by cc1085 »

Don't know your location, but I wouldn't start from Dublin. Are you flying into Dublin? Could you instead take the ferry from Fishguard/Pembroke to Rosslare as you are visiting Cork?
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by iviehoff »

Or fly to Shannon (noting the existence of the Shannon ferry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_Ferry so you don't have to loop back into Limerick itself) or fly to Cork, if suitable flights exist for you. There's plenty enough cycling for a circular tour of a week or much longer in the SW. Or use a railway train to get some way out of Dublin, so you avoid a couple of days of cycling across the central plain, and get more cycling in the more interesting regions - you could for example take a train on the main Cork line part way to Cork.
GasPipeWarrior
Posts: 46
Joined: 18 May 2013, 5:25pm

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by GasPipeWarrior »

Norman H wrote:Since you will be visiting Cork anyhow, you might like to consider West Cork for touring. The three peninsulas, (Mizzen, Sheeps Head, and Beara) are all excellent.


Indeed. Enjoy the South West Cork coastline and the three peninsulas.

Image

Healy Pass, Beara Peninsula.
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by eileithyia »

All the comments take me back to '83 my first solo tour and southern Ireland, what a wonderful trip, the weather was great (heatwave) as were the people, scenery and the cycling.

Using An Oige hostels I had some restrictions to my route, but dropped south to wexford and across via Mountain Lodge (lovely hostel if still open) and down to Cork. I did take the boat out to Cape Clear in order to take in that YH, then back and up the West Coast, did not bother with RoK but Healy Pass, Dingle, Black Valley, early start over GoD,

Enjoy your trip whatever routes you choose.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Gearoidmuar
Posts: 2347
Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 7:35pm
Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: Scenic route to/from Cork

Post by Gearoidmuar »

What I would do. (I live in Cork and have cycled most of Ireland).
Take the bike on the train to Cork. See your friend. Take bike on train to Killarney (Cork, Mallow, Killarney). Cycle whatever you like there. You could do Beara, Iveragh (ROK), Dingle.
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