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Singletrack knowledge needed!
I’m heading over to Ireland for a couple of weeks and taking the bike with me. In Cushendall up north for a wedding 23/02-02/03 and then heading down to Longford from 02/03-06/03.
Down a bit of research on where to ride but nothing beats a bit of forum knowledge!
any recommendations of where to ride? Decent bike shops etc? Anyone local that is possibly free to show me a route?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
from memory: Castlewellan, Cavehill (Belfast), Tollymore, Kodak Corner (Kilbroney). Heading back in March and April for some biking as well 🙂
https://niexplorer.com/latest/kodak-corner-kilbroney-forest-rostrevor
Is it true Irish ROW rules are even more restrictive than England’s?
In around Belvoir Forest/ Mary Peters in South Belfast.
For shops, Dave Kane, McConveys, CRC in Belfast.
There is some natural stuff in waterfoot beside where your staying. Never been but know it's there. Davagh forest trail centre will be about a good hour away. The other two trail centres will be over two hours away. There is Garvagh forest that's got new trails it's about 45 minutes. Tho it's more a family day out sort of place unless you get shown the the natural stuff
Is it true Irish ROW rules are even more restrictive than England’s?
Almost no ROWs in Ireland, use either Strava or a local club to find trails.
Maps are useless.
Can't help with either of the areas you are heading to unfortunately.
If you dont mind a 3 hour trip each way you could visit my local trail centre at Ballyhoura 😂
Kilbroney and Tollymore would be my recommendation. Have been riding both for the last 20 years
As above Ballyhoura is Ireland's big trail centre. But the boreens can be quite rough anyway. Just find a lane and discover.
Depending on the kind of trails you like there are plenty of options. Closest to cushendall would be Ballycastle forest, it is all natural stuff (proper trails) ranging from nice flowing technical trails to some scary technical steep stuff. It’s the best in that local area. It’s old school so not really a loop, fire road climbs and downhill trails. Have a look on Strava and you’ll see the trails.
For more natural stuff further afield, Tollymore is the best in NI, not easy to find the trails though if you don’t know it. Again you’ll see most of them on Strava.
For trail centres, davagh and rostrevor are the pick of the bunch, plenty of info online about those
Thanks to all!
Based on the route you’ll be taking from Cushendall to Longford you’re two best options are down the M1 to Dublin for Ballinastoe in Wicklow or off the M1 onto the A1 and then A24 to Tollymore then back to M1 for Longford. If it was me I’d head straight to Wicklow as you can then go directly along the M4 to Longford in 1hr 30 mins.