EuroVelo 1 in Ireland – opportunities for cycling this summer

EuroVelo 1 in Ireland – opportunities for cycling this summer

The weather is looking promising, and the days are getting longer – so this is a great time to get out on your bike.  Why not consider a cycle trip on EuroVelo 1 in Ireland. This could be a day trip, a long weekend, a few days or a week depending on how much you want to do.

In February we had an article providing an overview of the EuroVelo network and EuroVelo routes in Ireland. See here https://www.cyclingireland.ie/news-item/an-introduction-to-eurovelo. Now we are encouraging you to sample EuroVelo 1 – the Atlantic Coast Route.

Who is EuroVelo 1 suitable for?

EuroVelo 1 has something for all levels of cyclists from beginners to occasional cyclists to regular or experienced cyclists looking for a challenge.   

Some recommended routes are provided below for cyclists of all abilities.

Accessing the route by public transport

A very popular option when cycling EuroVelo routes is to go with your bike to a location on the route by public transport, cycle part of the route and come home again by public transport from a different location on the route. The EuroVelo 1 route in Ireland lends itself to this approach and is well serviced with train stations all along the route. It passes close to the following train stations.

·       Rosslare Harbour

·       Waterford

·       Cork

·       Killarney

·       Tralee

·       Limerick

·       Galway

·       Westport 

·       Ballina

·       Sligo

·       Derry/ Londonderry (bus)

·       Belfast

You can find more about using trains and buses here. www.euroveloireland.ie/transport

Recommended routes for cyclists of different abilities

A selection  of recommended route segments along EuroVelo 1 in Ireland are provided below. On the EuroVelo 1 Ireland website the full route is divided into ‘sections’.  Each section has its own page and interactive map on the website. The information below on the recommended routes includes the Section numbers that apply to that part of the route so you can check them out on the EuroVelo 1 Ireland website.

All suggested routes can be divided into shorter cycles and can be cycled in either direction.

Novice cyclists and families

For novice cyclists there are five greenways on the route. These are all traffic free with a good surface and little or no hills. They are suitable for the whole family. The greenways on EuroVelo 1 are:

·        Waterford Greenway - Waterford City to Dungarvan - 48km (Section 4)

 Directly accessible by train from Waterford station.

·        Midleton – Youghal Greenway – Co Cork - 23km (Section 6)

Directly accessible by train from Midleton station via Cork

·         Listowel to Abbeyfeale Greenway – Co Kerry -16km (Section 18)

·         Limerick Greenway - Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale -40km (Section 19)

·         Great Western Greenway – Co Mayo – Westport to Achill -45km (Sections 29 & 30) Directly accessible by train form Westport station

All the above provide a very pleasant half day or a day of cycling.  The two greenways listed above in Co. Kerry and Co Limerick are continuous so you can cycle traffic free between Listowel and Rathkeale, a total of 56km. All the above have bike rental operators associated with them and if that suits, you can rent a bike and cycle from one end of the greenway to the other then  get collected and brought back to where you started.

Occasional Cyclists

For cyclists more used to cycling than a novice but not necessarily wanting to do as much climbing as an experienced cyclist, there are parts of the route that are relatively flat.

·       Rosslare Harbour to Ballyhack - 100km with 683m ascent

The EuroVelo 1 route in Co Wexford is quite flat with only relatively minor climbs.  This route brings you on quiet roads in the heart of south Co. Wexford, passing through the historic Tintern Abbey. See the route here with more information from Wexford County Council here and Sections 1 and 2 on EuroVelo 1 Ireland.

·       Tralee to Limerick – 124km with 741m ascent

Although there are two greenways making up 56km of this route, there are on road parts at the beginning and end between Tralee and Listowel and  Rathkeale and  Limerick City. It gives the best of both worlds with some nice quiet rural roads and some traffic free greenway included. The cycle into Limerick city is mostly on cycle lanes but experience cycling in an urban area is recommended for anyone doing this route. The route map can be seen here and is coved by Sections 18 and 19 on EuroVelo 1 Ireland .

·       Westport to Ballina – 209km with 1576m ascent

While this has a lot of flat ground, including the Great Western Greenway for 32km of the route, there are some climbs in the second half but the gradients are all quite gentle. The upland area before Belderrig is remote and spectacular. This ride would ideally be split into two days with an overnight stop in Belmullet.

The route can be seen here and is covered by Sections 29 to 32 on EuroVelo 1 Ireland .

All of the above routes might be suitable for a long weekend or a multiday trip. In all cases the route is on a mixture of quiet roads with short sections of slightly busier roads, so some experience cycling on the road is recommended.  

Experienced Cyclists

There are many sections of EuroVelo 1 in Ireland that are suitable for experienced cyclists looking for a challenge and some great scenery. Some of the most iconic sections are in counties Cork. Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. Here are some recommended routes. Of course, these can be cycled in either direction and can be divided into shorter routes. All the recommended routes have train station at both ends (except Derry/Londonderry which has an excellent bus service). Some of the recommended routes have train stations part way along the route.  If travelling by train this allows some of these routes to be shortened if you use an intermediate train station.

·       Cork to Tralee - 717km with 8200m ascent

This is the longest and most challenging route recommended here - between Cork City and Tralee. This route is the ultimate Cork and Kerry cycling experience. It includes iconic scenery and multiple climbs including the Category 2 climbs up the Ballaghisheen Pass (6.1km) and the Connor Pass (7.2km) amongst lots of other climbs. This would make a great multi day trip. The route can be accessed by train via both Cork and Tralee. See route here and is covered by Sections 6 to 18 on EuroVelo 1 Ireland . (If you want a slightly shorter version of this route  you can leave the EuroVelo route at Killorglan and head to Killarney where there is also a train station. Doing this leaves out the Dingle peninsula and  the Connor Pass).

·       Limerick to Galway - 358km with 3280m ascent

Another challenging cycle – but shorter with less climbing is the EuroVelo 1 route between Limerick City and Galway City. This includes the well know Loop Head Cycle and will bring you through the heart of the Burren before crossing the border into south Galway with an easy run into the city. This route can be seen here and is covered by Sections 20 to 25 on  EuroVelo 1 Ireland

·       Galway to Sligo - 544km with 4470m ascent

This is another longer route with options to make it shorter by stopping at Westport or Ballina. The route has a good mix of very scenic flat terrain but also has a few challenging climbs including the very scenic Sheeffry Pass in Co Mayo and Ladies Brae in Co.  Sligo.  This route can be seen here and is covered by Sections 26 to 34 on  EuroVelo 1 Ireland

·       Sligo to Derry/Londonderry - 337km with 3467m ascent

The north western end of the route between Sligo and Derry provides a great selection of scenery, both coastal and upland. While the part of this route in Co. Sligo has no climbs and takes in Mullaghmore, the part in Co. Donegal makes up for this with plenty of climbs including one up the side of Mount Errigal, the highest mountain in the county. The route can be seen here and is covered by Sections 35 to 40 on EuroVelo 1 Ireland

 What type of bike is best?

Any type of bike can be used on the EuroVelo 1 route especially on the greenway sections. However, for the on-road sections of the route we would strongly recommend that you have a suitable bike to get the most enjoyment from your cycle. We strongly recommend the following:

·       Wider tyres

The route largely uses small local roads.  Often these roads have a perfect surface for cycling but there are also rougher sections. For the most enjoyable ride,  a bike with wider tyres is recommended. A road bike with wider tyres e.g 32c or more, a touring bike or a gravel bike are ideal.

·       Lower gears

While there are relatively flat sections on the route with small climbs and modest gradients there are also some significant climbs. It may be possible for some cyclists to get up these with any gear range, but it is highly recommended you have a bike with some low gears. A road bike or gravel bike with a compact chain set (34 tooth inner ring) and a 34 tooth inside sprocket on the cassette is recommended. However, if you are travelling with bags or camping gear you might want to consider a bike with even lower gears for the big climbs. Your legs will thank you!