Surprisingly easy to miss that exit
Did that myself recently
Was happily sailing down the road thinking "wonder where that big road goes.., oh SH1T !!
And yes, the reroute through Rathdowney isn't the fastest way to get south
Surprisingly easy to miss that exit
..... then take the old road south (brown sign saying "Alternative Route) - N77 to Durrow & then R639 all the way to Fermoy to rejoin Gerry's route. You'll pass through all the small towns but it's way more interesting & entertaining than the dreaded motorway.
I'd leave The Vee until your return journey....
http://www.clogheen.net/see-do/the-vee/What's the Vee?
I suppose it will be busy on a Sunday.
Following these route ideas with interest and will probably head the same way ish on the Friday. However, as we are travelling over to Belfast from Cairnryan on the Thursday via an early start (C 0800hrs) we'll be looking for a hotel or bnb around an hour south west of Dub, maybe in the Portlaoise area? Somewhere with a bit of music and craic would be good, or is that every pub in Ireland?
Anyway, suggestions are invited from the parish!
Hey Scot Boxer if your'e looking for somewhere to stay might I suggest the small village of Kilcullen , there is a fantastic B&B called No5 Bed and Breakfast (check out the reviews on booking.com) It's run by my neighbour Dave and he has had bikers from all over the world stay there. The village is about an hour or so from Dublin has some great bars which serve good food and you are not far from the Wicklow Gap /Glendalough which has great roads to and from. If this rocks your boat and you want someone to show you around I'm off that Thursday and would be happy to meet up with ye.
Cheers
Dub 24
Are you getting the 8am Stena ex Cairnryan Scotboxer? If so you will arrive in Belfast at about 10-30am which is good as you will miss the morning traffic. It's 310 miles from Belfast to Skibbereen so I thought about cutting that in half and seeing where you would end up then look about accommodation.
Belfast to Birr is 158 miles leaving a further 149 to Skibbereen on the Friday. Birr is a small enough town but you should find a couple of decent enough bars there.
The only motorways on this route are the first 10 miles out of Belfast, a dual carriageway/motorway to Dundalk, a few miles on the M6 in the midlands and the bypass of Limerick. The rest is national roads through little towns and villages. Tea and food stops are plentiful and everywhere here, like Scotland, is "bike friendly" whatever the hell that is.
The Garmin file is attached below, assuming that is that you use a Garmin gps.
Here are a few room options but I'm sure that booking.com etc will offer much more.
Thanks for the info and the kind offer, Dub. We'll be there on the Friday to do the Wicklow Gap, the Vee etc en route to West Cork. The plan is to head back over a few days and do some of the WAW while we're there, so the eastern stuff will need to be done first.
We are on that very ferry Aidan! Many thanks for the advice and the route. That's a pint I owe you. I assume you'll be there again this year? I'll mull over your suggestion and talk it over with travelling companion Dave. I was thinking of taking the direct but boring route around Dublin and then doing the Vee etc on the Friday, with the possibility of doubling back a bit to nip through the Wicklow Gap first. Decisions, decisions!
You are very welcome and after talking it over with Dave let us know what you'd like to do and between us we'll do up a route for you. That route above would do for your return journey depending on your available time etc.
Unfortunately we won't be able to get to the event this year as the daughter is getting married in San Francisco on the Friday but I'll be thinking of youse.
{Aye right }
Thought about going with the 100GS but with an early start and a decent ride to the ferry, will be taking the RT.