The Wicklow mountains parallel the coast, more or less, south of Dublin. They are spectacularly beautiful. I have wanted to explore them by bicycle ever since I arrived in Ireland, but the weekend weather hadn't allowed it. This weekend, the weather is perfect, so I decide to do it.
The route, as recorded by my GPS receiver, is shown below. Click on a thumbnail to see a larger version of this and all other pictures. Use the back button of your browser to return to this page.
From our home in Blackrock, I work my way west to route R115, which goes directly south to Sally Gap. I'm a little surprised to see that this part of the trip is well out into the countryside; I expected it to be more suburban. Route R115 starts out steep almost from the beginning, an average grade of about 9%. Some short stretches are quite steep; they must be 12-15%.
The road cuts through forests and farmland. On the way up, I stop a moment and take the pictures below.
The top of the climb is about 1400 feet. I stop at a turnout, where a busload of tourists have also made a rest stop. Comfortably drinking coffee and munching snacks, they look at me as if I were a little green man who had just emerged from a flying saucer. I take a couple pictures. The view is spectacular; I can see the city and all the way past Howth.
Past the summit, the road winds through a dramatic landscape of pine forests, breaking out into windswept moors. The dominant plants are a mix of wildflowers and ferns, colored like a Harris tweed. Interestingly, the trees and plants seem well differentiated by altitude, even though it's not really all that high. There is an occasional sign of human habitation, but not much. Except for a few sheep, this is largely empty, barren wilderness. I gradually climb to a little over 1700 feet, descend to about 1400, and finally climb steeply back to 1700.
Dramatic views are plentiful. I want to stop and take a picture of every one, but if I did, I would never get home this evening. Sally Gap, marked as a town on virtually every map, is simply a crossroads. I stop here a few minutes to eat the sandwich I brought. A few carloads of tourists stop as well. One seems lost, studying his map and repeatedly looking at the signs. Probably confused by the lack of a town.
The road in the middle picture, above, leads westward from Sally Gap. It descends as fast as the other road ascends; according to my Michelin map, there are 14%+ grades along it. I don't really know; I am mostly concerned with keeping the bike under me on the steep, rough pavement. Below about 1000 feet, the deciduous trees reappear.
Eventually, I reach a point where I could continue northwest to the N81, which cuts off a corner, or take the loop through Blessington, which connects with the N81 a few miles farther south. The latter option looks interesting, so I do it. I discover that it involves yet another steep climb. This time, however, it is only a few hundred feet. Interestingly, I cross the river Liffy, the same one that flows through Dublin, but here considerably less impressive. The water color is a stunning reddish brown, probably because of the peaty soil in the mountains. The lake, which I encounter just before Blessington, is called the Pollaphuca Reservoir. I cross the bridge visible in the picture below, and in about a mile I enter Blessington. Blessington is a small town, not terribly attractive, but at least I can refuel a little with a snack from a general store.
The N81 is a major route, with heavy, fast-moving traffic. Generally, not a lot of fun. Still, a large part of it is very scenic, especially as it descends into the flatlands around Dublin. At many points, I can see quite a distance.
Coming home, I cut across the southern end of the city. It is just another exercise in winding through urban streets; nothing special, so no photos. I am impressed by the amount of construction, though, in the southwest end of the city. Absolute forests of construction cranes in more than one location. This place is really booming.
I pull into our little home on Carysfort Avenue around 3:30 PM. Julie is making a pizza for dinner, and she has bought a nice bottle of Portuguese wine to go with it. What more could anyone ask for?