15 February 2011

Trip to Maynooth Sunday 13/2/11 Dimanche 13éme Feb Voyage au Maynooth sur le velo

Huston Train Station ,Luas Tram, Kingsbridge/ Gare Huston et Luas Tram, Pont du Roi 8.00am.
Ricardo,Sara,myself./ by Nayroka

Village du Maynooth ,Maynooth Village / by Nayroka.

Ricardo ,Nayroka, myself ce moi, Sara. la Chateau Fitzgerald Maynooth   /by Nayroka

Le Rendezvous ,Routiere Conyngham pour le Grand Depart,Sara  et Nayroka 8.25am

Sara and I ,Ce moi et Sara ,Conyngham Rd

Waiting to head off at 8.30 am outside the Bus Garage on Conyngham Rd.

Col Knockmaroon, Chapelizod , ascente  tré  forte pour 1 KM ,couvent ste Angel's ,Village du Chapelizod/ Knockmaroon Hill beside the Holy Angels Convent,sudden very steep hill for 1 KM

Strawberry Hall Pub,Lwr Rd Lucan / le Auberge Strawberry Hall,Routiere bas Lucan.

Riviéré Liffey,les Couche  Strawberry , River Liffey StrawberryBeds

Riviéré Liffey ,Lucan.River Liffey Lucan

Nayroka et Sara Traverse Pont Lucan, Sur Liffey.

Sara and me beside Lucan Bridge.Pont Lucan

Rendezvous avec Ricardo devant Hotel de Police Village du Lucan/ We meet up with Ricardo at Lucan Police Station.

3KM from  Maynooth Nayroka and Sara beside sign


3KM from Maynooth ,Royal  Canal, La Canal du Royaume 3Km par Village du Maynooth

La Chateau Fitzgerald Sicle 1164 Ad  Village Du Maynooth.

Peloton au Cyclistes par Club Stagg /,Le Magazin Velo/ ,par Village du Lucan Traverse Village du Maynooth

Peloton of Cyclists from the Stagg Bicycle Shop Lucan passing through Maynooth Village

The big House ,Carton Estate/ La Maison Carton ,le Grande Maison au le Noblesse Riche18emé sicle. ,au le present moment Hotel et  Club du Golf,situate en le Grande quanite de Terre,Hectare immense

The Boat House, La Maison Bateaux,Carton,sur Ryewater.

Nayroka

Ricardo .

Carton House, la Grande Maison Carton

Arrived back Home ,distance covered 69.23 KM and 3.00pm/  Arrive  mon  Maison ,distance fine 69.23 KM et 3.00pm

 My Cycling Clothes dumped on the Surly after I got Home.Mon Vetements Velo apre le Voyage sur le Surly LHT.
The Weather was Damp and dreary but no Rain Meteo 8C  when I headed of at 7.30am for our Rendezvous at Conyngham Rd Bus Garage. I arrive at 8.00am mad to early owing to no Traffic  on the Road because it was Sunday Morning. Nayroka was first to arrive at 8.25am then Sara and we headed off promptly up the Chaplizod Rd 3 Km to Chapelizod Village.

Then up Martins Row then the rather nasty sudden steep Knockmaroon Hill for 1 KM. That was the only really nasty Hill of the Trip ,the rest of the way to Maynooth was relatively easy going. Then down the Hill into the Lwr Rd or the Strawberry Beds and continued for 5KM to Lucan Bridge on the River Liffey. We stopped there awhile to take Pictures of the Weir. It is very Picturesque in the Strawberry Beds ,a bit of Old World Country Charm and yet so close to Dublin City.
We went to the Police Station in Lucan Village and met up with Ricardo then continued our journey .Up the Hill on the  Celbridge Rd pass the Ball Ally Pub then down and turned left then up onto the Bypass then onto a Cycle Lane up to the Roundabout and turned off for the Rd to Leixleip then about 3KM to the Salmon Leap Inn and the Bridge over the Liffey leading into the Village of Leixleip.

We eventually went through  Leixleip  Village and another Hill up Pound Street then Station Rd for 1 KM to Louisa Bridge on the Royal Canal but it was not a bad Hill. We continued on until we were about 3 KM away from Maynooth until we came to a Sign stating it County Kildare was Twinned with Lexington USA and Deauville France,out came the Cameras and more Pictures.

When we arrived in Maynooth it took us about 1  1/2 Hours  10.am from Conyngham Rd 23.5 KM Distance.We had a look at the Fitzgerald Family Castle built in 11.64 AD which is a Ruin with just the Walls Standing on two parts of it and it was closed,more Pictures.Then we had some Coffee and Sandwiches in a Café close by. I brought them to see the Carton House Demesne,the Former Stately Home now a Hotel and Golf Club at the start of the Village. This place has a huge Acrage of Land with the Ryewater River running through it and the Grand House of the former 18Century Nobility who ruled over the Lands of  Maynooth . The Trip was  worth it just to see Carton Estate alone. These People do not like you walking on their Grass particularly if Golfing is in progress and we were just the Vagabonds passing through on our Bicycles. The whole area is devoted to Golf with the main course and also a huge Driving Range. The Parking area was full of BMW's and other Luxury Cars. We must have remained for an hour viewing the scenery and taking Pictures. Then we headed off through the main Gate which was 3KM from Maynooth Village rather then going back to the Village out onto the Dublin Rd to head back to the City.

We left Ricardo at Lucan Village and continued back through the Scenic Strawberry Beds for the 5KM to Knockmaroon Hill then back 3KM more to Conyngham Rd. Then we left Nayroka at Capel Street Bridge and I eventually left Sara at Cathal Brugha Street off O'Connell St to go Home.

We had a marvellous Day out with the Sun Shining every so often. I got back to my House at 2.59pm and I looked at the Bike  Computer, I had done 69.23KM overall.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Looked like a great ride!

I love the third picture. Very vintage looking!

I also like the picture of the boat house. It looks like half of the building is below the water!

l' homme au velo said...

The Weather was alternating between Sunshine and Clouds. There was Rain Forecast in some parts but luckily we were alright on the East side of the Country. There was the threat of Rain though.

My Companions were a Brazilian Girl Nayroka, A Spanish Girl Sara,A Portugese Chap Ricardo,But no Irish person save myself. I must try and take more Pictures Enroute.

This is all good Training for Longer Touring.

I want to go off up the Hills again above Dublin on my own as I like to take my time,I walk up the Steep Mountain Roads so Group Riding there is no good to me. Hopefuly that is what I will be doing next.

The Weather has gone unpredictable for the moment with high winds and Rain,so I will wait a few days and just do normal City rides.

Some Snow is forecast for Scotland and Northern England for a few days but I think we are OK in Ireland.

Rory O'Farrell said...

Hi, I noticed you have a Surly LHT. I was just wondering if you bought it in Dublin, and if so, which shop. I'm planning on buying one, but am having difficulty in finding a shop that sells them.

l' homme au velo said...

Hi Rory. Yes I bought it in September and eventually got it on November 24th. It takes about three Weeks when ordered from the Bike Shop.

I got it in Cyclological on Bachelors Walk just up from the Halfpenny Bridge for €1,200 for the complete Bike with Mudguards and Pedals. It comes with no Mudguards or Pedals and you have to choose what kind you want together with a Carrier/Rack.

Most Bike Shops do not stock Tourers and have to be ordered for you.

I happened to look up their Web Site and discovered that they sell Kona Tourers but when I went to the Shop they told me that Kona was unreliable for Deliveries and they were having to Refund People. So they said would I be interested in the Surly LHT ,I said I would think it over. So I got Home and swotted up on it and also looked at their Site.

Then came back the next Day and bought one.

It comes with the Standard Contact Tyres,on my Bike which is a 26" Wheels is 1.5 inch, but most People who Tour recommend Fatter Tyres up to 2.1 Inch for the 26" and 37m for the 28"Wheels.

Best of Luck.

l' homme au velo said...

A further note Rory,some People just buy the Frame and put their own components on it but this can work out dearer.

I would not advise doing this unless you know what you are doing.

Rory O'Farrell said...

Thanks for the information

Carolyn said...

That looked like such a nice ride. :) Hope all is well over there.

l' homme au velo said...

Hi Rory, Tell us how you got along and how you are finding the Bike when you get it.

You can also join the Surly LHT and Cross Check Group on Google,it is very handy for any problems or if looking for information on components.

l' homme au velo said...

Hi Carolyn thanks for your Thoughts,I have a few Rides coming up that are interesting.

The Weather here is not to bad but is Coldish around 6 to 10 Celsius,we have not had much rain. It is slow to heat up much so far, but still that is better than your Snow in Canada.