Cycling through picturesque County Cork
Stretches For Worth More Spectacular Views Are You'll On The Tough This It Than Enjoy Uphill Route
The sheer variety of cycling routes in Co Cork provides enough for the sternest of critics. From the gorgeous coastal routes of West Cork to their counterparts in east Cork, to the challenging mountainous terrain around Ballyvourney or the rolling hills and valleys around Fermoy, cyclists are really spoiled for choice.
78km
4.5 to 5 hours
950m
A tough cycle with lots of hills. Wear appropriate clothing. There are not many options for a coffee along the way so best bring your own food and drink.
For this route we look to a neglected area taking in none of the above regions: north Cork. Starting at the Opera House in Cork City, we take the small lane at the foot of John’s Street across the river which brings us into Blackpool and then up the steep Dublin Hill. From the northern suburbs of the city, past residential buildings and light industry, we get into the countryside proper and great views begin to open up of rolling countryside above the city.
Traffic is generally light in this direction and the road surfaces are generally excellent. At an obvious fork in the road we take the left one in the direction of Carrignavar, our first port of call. Climbing through the hill in the village we continue straight to Republican Cross on high, but fairly flat ground. Not far head is the junction of Bottle Hill where the majesty of this route is about to reveal itself. Suddenly, all the hard work of several uphill sections pays off with a fantastic descent through a wood to the village of Killavullen.
For such a small place, Killavullen really punches above its weight: Founder of the Presentation Sisters and philanthropist Nano Nagle was born nearby; philosopher Edmund Burke went to school there; and the Hennessy family, of brandy repute, began their empire there.
After admiring the local architecture and the Blackwater River we take a small road in a northerly direction for 1km past the cemetery before taking a sharp left and a magnificent mainly wooded road on the slopes of the Nagles Mountains before dropping in to the pretty village of Ballyhooly by crossing the Blackwater. From here, it is an about-turn and across the bridge again for the return leg to Cork on the Mill Vale Road (the higher of the two roads to the left). There is a long pull now for about 4km before the road levels off and drops to a junction. Follow the signpost for Cork City, 26km distant. Option of a detour to delightful Glenville.
Midleton Station Trailhead next to the train station on town centre.
16km
2 hours return, slow pace
Ideal for children and older adults.
Imagine cycling from Cork to Rosslare in Co Wexford all along a greenway! That is the long-term ambition for the various local authorities along the entire south eastern coastal route (the Pathfinder project) which will also be incorporated into the EuroVelo Route 1. And while the flagship section is Dungarvan to Waterford, some of the Cork sections are rapidly catching up.
Midleton to Mogeely has just opened up and is a statement of intent from Cork County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland which has provided funding of €18m. Other partners include Iarnród Eireann and CIE Group Property not to mention the landowners along the way who facilitated the project by making their land available.
The 8km stretch is predominantly flat and runs through beautiful countryside. With the other sections flagged for completion later in the year, this greenway is one for the diary for cyclists young and not so young and promises to be a great family facility once word gets out. The greenway is finished to a very high standard with tunnels, flyovers and lovely seating along the way.
Further back towards the city, the Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill section has also opened and is a flagship design of the best standard with an incredibly smooth surface. Once this is connected to the city it will open up the prospect of cycling to the city for a huge cohort of people. For a lot of its length this section is very wide and is very safe with some thoughtful horticultural planting along the way. In the spring/ summer a dazzling array of flowers provides a stunning starting point. This greenway is also very popular with walkers of all abilities, and the more the merrier!
And looking further ahead, the council is also looking to develop several other greenways including from Cork to Kinsale and Skibbereen to Schull with a spur to Baltimore.