Wicklow
Added on Thursday, February 7th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
The sunny South-East Of Eire has a beautiful coastline and spectacular mountain scenery on County Wicklow, just a few miles away from Dublin’s busy streets.
The Route
Roundwood - Laragh - Glendalough - Wicklow Gap - Blessington - Sally Gap - Roundwood
Our ride starts in Roundwood, where we head South on the R755 main road, signed to Glendalough - although you won’t find this place mentioned on many maps. The road is twisty in places, with some bad potholes. Roundwood has got loos - which shut around 4 p.m. in the afternoon, plus a few shops, gas station etc. Also some B & B style accommodation.
Just a few miles to Laragh, or Glendalough as they call it locally, where there’s a Viking exhibition, which attracts coaches full of tourists, so take care - they park anywhere. Gas station on hill - plus news agent, cafe, bar etc.
After Laragh, continue on the R755 approx 1 mile, and you’ll see a sign to turn right for Blessington lake. Now the road climbs up Wicklow Gap a superb bikers road, with a spectacular view to valley below on left. Watch out for road works, quarry activity near summit, which is approx 800 metres. Descent not so spectacular but still very smooth roads.
Slow up, as you soon pass the first bit of Blessington lake, and the road has a sharp right hand bend before bridge. Turn right at the junction onto the N81 into Blessington village. It’s small, with a few bars, three gas stations plus Centra grocery and Spar shops etc. Turn right in village for Oldcourt on the map, although its signed Lachan on the road. Bit tricky this junction and a narrow road. Again, turn right 1 mile out of Blessington, onto Bridge across lake, then left approx 300 metres after end of bridge, take back road into a village.
Now turn right onto single track road, which winds its way towards the main road known locally as the Sally Gap. Don’t worry too much if you miss this set of junctions in Blessington, you can pick up the Sally Gap road after leaving Blessington on the main Dublin road too. Watch for an evil hairpin bend just before the junction with the R759 Sally Gap by the way.
Now, it’s a steep climb onto moorland, very bumpy, gravel, sheep etc. But the scenery is stunning, wild and unspoilt - they were filming a movie up there when we passed through. At the crossroads, go straight on, following the sign for Roundwood, with a spectacular descent past the reservoir on right. The road opens out a little bit for the last 5 miles or so before the junction with the R755 into Roundwood once again.
Pitstops
Ireland doesn’t have many cafes. It does however have a great many bars and pubs, almost all of which will serve you a snack, at all hours of the day and night. Some bigger petrol stations also have deli counters, plus hot fast food like potato wedges, pies, baguettes, chicken nuggets etc. It is hard to find poor quality food in Wicklow, they are proud of their label as the ‘garden’ county of Ireland.
Speed Traps
Very few patrol cars, not really interested in you, unless your driving is obviously appalling/drunken. No speed cameras at all.
Tourist Information
There is a tourist office in Bray, which is only 10 miles or so from Roundwood and a nice seaside resort, linked to Dublin via the Dart electric train service.
