** Mizen Head to Malin Head cycle **

cant help sorry, but there are plenty of good forumites in the south who will be able to give you some proper info.  keep up the good work and good luck!

Thanks mate !!

Yeah, about 95% of the trip will be in Ireland but I'll be veering into the North on the last day.

Then just need to get back to Belfast !!

I am based in Connemara, which as you probably know is in the west.  Pm me if you plan to travel through and I will do my best to put you right.

Doh, Malin head, you will be in Roundstone............Im not too far

The bike will cost you €6 on the train from Dublin to Cork.

That's all I can help you with PLC.

Hello PLC,
Don,t think the Dublin route would be the best way at all in the the way of time and expense, a transfer from the airport and the trip down to Cork could take maybe 6 hours pending on the time of day.
If flying to Cork, a bus leaves the airport(about 5-6E)and takes you directly to the bus station where you will get a bus to West Cork.
Good luck and hope you have an enjoyable trip.

I agree with Pa

fly to Cork, bus it onwards

might even be able to hit west cork direct from the airport as it's on that road, e.g. a bus to Bandon and on from there

Thanks for the info so far folks !

Going by what you say I think I'll go with the flying Gatwick to Cork option.

Will there be any hassle with getting a bike on a bus ? Will they allow it in the hold ?

Roughly how long will it take to get close to Mizen Head ?

And how close will the bus get me to Mizen Head ??

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm trying to get all the logistics sorted so I only have the cycling to worry about when I get there

Hello again,"Bus Eireann" is the website in regards bus services and times, they probably would have terms and conditions on there about the bike and how you stand with that. The bus from the airport that takes you to Cork city is usually fairly empty and i wouldn,t imagine there would be a problem.Takes about 20 mins to get to ParnelL Place bus station,from there you will probably get the Bantry bus and get off at Ballydehob which puts you on the outer reaches of Mizen head.(don,t take the Last sentence as gospel,fairly sure but not 100%)
From getting out of the airport and all running well without much waiting for buses could be there in a little over 2 1/2 hours. GL

Pa is correct you need to aim for Ballydehob, as that is close/ish to Mizen,( thats one hell of a cycle you know but best of luck. I was back that way a long time ago, but i'm pretty sure Mizen hasn't moved.I'd say the bus through Skibereen is the job for you and that should be on to Ballydehob( a lovely friendly town).Not sure if you are intending to cycle in to Cork City and then head out towards lovely Limerick, of course you will be on secondary roads as cyclists are not allowed onto the motorway. From Limerick you could head in the direction of Galway, or come east and make Athlone a stop. Then aim a little west again towards good ould Sligo town. Up through Donegal and on for Malin (tired just thinking about it) good luck but there are loadza ways to get up there if you go into County Clare you should try to see the Burren, and you have to make time to see THE CLIFFS OF MOHER. If you make Athlone a stop you could come on into Cavan and its so beautiful, in summer especially, Killykean woods and Killeshandra just so lovely, and Carrickallen, and make Ballyconnell a stop as its right close to the Fermanagh border and you could go on up through Enniskillen, hope you have a safe trip for a very worthy cause, (I think its for research into leukemia that your cycle is for , am I correct there ?)

On your way back from malin head come through Buncrana to Derry City.

Some lovely scenery in Inishowen as well.

There is a Air-porter bus which runs from Derry directly to both belfast city & International airports.

I could get you time-tables etc if you wish.

Best of luck with it.

Thanks pa, JayTrump and Monte Christo. That's some very useful ideas and info

Reading all your postings makes me want to start tomorrow. I actually can't wait to get going !

Here's a link to a route map of someone who's done the trip before. I'll be doing a roughly similar route. You can zoom in and play about with it a fair bit and there's also an elevation graph at the bottom. Couple of big hills in the first 100 miles !!

http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/bike-ride-map/mizen-head-cork/2954321

The ride is for Cancer Research JayTrump. And I'll be sure to include some of your itinerary suggestions in the trip

The bus from Cork through Skibbereen goes all the way to Goleen which is about 5 miles from Mizen so dont get off at Ballydehob unless you want to cycle another 15 miles.

It's nearly that time .........

Flying to Cork a week Saturday and starting from Mizen Head on Monday 18th.

Will be having overnight stops in Kenmare, Tralee, Kilkee, Ballyvaghan, Tuam, Sligo, Donegal & Derry

Flying back out of Belfast on 29th.

Thanks Again for all the advice

If any of you see a bloke cycling in a Cancer Research t-shirt come and say Hello.

And here's my just giving page if anyone is feeling particularly generous ..

http://www.justgiving.com/irelandcycle2012

Cheers !

Hope the weather is better by then .I would not fancy cycling a hundred yards today!!

Best of luck PLC - a very worthwhile cause indeed.

As Tolmi says though I hope the weather is better for you when you set off.