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Route
B:
Distance
14km / Climb: Minimal
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Starting
at our pick up point in Abbeytown, Boyle, this
tour firstly brings you into Lough Key Forest
Park along a quiet tree lined route. Whilst in
the park you can cycle along a myriad of gentle
forest tracks or enjoy some of the amenities the
park has to offer. You leave the park to travel
through the old estate and then visit Deereen
Wood (The Bluebell Wood) where more forest tracks
await you. You then travel onto the picturesque
village of Knockvicar where you can have lunch
beside the meandering river and return to Boyle
along the same route. |
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Route
D : Distance
45km / Climb : Significant
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This
tour will be held every Wednesday
and is a relaxed spin around the hidden gems of
North Roscommon and South Sligo. We meet at our
pick up point in Abbeytown Boyle from where we
will travel by taxi to the Arigna Mountains. We
will then visit the Arigna Mining Museum where
we will avail of a guided tour deep underground.
Then it's onto the bikes and we will cycle high
above the valley with glorious views of Lough
Allen. We will visit the secluded famine graveyard
and old pithead on Staunton's Brae. Then it's
freewheel all the way to the village of Keadue,
twice winner of the All Ireland tidy towns competition
and one time home of 18th century harpist and
composer Turlough O'Carolan. After a short break
to get our breaths back we cruise onto the shores
of Lough Meelagh for a homemade lunch prepared
by your host. We will also visit the grave of
O'Carolan and St Laissairs Well where those with
bad backs can avail of the cure.
Onwards then to Ballyfarnon before climbing to
the village of Highwood with glorious views of
Lough Arrow and the surrounding mountains. We
will then freewheel along secluded country lanes
to the village of Castlebaldwin and onwards to
the magnificent must see megalithic tombs of Carrowkeel.
Then its back on the bikes for the return to Boyle
soaking up the breathtaking scenery as we go for
a well earned drink in a local pub. Cost:
€50 including bike hire, entrance to the
mining museum and lunch, minimum of four people
required for tour to take place. |
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The
Green Heartlands Cycle Route
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This
is
a fully marked cycling tour which takes you
through the splendour of the south Roscommon
countryside. The terrain of the local landscape
throughout the 217km (135 miles) is generally
flat with occasional stretches of gently sloping
hills which take the cyclist through a varied
countryside of farmland, bog, forest, wetlands,
rivers and lakes.The route covering Kiltoom,
Kielty, Birchgrove, Ballyforan, Athleague, Roscommon,
Knockcroghery, Derryglad and Four Roads attracts
tourist attention to these parts of the County.
The route has been split into stages so that
the cycle can be spread over 7 days with an
average of 19 miles covered per day. This gives
cyclists an opportunity to see the countryside
and spend some time around the County thus encouraging
further interest in the amenities the County
has to offer.
The
touring cyclist can experience the beauty of
Lough Ree
and sense the magnificence of the River Shannon.
The circuit, divided into a series of daily
routes, will take you through a host of small
rural villages and within close proximity of
the larger provincial towns of Roscommon, Athlone
and Ballinasloe. Along each route cyclists can
access a range of leisure facilities and amenities,
many suited to special interest visitors. These
include walking routes, monastic sites, archeological
monuments, heritage centres and museums, craft
workshops, wildlife and conservation areas,
as well as boating fishing, golf, horse riding
and bowling. High quality Bord Failte accommodation
is available en route.
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