Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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En_Zed
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Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by En_Zed »

Can any one suggest a good base for exploring Northern Ireland? As a first trip with a tandem, I'm looking for a central base for a series of 20/30 mile day rides.

Cheers...
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Traction_man
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Location: Bangor NI

Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Traction_man »

If you're arriving (from Britain) on the ferry into Belfast one option would be to head towards Strangford Lough, staying somewhere around Killyleagh (https://maps.app.goo.gl/rDg67Q4DLWUfSaBK6) which is a pleasant small town and day rides from there would take you to the Mournes and Castle Ward.

If you're coming by car with the bike I'd look to Enniskillen but getting there by bike from Belfast would be a seventy mile ride. Fermanagh is a lovely area for cycling.

I'm not sure Translink trains allow tandems, if they do then another possibility is to use Bushmills as a base, with the train to Ballymoney and then an easy ride to Bushmills, Giant's Causeway is nearby and the coastal road.

Hope that helps, it's a great part of the world.

cheers,

Keith
En_Zed
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by En_Zed »

Thanks, Keith. That’s a good start. Cheers…
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Audax67
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Audax67 »

There's that big white building about a mile from those bombastic gates on the Newtownards Road on the way to Dundonald. You could try there: nobody seems to use it much these days.
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Garry Booth
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Garry Booth »

Been thinking about this as well. What's the camping and or B&B availability like in N.I.? Any tips or recommendations welcome?
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Traction_man
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Traction_man »

Garry Booth wrote: 11 Feb 2023, 7:13pm Been thinking about this as well. What's the camping and or B&B availability like in N.I.? Any tips or recommendations welcome?
lots of good camp sites, nice ones at the NI Forest Parks (https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/information ... ne-booking) plus two at National Trust estates (Castle Ward https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holida ... ravan-park and Crom Estate https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holida ... m-campsite).

there're also a fair smattering of Camping and Caravanning Club sites (CLs especially):

https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/

there are some municipal sites too eg

https://www.dundonaldcaravanpark.com/

https://visitmournemountains.campmanage ... ilability/

https://getactiveabc.com/facility/gosfo ... vancamping

loads more options for camping on farm sites etc, depends which part of NI is of interest :-) -- but the above immediately spring to mind.

cheers,

Keith
Garry Booth
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Garry Booth »

Thanks Keith! That's helpful. We're still at the early planning stage but hope to come over from Stranraer early summer. The only place I know I'd definitely like to see is the Enniskillen area. So all suggestions welcome.
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Traction_man
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Traction_man »

Garry Booth wrote: 13 Feb 2023, 6:20pm Thanks Keith! That's helpful. We're still at the early planning stage but hope to come over from Stranraer early summer. The only place I know I'd definitely like to see is the Enniskillen area. So all suggestions welcome.
hi Garry, according to Translink (public transport in NI), Goldline coaches can carry bicycles,

17.4 When bicycles are carried as passengers’ luggage they will be carried free of charge
provided that suitable space is available and do not get in the way of others. Unfolded
bicycles are not permitted on buses prior to 0930 Monday to Friday.

inf at https://www.translink.co.uk/usingtransl ... ofcarriage

I have never tried this but others I know have, there is a good network of Goldline coaches, including Belfast-Enniskillen though my preference is always to go by train here with the bike, the network is more limited though compared to the Goldline services.

For routes see

https://www.translink.co.uk/routemaps

Taking the train from Larne/Belfast up to Derry/Londonderry would set you up nicely for cycling a route south to Enniskillen, through west Fermanagh and parts of Tyrone, a very lovely area, quiet and scenic. Enniskillen back to the nearest rail station to Belfast would be around 60 miles east (Portadown).

Early summer is a good time to come to NI, weather generally at its best--ferry from Scotland docks at either Larne (P&O) or Belfast Port (Stena), both places are on the NCN.

cheers,

Keith
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Cowsham
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Cowsham »

Also prior to 9.30am can't get on a train with bicycle -- found this out trying reach the ferry in time but the station master let me on ( providing I went into the bit between carriages if too many passengers came on before my stop ) cos I'd have missed the ferry otherwise.
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En_Zed
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by En_Zed »

Keith, thanks for all the information. We are planning to drive to Derry with our tandem and use the city as a base with a view to heading towards Enniskillen, possibly as a sequence of day rides.
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Traction_man
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Traction_man »

En_Zed wrote: 16 Feb 2023, 7:00pm Keith, thanks for all the information. We are planning to drive to Derry with our tandem and use the city as a base with a view to heading towards Enniskillen, possibly as a sequence of day rides.
good call, the walled city is a great spot, plenty of day cycling opportunities, out onto the Inishowen Peninsula towards Malin Head, across to the beautiful Sperrin Mountains, and south along the Foyle River towards Strabane. I love the area around Raphoe, there's Oakfield Park with its little railway https://oakfieldpark.com/information-and-prices/ and lovely rolling countryside around about.

have a great trip.

all the best,

Keith
En_Zed
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by En_Zed »

Thanks again, Keith.
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Traction_man
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Re: Base for Exploring Northern Ireland

Post by Traction_man »

En_Zed wrote: 16 Feb 2023, 10:21pm Thanks again, Keith.
no worries at all, happy to help 🙂

I should have mentioned the ferries across Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle would enable circuits of each from Derry:
Screenshot_20230216-224530.png
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