Glendalough/Wicklow - Sally Gap?
 

The plan is travel to Ireland in mid-September. One of my "must see's" is Glendalough and Wicklow NP. I noticed a tour for bike riding Sally Gap. The tour takes you to the top of Sally Gap (1hr drive) and you bike down. According to the sales pitch on the website, it allows plenty of time to tour Glendalough, returning bikes by 8PM. This sounds great for me, been years since I have been on a bike, but it is mostly down hill. I wanted to do more than stop for few mintues coming from Kilkenny on my way to Dublin to spend the night, but don't want to be exhausted so I feel I cant drive on Dublin.

Has anyone done this? Would you recommend it? Any advice would be appreciated (even if you have not done the bike tour, but about the area and how to see it). Thanks!

Oh, it's beautiful! I've driven it, not biked it, but it is simply breathtaking up there. I've been twice, and would do it again in an instant!

Some photos I took up there:

http://www.greendragonartist.com/BI/...lowValley.jpeg
http://www.greendragonartist.com/Gal...lation%20S.jpg

I took a day bus tour of Powerscourt, Glendalough and the Wicklow mountains and absolutely loved it. I would like to just warn you though after renting a bike a few times in Ireland that it is never, ever "mostly downhill" :) There are so many hills in Ireland that you don't even notice til you are on a bike! I hadn't been on a bike in many years either and found it exhausting, but you might be in better shape then me!

From Sallygap to Glendalough is mostly downhill -- some of it scarily so.

I've been the uphill route. In a car, yes. But behind a HUGE truck filled with tree trunks, and no apparent means of keeping them IN the truck. Very steep uphill. I gave him plenty of room.

I agree with Padraig that the downhill is pretty scary. I did it at 23 and vowed never again. Even now I can feel the lack of control as I flew down that hill and praing not to hit any potholes andthat no vehicle would be coming the other way. It was October and there was a lot less traffic in those days.

Thank you, everyone, for your help. My husband and I are in our early 40's, and good shape. However, neither of us have been on a bike in years. Based on your feedback, perhaps we should not take our lives in our hands more than driving (which sounds scarey enough).

I was just looking for a way to get out of the car a bit, but still see a great deal of the area. Hum, I guess I will keep looking. Thanks!

You could get right out of the car and walk: http://www.wicklowway.com/index.php

On a less ambitious scale, you can park your car at the first car park on the way into Glendalough and take a good long walk up to the head of the glen, leaving the crowds behind you and getting right into the landscape.