Spot Check: Outside the Race Tape in Wicklow
There is still a wildness to Ireland that has always fascinated us and keeps drawing us back… We love the landscape, the good ‘craic’ of its people, the local brew, and the terrain it has stashed away offers up some of the best riding in Europe and beyond. We check out what County Wicklow has to offer:
With a free day after the Ireland Enduro World Series, we wanted to check out a few riding spots before we headed home. There are a tonne of tracks as diverse as its scenery, from a thriving trail centres scene to a wide network of natural and epic adventure riding. As we were in County Wicklow we took advantage of the Carrick Mountain EWS race courses, Ballinastoe Trail Centre and Tiknock, a small spot on the edge of Dublin.
My tour guides for the day were none other than Killian Callaghan fresh off the back a victory in the U-21 category (complete with the subsequent hangover) and Gavin Carroll, a man with a red beard the same size and colour as his Nissan Micra. First on the list was the trails of Carrick Mountain, which it’s safe to say, are ace! On the whole, they aren’t overly technical or demanding but with a few exceptions for some rather fearsome rock gardens. Running through a rollercoaster of bluebells free of course tape, it’s fun cruising through imagining the riotous noise from the previous weekend as Greg, Richie and the rest of the EWS circuit tore though. I can barely hang onto the coattails of Gavin and Killian ahead, who are obviously still in race mode. We finish on what was stage 4, one long flowing pump track that will definitely leave a smile on your face! I would have happily spent the whole day here but with limited time, we had to ration ourselves and head for Ballinastoe. Check out the EWS recap video to get a real impression of the trails.
Blasting down narrow country lanes as Gavin and Killian lead the way it isn’t long before we roll into the Ballinastoe Trail Centre car park, used as a base by the top lads at biking.ie who’ll be sure to sort you out should you need any information, rental, or guiding! Ballinastoe has a rad network of trails with a 14 km trail centre loop and a whole host of off-piste trails built by locals that have played host to stages of the Gravity Enduro Series. We plucked for the 14 km loop which has the typical trail centre terrain, fast flowing turns, smooth rolling jumps and sections of technical rocks, perfect for shredding in a group or train! The loop doesn’t take long but if you mix it in with some of the other off-piste tracks and head for a look at Lough Tay just up the road you are sure to have a killer day out.
With the shadows growing longer we head for the final spot of Tiknock, a hill with a panoramic view over the bay to the city of Dublin. Within the lattice of tracks surrounded by a sea of flowering gorse bushes you can find a real variety of features, there are some big hucks for those willing to go looking,(but nearly everything is rollable), the turns are really nice for smashing and offered up bountiful levels of grip. Like a couple of excited puppies, Gavin and Killian session the turns and jumps, progressively getting wilder and wilder, “ah I can boost that higher” or “I can rail that harder”. Gradually the pull of The Blue Light Pub at the bottom of the hill draws us in to ‘rehydrate’ on the black nectar of Guinness. A dingy old bikers pub, it’s the perfect place to watch over the city and laugh at all the stories from the previous evenings after race party.
Getting To Wicklow
Located a stone’s throw away from Dublin’s airport, the trails can be accessed pretty quickly, but a hire car is a valuable asset for getting to trails heads. There are loads of connections for ferries from all over the UK, check out P & O, Stena Line and Irish Ferries to find the most convenient one for you.
Riding Spots In Wicklow
The spots we checked out were Carrick Mountain, Ballinastoe Trail centre and Tiknock, all great places to ride. Djouce woods are well worth considering too and for those looking for some bigger adventures there are some epic routes into the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, but for these, we would recommend the guiding through biking.ie.
Accommodation In Wicklow
Wicklow has a wide range of accommodation to suit all, camping, self-catering apartments and hotels. We used Wicklow town as a base for our trip, be sure to check out Phil Healy’s Pub for some top quality grub and a pint!
What Else To Do In Wicklow
Wicklow has some stunning landscapes to explore, The Guinness Lake or Lough Tay to give its proper name is worth checking out, as well as the villages of Bray and Enniskerry, there is loads to see and explore. Heading into Dublin city centre is well worth a look with its thriving nightlife and historical monuments, we’d recommend a trip to the Guinness factory!
Visit ireland.com for more information on how to plan you trip.
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.
Words & Photos:
