Top places to go cycling in Bundoran
Bundoran is a great base to explore the local area and no better way to do it than by bike! With the help of local man and athlete Paddy Donoghue, here’s some of the top places to go cycling in Bundoran and the surrounding area.
Rossinver/Manorhamilton loop
Start / Finish and parking at the Single Street disused filling staion on the Ballyshannon side of Bundoran. Leaving from Single Street disused filling station heading for the bypass through Finner roundabout 2nd exit to Drumacrin roundabout, 2nd exit onto N15 to Sligo. Continue on N15 to Tullaghan Village. Turn left at the Filling station onto L2063 to Kinlough. Continue to junction and turn right (R280) towards Kinlough Village. Take the left, (R281) between the Post Office and the Courthouse restaurant.
Continue on this road (R281), with Lough Melvin on your left, passing the Rossinver Organic centre on the right, to the T junction. Take a right (R282) for Rossinver / Manorhamilton. The Cartron climb, (5.6k; 3% gradient; Alt. 200m) begins just after the Church! Continue into Manorhamilton, (Mind the lights and one way system) and head for Sligo road (N16). A short distance out, at the sign, turn right for Lurganboy, climb (1k; 4%; 100m) and following the through road, down the incline to a T junction.
Turn left here for Kinlough, (R280) and continue, through Glenade, past Glenade lake, Eagles rock and some stunning scenery. Peddle through Kinlough Village, past the Church, the Post Office and the Courthouse Restaurant until the the junction for Tullaghan, (L2063), the same road you went out on. Continue into Tullaghan and take a right at the main junction onto the N15. Care required crossing the road here!!!! Continue all along the bypass to the Drumacrin roundabout, 1st exit to Bundoran North to Finner roundabout, 1st exit to Single Street disused filling station and the end. Well Done..
Rossnowlagh Loop (40k)
Start and finish on the Finner Road at the Single Street disused filling station. At the Finner Road roundabout take 2nd exit on R267 to the Drumacrin roundabout, taking 1st exit left onto the N15 towards Ballyshannon / Derry. Continue on N15 to the Erne roundabout (5k approx).
Take 3rd exit for Donegal Town and continue along the N15 (10k approx) to the Rossnowlagh / Ballintra junction (Caution needed!) sharp left turn onto the R231 for Rossnowlagh. Continue to the junction signposted Rossnowlagh, turning right onto a local road, “straight mile”, and continue to the Sandhouse Hotel, turning left just before enterance to Hotel.
Following this road, short sharp hump (500m; 6%) taking a right at junction to rejoin the R231. Continue along the R231 passing the Franciscan Friary on your right and with spectacular views across the beach and Donegal Bay, Ben Bulben and on a good day Mayo, continue back to the Erne roundabout where you take the 2nd exit onto the N15, same piece of road that you came out on. Be aware of some strong cross winds on the Ballyshannon bridge at times!! Continue to the Drumacrin roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto the R267, 1st off the Finner Road roundabout to finish.
Relive ‘Rossnowlagh Loop.’
Bit of three counties!
From Single Street Filling station, (closed) on the Ballyshannon side of Bundoran; 2nd exit from Finner roundabout to Drumacrin roundabout, take 1st exit left onto the N15 North heading for Donegal Town. Continue on N15 with 3rd exit at Erne roundabout in Ballyshannon, on the N15 going towards to Donegal Town. Hard shoulder all the way. 2nd exit at Tullyearl roundabout heading towards Ballybofey/Derry. At the next roundabout (Drumlonagher) on the outskirts of Donegal, Lidl store on the left – go round the roundabout and head back the way you just came until you get to Laghy.
At Laghy follow the sign for Pettigo/Ballintra, (the old road to Ballyshannon) but at junction for Pettigo take the right fork for Ballintra and continue on this old road to the village of Ballintra. In the centre of Ballintra take a sharp right, between two houses, following the sign for Rossnowlagh. Cross the N15, extreme care at junction, onto the R231, continue into the seaside and surfing mecca of Rossnowlagh. Continue along the R231 back towards Ballyshannon, taking 2nd left at the small roundabout bringing you to the Erne roundabout where you take 2nd exit onto the N15 and back towards Bundoran. Continue on the N15, past Bundoran, Tullaghan and into Co Sligo.
Pass the road to Mullaghmore, on your right, and take the next left, narrow road with good surface, continue along this road passing over a beautiful bridge and setting until you come to a T junction, taking a left and continue all the way to Kinlough village. Through the village on the R280 for approx 1km, taking a right off the R280 onto the Moy road, (sign post for ‘Four Masters Bridge’) and continue for 1.5km before taking the first left to re-join the R280 on the outskirts of Bundoran. Continue under the bypass bridge and take the first right, slip road back onto the N15. Continue approx 1.8km to the Drumacrin roundabout, 1st exit left to Finner roundabout, 1st exit left to finish at Single Street filling station. Well done.
Need to hire a bike when you’re here to go cycling in Bundoran?
Check out the Bike Stop at East End!
For more on cycling in the area check out www.discoverbundoran.com/cycling
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