Day 5. Monday Aug 11.
Athlone (Co Westmeath) to Mullingar (Co
Westmeath)
Distance (km): 126
Cycling Time: (hrs:min) 6:15
Average Speed (km/hr) 20
Total Ascent (m): 381
Average Heart Rate (bpm): 100
Cumulative Distance: 289 km
Cumulative Ascent: 1123 m
Punctures so far: 0
Overnighted in Athlone and so all ready to
set out at an early hour. Down to Athlone Bridge at 6:45 before morning traffic
got moving. Athlone Bridge is reknowned as determined stand in Cromwellian
(1641-1651) and Jacobite (1691) wars. That was a narrower older bridge but a
vital crossing over the Shannon. In 1844 it was modified (masonry) and widened
and now has 3 arches with the navigation arch on the western side….generally
referred to as the Roscommon side
although the western bank is well and truly in Co Westmeath.
Upstream from the bridge is the white
railway bridge built in 1850 with great circular piers. Up to 1930 it had a
lifting span which has since been altered
In 1767 the Shannon was fast flowing and
un-navigable at the bridge and a bypass canal was built on the western side
(similiar was done in Banagher and for the same reason). This lasted till 1840
when the Shannon was dredged , widened and made navigable. That bypass canal is
now derelict and partly filled in.
Athlone Castle originated in 13
th
century is one of the oldest on the Shannon and is still solid, functional and
useful. It was built to protect the river crossing. Its long turbulent history
ended in 1922 with the establishment of the Irish state. Up to 1970 it was held
by the Irish Army but is now in the hands of the Board of Works and is a
national monument. It's open tothe public and contains exhibitions dealing with
the Siege of Athlone, John McCormack and also one dealing with the flora and fauna
of the Shannon. Flood prevention works are being carried out in this locality
at present.
Just past Custume Barracks I swung to the
right on the N61 heading for Roscommon. As traffic was building up along this
foggy road I was fortunate to have a broad shoulder to myself. This road is
well back from Lough Ree and I didn’t have a glimpse of the lake till I reached
the top (approx 40 km).
Lough Ree is the fifth largest lake in
Ireland covering 40 square miles, measuring 28km from top to bottom and varying
between 10 and 2 km in width. Its depths vary a great deal and much like Lough
Derg it’s shallower at the top (3m approx) and deeper towards the lower end.
After 20 km I came to Lecarrow and Lecarrow
Harbour nearby. Lecarrow Canal (2.5 km) opened in 1794 to transport local goods
(corn and flax) to Athlone. A corn mill still stands just beside the
harbour. In 1840 it was modernised to transport stone from a local quarry for the
building of the bridge, weir and quay in Athlone. In addition, potters clay was
sent from here to Beleek in Fermanagh. Like all the canals it fell into disuse
with the advent of the railways. In 1966 it was dredged and opened for cruising
development and proves a popular and sheltered spot for craft.
Just after Knockcroghery at a bad bend I
turned right off the N61 onto a local road through Kilteevan heading for the
top of the lake. Cycling along here was so peaceful and relaxing after that
foggy busy road. It was very low-lying with bogland on both sides and I stopped
a number of times to capture the cobwebs on the bushes. Speaking to others at
the end of the day they stated that particular area is noted for that
phenomenon.
As I approached Ballyleague/Lanesboro I got
my first glimpse of Lough Ree (The Lake of the Kings) off to the right. I would
have liked to cycle along lakeside but the Roscommon shore is low and of
irregular margins, much like Lough Derg and the Shannon in the midlands.
I
approached Lanesboro (Co Longford, but no Welcome sign) across its six arched
bridge and a fixed navigation span on the Ballyleague (Roscommon) side. Till
1980 this was a lifting span on this crossing from Connaught to Leinster.
I consumed my RBW (roll, banana, water)
breakfast outside a restaurant that might possibly bring threatening flashbacks
to some.
From Lanesboro I’d planned to cycle on
eastwards to Killashee on the N63 but (untypically !) I followed the wrong road
(R392 to Ballymahon) . Nice surface and I sailed gaily along before realising
my error at Derraghan crossroads. Rerouting to Killashee entailed an extra 10
km to the days distance. No point in panicking; just grin and bear it.
From Kilashee it was a flat ride through
areas of turf production till I reached Cloondara on the Shannon after 65 km
and elevation now was 42m ASL i.e. just
a 12m lift since Limerick and most of that fall occurs from O Briens Bridge to
Annacotty .
Cloondara is the point where the Royal Canal
meets the Shannon; or rather it meets the Camlin River just a short distance
short of the main waterway. Cloondara is a major turning point on my journey as
I’ll now follow the Royal Canal all the
way to Dublin.
Richmond Harbour in Cloondara is a popular
spot for those exploring and enjoying Ireland’s waterways. I spoke to a Na
Fianna (Glasnevin) man there who divides his time between living in Killaloe
and cruising on the Shannon.
The Royal Canal was originally built for
freight and passenger transportation. Work started in 1790 in Phibsborough
(Dublin) and completed 27 years later in 1817 with a total cost of £1.5 million,
unexpectedly expensive as a result of bankruptcy problems and rerouting (Dublin
to Maynooth) to satisfy new investors. It stretches for 146 km from Cloondara
to Spencer Dock in Dublin after passing through Mullingar, Enfield, Maynooth
and along by Mountjoy Prison (‘The Auld Triangle’) on the way.
As rail traffic increased the canal fell
into misuse but had a brief resurgence during World War 2 when horses and
barges returned to the canal. In the mid 1970’s efforts were undertaken to
reopen and save the canal and by 1990 the canal was again navigable from Dublin
to Mullingar (74 km) and in Oct 2010 the whole length of the canal was formally
reopened.
So my next stage started out from Lock 46
where the Royal meets the Camlin and now I’d be cycling waterside for some
time.
The Royal Canal Way lay ahead of me, a 146
km cycle/walkway that follows the towpath and will eventually form the eastern
end of the Dublin-Galway Greenway.
As I cycled along mid-morning I had a sense
of deja-vu. Couldn’t quite recall for a while then I saw the similarity with
cycling along the Danube Cycleway (2014) though the width of the watercourses
didn’t correspond.
My target for today was to get to Mullingar
(61km) along these paths. Surfaces were varied but always pleasant. At times it
was perfect tarmac, then fine packed gravel and always in good condition.
Occasionally I cycled on Shared Space but
traffic was never a problem. These stretches were just access to houses or
farmland.
I never had the distraction of towns or
villages but the various locks acted as attractions. In all I passed 20 of them
always with the higher level being ahead of me. Sometimes locks were far apart
but Locks 32 to 26 all came within a few kilometres as the canal rose to its
highest point. Each lock had its lock-keepers house but never any action about,
but notices asking users to abide by lock etiquette – depart with the
breast-gate closed and the tail-gate open.
After 8 km I came to the point where a spur
of the canal was heading off on a 8km stretch to Longford town. This spur is
now overgrown and un-navigable but a cycle track into Longford still runs
alongside.
In 2000 Waterways Ireland, a cross border
body charged with administering Ireland's inland navigations. They were to be
seen so many places along my trip. I met quite a few dredges clearing growth
from the main channel. Others were replacing lockside docks as I passed. And
all along an excellent surface, great signage as to which side of the canal to
proceed on and newly erected access gates.
I didn’t see any boat activity on today's
journey along the canal apart from those dredging. I did see a few fishermen
out patiently and silently waiting for the bite. It would be coarse fishing of
course and all perch, pike, tench, roach and carp to be returned.
The original bridges over the canal are
beautiful pieces of architecture with some of them making pleasing reflections
in the still water. Many of them are just about 8 feet wide as was sufficient
at the time and each with its own name. I was pleased to come across Walsh’s
Bridge along the way…it was a narrow one too.
Along by the canal bank was an endless
growth of Broadleaf Cattail or we might refer to them as bulrushes, at times
towering above my head. In front of many canal-side houses were large
stands of Large Flowered Evening Primrose brightening the surroundings.
I halted at Abbeyshrule for my RBW lunch by
the lockside. Quite a few planes passed overhead to the nearby airfield just
down the road
Originally there was one main feeder (of
water) to the canal from Lough Owel which enters the canal at Mullingar along
its highest stretch. But presently water is being pumped in from a number of
rivers along its course. Just after Abbeyshrule as the canal passes high over
the Inny River along an aqueduct two pipes were vigorously pumping water into
the canal to maintain levels.
For most of today's trip along the Royal
Canal Way, the canal just sat on the landscape contained between its banks.
Towards the end it was a case of the canal being dug into the ground with
higher banks on either side. It was along here that locks came in quick
succession.
In time just as I expected around the 60 km
mark the buildings of Mullingar appeared ahead marking the terminus of my
circuit. It had been a flat ride but I had very gradually lifted 50 m over the
61 km since Cloondara.
Now it was the little task of getting back
to the car (and accommodation) in Athlone. Luckily there is a 42 km Old Rail
Trail from Mullingar to Athlone so I didn’t have to contend with directions or
with traffic. Perfect tarmac all the way and the old stations have been
preserved beautifully. Back in Athlone at 6pm after a total distance today of
172 km at 21 km/hr and average heart rate of 114 bpm. A good day on the bike.
Thank God for the health and thank God for
the energy.
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