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Fitness & Health

20th Sep 2017

One of the most exhilarating activities in Ireland is just a few miles from Dublin city centre

On yer bike.

Conor Heneghan

outdoor pursuits

There are few nicer places to spend a pleasant morning in Dublin than in Ticknock, located in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains.

As the crow flies, it’s a little over 10km from Dublin city centre, but it might as well be 100km away such is the contrast between the peaceful surroundings of the forest and the hustle and bustle of life down below.

Looking down on Leopardstown Racecourse and with one of the best views of the city around (you can see as far as Wales on a clear day), it was in Ticknock where I tried downhill mountain biking in Ireland for the first time earlier this month.

My interest in the activity was piqued by a recent visit to Whistler in Canada, described by my friendly and very helpful guide at Ticknock, Richie O’Brien from Biking.ie, as the “Mecca of mountain biking”.

The host town for a series of events at the Vancouver Winter Olympics as recently as 2010, Whistler is a haven for adrenaline seekers and its famous mountain bike park is home to 1,500 metres of lift-serviced descending trails.

Surely Ticknock had no chance of matching up?

By mid-afternoon on the day of my visit, I had been very pleasantly surprised on that score.

The Ticknock trails, I soon learned, are a regular practise ground for Greg Callaghan, a leading Irish professional mountain biker and a member of the Cube Action Team.

Greg is currently ranked in third place in the 2017 EWS (Enduro World Series) Rankings.

Biking.ie has, in fact, been hosting the Emerald Enduro, an official EWS event, since 2015 at Carrick in Wicklow, with Callaghan emerging victorious at the inaugural event in 2015, winning again in 2016 and finishing 10th in 2017.

Thanks to hosting such prestigious events in recent years, Ireland has put itself on the map as an internationally-renowned mountain biking destination.

“We’re right up there now,” says Richie, who hails from nearby Kilternan and works full-time for Biking.ie, having first become involved on a part-time basis while he was in college.

“The Enduro World Series showcases the best trails in the world and Ireland is now being compared to the French Alps, Whistler in Canada and the Rockies in the US.

“The world’s top riders all love it here, especially the Irish crowds. If you asked me five, six years ago, I wouldn’t have thought we could ever compete with the likes of those venues.”

My experience in a 90-minute outing with Richie is a little more sedate than what Greg and his world-class peers would be used to, but it’s more than enough to get the adrenaline pumping.

Bikers are obliged to have their hands on both brakes ready to squeeze at all times, and they’re needed to help negotiate trails that take you around tight corners, through narrow gaps in trees and over drops onto rocks that bring the bikes’ impressive suspension system into play.

Clip via visitdublin

There’s not too much pedalling to be done once you’ve made it to the top of a trail and are ready to descend, but considering you spend most of the time with your arse out of the saddle, it can take it out of you physically, as well as requiring a lot of mental concentration.

The bikes are well able to cope with anything the trails will throw at you, so it’s up to the person behind the wheel to decide the velocity at which they allow themselves to hurtle towards the bottom; if you’re willing and able, you can work up quite a speed.

As an extreme sport, an element of risk comes with the territory, but it’s not as if anyone wanting to get involved in Ireland has to throw themselves in at the deep end straight away.

“There are a number of beginner friendly trail centres in Ireland such as Ballinastoe in Wicklow,” says Richie.

“There is a beginner loop which helps build confidence for all levels. Also, if you get the basics right, and have a reliable mountain bike, it becomes easier and ultimately safer.

“As you saw for yourself there though, things can get pretty hairy at times too.”

Biking.ie has been in existence since 2007, having been founded by Niall Davis and Tarja Owens, who both represented Ireland in downhill and cross country disciplines.

Having started out offering lessons and renting bikes out the back of a van, Biking.ie now has two established locations in Ticknock (Dublin) and Ballinastoe (Wicklow, pictured below), where they rent bikes and provide lessons for riders of all levels.

As well as that, they organise biking tours, host corporate days, stags, hens, provide advice on mountain biking holidays and run biking camps for school kids during the holidays.

Richie himself caught the mountain biking bug before he entered his teenage years and now he gets his kicks from seeing others, previously uninitiated in the world of mountain biking, develop a similar grá for the sport.

“These days I love instructing people and coaching, getting them out into the mountains, seeing how they love it more and more,” he says.

“I get such a buzz from it. There’s something special the mountains bring out in people.”

Asked to identify his favourite trail in Ireland, Richie selects Ballinastoe, Ireland’s first trail centre, because “it never fails to leave a lasting impression on whoever rides there” and because it is home to some of the best views in Ireland.

Ballinastoe Mountain Bike Trails from Biking.ie on Vimeo.

There are plenty of alternatives throughout the country, however, for those not within close proximity of the capital.

Derroura in Connemara, with breath-taking views of Lough Corrib and the Twelve Pins mountain range, is another favourite of Richie’s.

Coillte have 13 dedicated cycling sites around Ireland, including Ballyhoura Trail Centre near the Cork border in Limerick, the largest mountain bike trail network of its kind in Ireland.

Up north, meanwhile, there are trails in Rostrevor and Castlewellan in Down and in Davagh Forest in Tyrone to name but a few.

Richie credits the Bike to Work scheme with having a huge effect on the noticeable increase in popularity of cycling in recent years, which, in turn, has impacted positively on the number of people trying mountain biking for the first time.

The international success of Greg Callaghan and his cousin, Killian Callaghan, crowned the 2017 Under-21 Enduro World Series World Champion in Whistler only last month, has also had a significant influence.

Laps with a big crew so good! Few clips off @petertistaken telly that boss is living the dream!

A post shared by Killian Callaghan (@killiancallaghan) on

A very basic level of fitness, he says, is sufficient enough to try mountain biking and enjoy it and as for the expense, it’s like most hobbies and pursuits, the more serious you are about it, the more money you’re likely to spend.

“I wouldn’t say (it’s expensive),” Richie says.

“If you’re starting out, you don’t need to buy the best bike. Sport can be expensive; even if you want to take up running, you need to invest in good running shoes, which can be costly.

“It always depends on what you’re willing to spend. Like anything, the bikes and parts that last the longest are usually a bit pricier.”

With the Ticknock trails completed and a promise made to travel to Ballinastoe to experience a three-hour ride at a later date, I ask Richie how he would sell the experience to an audience keen to try a new activity but who might not have stepped onto a bike in years.

“I would say to someone who is thinking about it, or has an open mind to try something new, to expand their idea of what Dublin and Wicklow can offer, to go on an adventure and experience something truly unique.”

For more information on mountain biking trails in Ticknock and Ballinastoe, check out Biking.ie.

For more information on cycling trails in Ireland, check out the Coillte website.

Topics:

Cycling,Fitness