Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: PeeBee on June 13, 2012
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Just an update on my trip - I couldn't get booked into Delamont so I changed my itenarary.
I left East Belfast on Saturday morning in sunny weather, down to Lagan Lookout and then along the Lagan and Lough Cycleway to Lisburn Union Locks then took the Route 9 to Kinego Marina and stayed there for two nights.
On the Sunday I went down to Scarva and back through the Craigavon Cycleway and Newry Canal (it was grey, cold & blustery). On the Monday I returned to Belfast except I went along the bits of the Lagan Canal at Aghagallon and from Aghalee along Broadwater to Moira Station and I then took the train to Lisburn as I wanted to try out using the train with the bike (it's free for the bike and also for me as I'm 61!). The weather was great, sunny and warm but not too hot. A total of 101 miles over the three days.
I was going to stay 3 nights at Kinego but the weather forecast was bad for the Tuesday.
This trip was a try-out for me and my gear. My little Gelert Solo tent was fine if a trifle cramped. The total 'pack' on my bike was 15kg with rear panniers and a front handlebar pannier. I didn't take cooking gear as I prefer to buy a hot meal at sometime during the day.
Kinego was fine with good facilities but was bit noisy as the people using the Teepees carried on partying until after one in the morning.
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That sounds like some trip indeed. I've only walked and cycled the Lagan Tow Path between Sprucefiled and Stranmillis. Both means enjoyable.
It would appear you are a seasoned cyclist. Have you cycle-camped before locally? Also what kit do you use, we love kit lists?
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Hi,
I've only taken up cycling again in the last few months, mainly to get/keep fit. I used to do a lot of road cycling and 'tracking' (as we used to call it) in my early days on 'racing' and home made bikes (with 'knobbly' .
I fancied doing some cycling/camping trips so I bought all the gear - mostly off eBay except for the lightweight sleeping bag and 'self-inflating' sleeping mat from Decathlon. The Gelert Solo tent was as new - used only once. I didn't want to spend too much money on a bike so bought the best 'mass-produced' bike I could and settled on a Carrera Crossfire hybrid bike from Halfords and it seems to do the trick (there was a good review in Mountain Biking of the Carrera Vulcan - the mountain bike equivalent).
I'm looking forward to doing day trips and some more two/three day trips.