Wild Atlantic Way. Bad Roads

[Sonas]

Hi all
Just back from the Wild Atlantic way on Irelands west coast. Beautiful scenery, friendly people. Campsites varying from fair to reasonably good, but quite expensive. But the roads are a disgrace. Its well signposted but the rebranding by the marketeers while a great success, I find that the road condition really lets it down. Dangerous in many places, and I shudder to think what unseen damage has been caused to our 8 month old Cali. I think I would hire a van the next time, the pain of the constant bumps and potholes was too much to bare sometimes.
Just rebranding this beautiful coastline is one thing, and very successful, but why not finish the job and fix the roads. The locals aren't happy either, naming the N59 "An Bothar Bocht"( the poor road) on posters all along the route. The speed limit is also 100kph... just crazy!!! Enjoy the scenery but slow down and be careful of your lovely cali.

Sonas

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Horrendous for cyclists! Very dangerous.

 

[DaNish]

Hi all
Just back from the Wild Atlantic way on Irelands west coast. Beautiful scenery, friendly people. Campsites varying from fair to reasonably good, but quite expensive. But the roads are a disgrace. Its well signposted but the rebranding by the marketeers while a great success, I find that the road condition really lets it down. Dangerous in many places, and I shudder to think what unseen damage has been caused to our 8 month old Cali. I think I would hire a van the next time, the pain of the constant bumps and potholes was too much to bare sometimes.
Just rebranding this beautiful coastline is one thing, and very successful, but why not finish the job and fix the roads. The locals aren't happy either, naming the N59 "An Bothar Bocht"( the poor road) on posters all along the route. The speed limit is also 100kph... just crazy!!! Enjoy the scenery but slow down and be careful of your lovely cali.

Sonas

I actually find the roads one of the things I really like on the Wild Atlatic Way and in Ireland in general. I find it much more entertaining to drive where the driver actually makes a difference and not just slumber along on roads built for far higher speeds than allowed. But yes, it gives more wear and tear on the car.

 

[Sonas]

I actually find the roads one of the things I really like on the Wild Atlatic Way and in Ireland in general. I find it much more entertaining to drive where the driver actually makes a difference and not just slumber along on roads built for far higher speeds than allowed. But yes, it gives more wear and tear on the car.

The driver is forced to make a difference on these roads, otherwise you're in trouble. I personally find it painful having spent all that money on my van, and then facing dodging potholes and sometimes slowing down to a stop so as to avoid busting up my van. I think its such a shame given that the coastline is awesomely beautiful, but I don't think I will be back because of the terrible state of the roads.

 

[Meoncoast]

Part of the charm in my view.

 

[Eber123]

Hello,

major roads and motorways are great in Ireland. But I agree small country roads can be challenging (not only at the Wilde Atlantic Way).

I've learned the hard way not to trust a puddle on the side of the road. It could be a just a puddle or a a 30 cm deep hole... If not taken care car / van suspension could be under real pressure, tyres can be damaged as well as cars (I've seen it).
I think the secret to it is - to accept it. Slow down, think ahead, think for other road users (human and animals) and enjoy the adventure of travelling. I love to "crawl" around with my van in places I didn't know they existed before.
Because of this I really plan to go to Scandinavia in 2 years (my van is a front wheel drive only). The roads there can't be worse than Irish country roads.

Also an issue can be fellow drivers. Country roads, just a wide as a van, can have a speed limit of 80 km/h. The problem is that people drive 80 km/h on these roads. This puzzles me most. Not only that a normal car could be around the corner, but there could be a tractor, truck or god knows what. But don't fear - it'll be grand.

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[DaNish]

I love to "crawl" around with my van in places I didn't know they existed before.
Because of this I really plan to go to Scandinavia in 2 years (my van is a front wheel drive only). The roads there can't be worse than Irish country roads.

Regards,
Eberhard

Do not worry about scandinavian roads and 2WD. You will have to search very carefully to find any road in Denmark, Sweden or Norway that takes more skill to navigate than the irish minor roads. But you will enjoy a lot less people and traffic especially when you get up north. And as in Ireland some beautiful scenery (but fewer pubs). But even the gravel roads has less bumps and holes than the irish roads.

 

[Eber123]

Good evening,

I took just two photos on the way home:





The trees up the little hill is like a tunnel and really prevent a good view ahead. The problem is that there is only little traffic, which tempts people to just "let it go".

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[Eber123]

Do not worry about scandinavian roads and 2WD. You will have to search very carefully to find any road in Denmark, Sweden or Norway that takes more skill to navigate than the irish minor roads. But you will enjoy a lot less people and traffic especially when you get up north. And as in Ireland some beautiful scenery (but fewer pubs). But even the gravel roads has less bumps and holes than the irish roads.

Thank you for the comment - that is what I wanted to hear. My hearth is in a journey to Scandinavia, but had my doubts. Especially as I got stock on very short (but wet) grass. It seems that everybody who travels up north prepares for an expedition (4x4, off road tires, jerry cans of diesel, water and I don't know what).

All this is wonderful, but to prepare the van like this is a bit too expensive for me.

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[bigmac77]

Thank you for the comment - that is what I wanted to hear. My hearth is in a journey to Scandinavia, but had my doubts. Especially as I got stock on very short (but wet) grass. It seems that everybody who travels up north prepares for an expedition (4x4, off road tires, jerry cans of diesel, water and I don't know what).

All this is wonderful, but to prepare the van like this is a bit too expensive for me.

Regards,
Eberhard

Read Amarillo’s blog, he went all over Scandinavia in a 2wd Cali.

 

[Amarillo]

Read Amarillo’s blog, he went all over Scandinavia in a 2wd Cali.

Scariest moment was in Finland, and the long drive from the Norwegian border to Rovaniemi. I hadn’t heeded the advice of @WelshGas which was to refuel early - we drove with the MFD ticking down from a range of 300 Km to zero and showing zero range for 20Km before we found an open fuel station.

Roads were good and well maintained. No special precautions necessary for summer motoring in Scandinavia and Finland.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[RodCouncil]

Sweden is fine on 2WD but you need winter tyres from Nov to April

 

[Eber123]

Read Amarillo’s blog, he went all over Scandinavia in a 2wd Cali.

Thank you for the advice l will have a n look at the blog.

Thank you Amarillo for the information. Around home and driving on small Irish country roads I get about 950 km out of a tank filling. I was hoping that even in Scandinavia there is a petrol station at least every 900 km.

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[WelshGas]

Thank you for the advice l will have a n look at the blog.

Thank you Amarillo for the information. Around home and driving on small Irish country roads I get about 950 km out of a tank filling. I was hoping that even in Scandinavia there is a petrol station at least every 900 km.

Regards,
Eberhard

There is, But when I was travelling the Garage I’d called into after having covered 450 miles, about 720+ Km, had a computer failure and was closed for fuel. Next garage was about 75 miles away ( 150 km ) and there was some doubt as to whether it was open .

So my advice is don’t run the tank too low. When up north I usually fill up after halfway on the gauge, but I don’t go looking for a station off my route.

 

[Amarillo]

Thank you for the advice l will have a n look at the blog.

Thank you Amarillo for the information. Around home and driving on small Irish country roads I get about 950 km out of a tank filling. I was hoping that even in Scandinavia there is a petrol station at least every 900 km.

900 Km on a full tank is realistic. But you don’t start thinking about refuelling a full tank. I usually start thinking about it at a quarter tank - 225 Km, and there may be 225 Km (140 miles) between open filling stations in remote parts of Scandinavia and Finland.

Better to do as @WelshGas suggests and start looking at 1/2 tank.



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Scaliwag]

Good evening,

I took just two photos on the way home:

View attachment 36876

View attachment 36877

The trees up the little hill is like a tunnel and really prevent a good view ahead. The problem is that there is only little traffic, which tempts people to just "let it go".

Regards,
Eberhard

They're grand roads!

 

[Eber123]

They're grand roads!

Thank you.

Just ~30 km away from Dublin and it feels as it is in another world. Well, Kildare is a bit another...

Eberhard

 

[EddieEagle]

I found the roads absolutely terrible, in places. Like farm tracks but the point of going there was for the scenery and the craic so not a problem, just went slowly when necessary.
I would, however, like to apologise to the locals. Few and far between but boy oh boy do they go fast, esp the Mummys on the school run. I must have made a few late for to pick up little Patrick whilst enjoying dawdling along like a tourist.

 

[Eber123]

Ed, I agree. The speed limit on the road in the pictures above is 80 km! 80 km/h! I won't get my head around this.

Even if a normal car is coming towards me we just manage to pass. Sometimes there is the school bus (!) or a tractor. Then definitely there is no room.

The next time the local counsellors coming for canvassing I try to point this out. For my opinion on most of these small roads 60 km/h max is enough, some even 50 km/h.

Sometimes it feels to me that the drivers won't see this as a speed limit then as a challenge to drive 80 km/h.

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[CALI FATE]

Hi all
Just back from the Wild Atlantic way on Irelands west coast. Beautiful scenery, friendly people. Campsites varying from fair to reasonably good, but quite expensive. But the roads are a disgrace. Its well signposted but the rebranding by the marketeers while a great success, I find that the road condition really lets it down. Dangerous in many places, and I shudder to think what unseen damage has been caused to our 8 month old Cali. I think I would hire a van the next time, the pain of the constant bumps and potholes was too much to bare sometimes.
Just rebranding this beautiful coastline is one thing, and very successful, but why not finish the job and fix the roads. The locals aren't happy either, naming the N59 "An Bothar Bocht"( the poor road) on posters all along the route. The speed limit is also 100kph... just crazy!!! Enjoy the scenery but slow down and be careful of your lovely cali.

Sonas

What unseen damage do you envisage ? - the van will cope with a bumpy road without causing itself damage

 

[Deskman]

I couldn't care less...

Nobody is driving 80km/h on these roads. And I appreciate very much that not every country/county is offering 4-lane highways to the tourists' highlights. And our (by then) 16 year old converted T4 was very well capable of keeping itself in one piece.

 

[Scaliwag]

Like anywhere in the world, these are limits and not targets.
It's always incumbent on the road users to to exercise care & attention appropriate to the road & weather conditions and also time of day. The speed limit signs in Ireland are designated as to the category of road (I assume its similar everywhere) but a lot of rural roads here in Ireland, despite the category, are smaller & sometimes in quite poor condition. What makes these roads dangerous & damaging in excessive speed.
I all my years of driving, all around Ireland, I've only ever once clipped my wing mirror off another car's wing mirror & I can definitely say that we were both travelling too fast at the time.
The rural, country roads in Ireland do add charm and authenticity to the land. Yes the roads need some improvement but I would dread seeing them all upgraded to highways & motorways.

 

[Deskman]

And for us continentals, those single tracks are easier to drive than driving leftish...

 

[Sonas]

What unseen damage do you envisage ? - the van will cope with a bumpy road without causing itself damage

Tyre damage. Suspension etc. I’d rather hire a van next time.
As well as danger to life.

 

[Sonas]

Like anywhere in the world, these are limits and not targets.
It's always incumbent on the road users to to exercise care & attention appropriate to the road & weather conditions and also time of day. The speed limit signs in Ireland are designated as to the category of road (I assume its similar everywhere) but a lot of rural roads here in Ireland, despite the category, are smaller & sometimes in quite poor condition. What makes these roads dangerous & damaging in excessive speed.
I all my years of driving, all around Ireland, I've only ever once clipped my wing mirror off another car's wing mirror & I can definitely say that we were both travelling too fast at the time.
The rural, country roads in Ireland do add charm and authenticity to the land. Yes the roads need some improvement but I would dread seeing them all upgraded to highways & motorways.

Not suggesting upgrading to motorways but resurfacing the roads would be a start. There’s nothing charming about potholes.

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