Tips for a visitor

[jramala]

Hi


I may be visiting Ireland and Dublin in August 2008. I come from Finland and would like to have some tips for hiring a mountain bike and getting there where the trail begins. After I've got the bike and there is some nice single track in front of me I'm set to go ;-)


So, any advice on hiring a bike and good tips of great place to ride?


Br, Juha

[diamondG]

Hi Juha,


below is a thread that might be of interest to you.

The most important thing being that the trails in Ireland are not marked out, so you'll need a guide out with you.

Let us know when you're over and we can arrange to bring you out.


What's Finland like for trails, is it worth a visit?


I don't know of any places to hire mtbs in Dublin, I have heard a rumour that somewhere in Wicklow (close to Dublin, and has very nice trails) hires them out, but not sure.

Morgan, Ollie, did one of you mention this before?


Graham

[diamondG]

here's the thread I was talking about, someone else thinking of visiting...


http://www.madmtb.com/wordpress/bbpress/topic.php?id=91&replies=12

[ryan]

Cycleways (www.cycleways.com) hires bikes out. You can even get very very nice bikes out as a demo. Costs about 30e per day and you have to have a Credit Card that they swipe for the cost of the bike. (In case you steal it!)

[jramala]

Thanks for the advice and offer. Now I just have to convince my wife that Dublin it is for this summer holiday ;-) And get low cost tickets from Ryanair. They fly directly from my hometown (Tampere) to Dublin so it would be perfect..


Well, Finland has lots of trails. In Lapland the hills are of course bigger and local ski centres are developing their summer activities. See http://www.levi.fi/pages/index.php?id=1015&language=eng_sum, http://www.bikepark.fi/ In these kind of places the trails are marked.


In general almost everywhere in Finland you can find ridges (eskars?) which go back to ice age and they usually are quite popular recreational areas. This of course means excellent trails in pine tree forests with challenging roots and rocks. These kind of places you need some local knowledge but it would not be hard to find some local enthusiasts who are willing to guide. A good place to start asking would be http://www.fillarifoorumi.fi/ (it's in Finnish but pick for example the first thread and politely ask for more =)


National parks offer guided trails but sadly quite often they don't allow biking. http://www.luontoon.fi/page.asp?Section=100


And of course in June http://www.tahkomtb.fi/index?page=14.


So, Finland is worth visiting, trails may not be as exotic as in Alps or California but in summer time the sun does not set and you can cycle throughout the night..


And if you're coming to Tampere, I can take you out =)


- Juha