Wicklow Way preparation - Stage 2.2

Well, it seems like my Wicklow Way preparation has been put aside for a while due to racing and holiday. So it was time to keep going and ride the next stage today. Since the weather is brilliant today the whole spin was even more enjoyable.

Just as I allways do, I did ride from the Marlay Park and covered the stage 1.1 - 1.2 and 2.1 as well but since there is a well detailed post up about them I will write only about the stage 2.2 this time. 

I have started the stage 2.2 from the bottom of Djouce Mountain just after Dargle river and got as far as Lough Tay. Once I've crossed the stone wall I had to climb up towards the peak of Djouce. 

This climb is a big opened climb but it is not a surprise 'cause over a certain hight in the Wicklow everything is like this. The erosion is significant on this climb and the trail that leads up is quiet tricky also. Most of the climb is steep enough but more managable on the grass.

This climb reaches the highest point of this stage on 626m. But before you get up there the trail gets quiet rough and I felt really remote for the first time during the Wicklow Way bike ride. I think the real "I am in the middle of nowhere..." feeling hit me there! :)

Today this section was lovely to ride but I can tell it now: if the weather kicks in and strong wind sweeps accross there, this section could be one on the toughest one so far.

After the single track climb I hit the board walks just before I got up to the highest point (which isn't the peak of Djouce). I like to ride on them for sure, so I was pretty happy to see the lenght of it! :) It was so much fun to cycle up and down of the kilometers long thing. But they also could be a nightmare to deal with on a rainy day...

Longest board walk I ever seen :)

Cool place, isn't it? :)

But the best part was still ahead of me: after all the fun on the board walks I got to the Lough Tay, possibly the most beautyful place in the Wicklow. The view was amazing! Normally I don't stop for looking around for long but this time I just could leave! Amazing! :)

From the view point it is only couple of minutes before I have reached the tarmac road R795 that leads up to Sally Gap. But I was under a bit of a pressure to get home in time so I decided to head back home on the road through Enniskerry.

General information on the terrain:

• tarmac road
• singletrack with grass
• technical singletrack with rocks
• significant level of erosion at some places
• board walks

Difficulties:

• some of the climbs are technical enough because of the erosion
• the board walks are narrow and could be slippery
• there are many steps when you ride on the board walks

Graph of the Wicklow Way from Marlay Park to Lough Tay

Some interesting datas of the day: 

I have covered the first 30 km of the Wicklow Way under 2 hours and 30 minutes. The whole spin was 70 km long and it took me 4 hours. The total elevation was 1500m and I' ve burned over 2000 kcal today. 

Todays spin was fantastic, I really enjoy the fact the Wicklow Way just gets better and better every time I ride deeper into the mountains. The weather was sunny and warm, it is lovely to feel a bit of a summer! :)