The Open Road (Photo Thread)

[Donger]

Here's somewhere for you to post the sort of photos of the open road that have inspired you to hit the road and go exploring. Glorious ,winding mountain roads, roads to nowhere, gorgeous quiet country lanes etc. Think of @User9609's amazing shots of the Scottish Borders and you'll get what I mean. So come on, Cyclechatters..... Inspire us all to go exploring in 2017 by whetting our appetites. Show us your best open road shots that just beg you to get on your bikes.

I'll start the ball rolling with four of my own, then ....
(1) Above Lake Annecy:

(2) The coast road between the two Capes, Pas de Calais:

(3) The road to Treorchy from the Bwllch:

(4) On Raasay, with views to Skye:

Come on then. Let's see some of your best pictures of roads that just have to be ridden.

 

[Mrs M]

This is one of my regular roads, very different ridden in opposite directions

 

[tyred]

I've had a mixed 2016 in many ways but from a cycling point of view it was the best ever. Just some of the edited highlights of some wonderful tours and day trips in many remote places.


Malaidh Ghleann Gheis by braveheart1979, on Flickr

A seriously tough climb or terrifying descent depending on which direction you are going. Goes over the top of the Bluestack Mountains in south Co. Donegal to reach Glencolumbkille. Well worth the effort for the views from the top.


Port by braveheart1979, on Flickr

The road to nowhere, quite literally. This the end of the road from Glencolumbkille to An Port, a very remote fishing village abandoned in the 1840s. Now just ruins of houses but the road takes in incredible scenery and terminates with the small harbour and sea view in the above picture. Distance only about 15KM but it's a toughy and you will be facing the might of an Atlantic headwind. Practically traffic free apart from the occasional sea-kayaker or hiker.


Ballymastocker Strand by braveheart1979, on Flickr

The Fanad Head Peninsula coast road. A beautiful but often very tough coastal route, doesn't get the visitors or traffic of the more popular Inishowen peninsula "next door" but IMO is prettier and the route will also take you past the Fanad Head lighthouse which has been working since 17th March 1817 and is now open to the public (some of the time) and is a very informative tour and you get to climb the lighthouse tower which obviously has beautiful views.


Balintrillick Co. Sligo by braveheart1979, on Flickr


Gleniff Horseshoe valley by braveheart1979, on Flickr

I think one of Ireland's best kept secrets is the Leitrim/Sligo Border area (Yeats' Country). It always seems to be very quiet with few visitors apart from at the church where Yeats' is buried. In particular, the Gleniff Horse Shoe Valley is stunning.


Raleigh Twenty and Errigal by braveheart1979, on Flickr

This was on a short group ride with some friends, taken from side of what used to be the Letterkenny to Burtonport railway line near Gortahork/Cashelnagore. There is a maze of small roads in the Gortahork area and also a beautiful lake (Lough Altran). This is an area I need to explore more.


White Park Bay by braveheart1979, on Flickr


Descent into Cushendun by braveheart1979, on Flickr

Scenes from the Causeway Coastal route. This is well published and usually ridiculously busy. Best done out of the normal tourist periods. There are some stunning views but I think better is to be had elsewhere in the country.

Croagh Patrick by braveheart1979, on Flickr

The road to Murrisk at the base of Croagh Patrick in county Mayo. This is as far as I got down the west coast this year. At some point next year I plan on continuing from Westport and going further south along the coast.

Horn Head, Dunfanaghy, co. Donegal by braveheart1979, on Flickr

A relatively short (~9 mi) route around the stunning Horn Head in county Donegal.


Lough Salt by braveheart1979, on Flickr

The Lough Salt drive from Creeslough back into Letterkenny. Beautiful on a good day, it was also very nice when I did it on an extremely wet day! Some seriously tough climbing involved but worth it.

Glenamoy, Co. Mayo by braveheart1979, on Flickr

The Mayo Coast road. A beautiful place and I'd particularly recommend the Kilcommen Hostel/Camp site as a place to stay. Supposedly the most remote village in Ireland.

Fort Dunree, Co. Donegal by braveheart1979, on Flickr

The Inishowen 100 - a 100 mile signposted route around the Inishowen peninsula. I suppose it could be done in a day but really - take two days. It is very tough in places.


River FInn by braveheart1979, on Flickr

Not a road but a forest path in Drumboe woods. You could easily spend a day rambling around going nowhere in particular.

 

[albal]

Lakselv. Norway. Oops 2015.

 

[PeteXXX]

Harlech Beach, October 2015.

Not quite an 'open road', but does an 'open beach' count?

 

[gavgav]

2 from the foothills of Cader Idris. One of a road and one taken from a road.

My dad has a caravan up near there and my favourite cycling of 2016 has taken place in the surrounding areas.

Looking forward to more exploring up there in 2017 and hopefully a 2 day tour from home to the caravan with @Rickshaw Phil

 

[tyred]

[QUOTE 4600940, member: 9609"]That looks like wonderful cycling countryside @tyred I like your style of bikes too.[/QUOTE]
Thank you. It is nice countryside, mostly along the north west coast. The bikes are skip rescues though the Viscount and the multicoloured 80s mountain bike are much modified. I built the Viscount with modern off the peg wheels as it was cheaper and less hassle than trying to find original components and allowed the option of lower gearing. It now runs a 7 speed Shimano cassette hub with wide range cassette and gear components are a mix of Suntour, Shimano and Huret from my box of bits and pieces.

The MTB has no decals and I wasn't sure what it is but it was obviously a much better quality and much lighter frame than most of them were. A guy I met at a hostel when touring on it said it was a Tange tubed Muddy Fox from the mid 1980s. I have no reason to doubt him. It's built with an 8 speed Shimano hub gear which works really well and gives a great gear range.

 

[Cycleops]

The MTB has no decals and I wasn't sure what it is but it was obviously a much better quality and much lighter frame than most of them were. A guy I met at a hostel when touring on it said it was a Tange tubed Muddy Fox from the mid 1980s. I have no reason to doubt him. It's built with an 8 speed Shimano hub gear which works really well and gives a great gear range.

That was when Muddy Fox made decent quality bikes.

 

[gavroche]

Bideford

Capel Curig

Aix les Bains

 

[gavroche]

Cycle path towards Rhyl

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

(4) On Raasay, with views to Skye:
View attachment 154439

That one picture makes me want to jump on my bike NOW !

 

[Donger]

That one picture makes me want to jump on my bike NOW !

There's a regular Cal Mac ferry from Skye (Sconser, I seem to recall) that takes about 15 minutes to Raasay. When you get there, there is a hotel and a toilet near the slipway. After that you are on your own and all you will find is the open road and a few scattered crofters' cottages. There is a single road (I think it was called "Callum's Road" after the bloke who single-handedly built it) running from North to South, with views of the Cuillin Hills on Skye. I only remember one junction (see signpost below). At the North end of the road there is a ruined castle and views across the Inner Sound to the Applecross peninsular. Truly stunning. Go for it if you ever get the chance.

x

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I've got so many open road pictures it's hard to know where to start. I think the good ones have already been seen on other threads but never mind, here is a selection :

Where the call of the open road started for me. The view from this lane to the distant hills just stirred something that made me want to go and explore.......

....... and led me to places like this. The view from The Stiperstones towards the Long Mynd

Riding the hills of South Shropshire is good training for other big climbs. I ticked Hardknott and Wrynose passes off my list in 2013.

The open road isn't always that open. Taking a tour round the northern Lake District.

On the Mawddach Trail. Taken on the same ride as the pictures @gavgav posted upthread.

Something I like about my part of the world is that there are quite a few of these wide, practically empty roads if you know where to go.

 

[further]

Above Lake Annecy:

Hope you don't mind this is now my desktop wallpaper.

 

[rualexander]

Coast road on Mull

Approaching Pedraforca, Catalunya