You could start this cycle from Midleton train station but on this occasion we parked our van at Bawnard Crossroads, the first crossroads beyond Ballinacurra on the R630 Midleton to Whitegate road. Our cycle was a 44km round trip and from the train station it would be 50km altogether.
Coming out of Midleton and past Ballinacurra on the R630, carefully take the right turn at the first crossroads onto the L3629 for East Ferry. This is a magical little road alongside the water and the section between East Ferry and Saleen ranks very high on our favourite cycling roads of all times! Take your time and enjoy it all. As you cycle this whole route, keep an eye out for little plaques with snippits of history and also information boards about the huge variety of wildlife in the area. The calls of the many seabirds will stay in your memory for a long time.
When you come out at Saleen, turn right out onto the R630 again. This is a busy, fast road but you won’t be on it for long and there is a narrow hard shoulder. To be fair, drivers gave us a wide berth. At the next crossroads just about 1km along the R630, take a careful right turn towards Rostellan Woods. This runs parallel to the main road and brings you out at Aghada – turn right for Whitegate. There is a path alongside the water and we cycled on that, courteously giving the very occasional pedestrian complete right of way. Aghada is a beautifully kept village with lovely Rosie’s Bar and a little Gala shop at the pier. We continued on to Whitegate before we stopped at the charming Corkbeg Coffee, right out on the water’s edge. There’s also a big Eurostar supermarket across the road.
As you leave Whitegate, the sign for Roches Point says 6km. It’s actually only a little more than 4km but there’s a bit of climbing to remind you why you’re delighted you have an electric bike! Headwinds are another factor to consider on this cycle, as is usual on coastal routes. As you climb and get close to Roches Point, the views of Cork Harbour are outstanding. Roches Point itself is a glorious spot with beautifully painted houses, a little green, and easy access to the rocks and water. We spent a very enjoyable hour there before we retraced our route with the wind behind us.
