The best traffic-free bike rides around Jenkinstown Park

There are several no-traffic road cycling routes around Jenkinstown Park. This guide features 5 routes, including easy and moderate options, designed for a smooth road cycling experience away from heavy traffic.

The routes primarily utilize quiet roads and laneways with paved surfaces, ideal for road bikes. You'll encounter rolling country roads offering scenic views of hills and rivers, with a mix of broadleaf and coniferous trees, including magnificent stands of beech.

While many routes use quiet roads, the area around Jenkinstown Park is known for its network of low-traffic roads and laneways that provide a similar experience to dedicated paths for road cyclists. The North Kilkenny Cycle Loop is a great example, offering a significant portion of its 26 km on such roads.

The routes in this guide are generally easy to moderate. For instance, the Cloran Castle loop from Kilkenny is rated easy, covering 16 km with about 150 meters of elevation gain. More challenging moderate routes, like the Dominican Black Abbey, Kilkenny – View of River Nore loop, offer up to 535 meters of elevation over 42 km.

Yes, many of the routes around Jenkinstown Park are circular, allowing you to start and end at the same point. The North Kilkenny Cycle Loop is a notable circular route that includes Jenkinstown Park itself.

While cycling, you can enjoy views of the River Nore and the park's diverse trees, including magnificent beech stands. Jenkinstown Park also features a popular deer enclosure and a historic walled garden area. The wider North Kilkenny Cycle Loop passes by Dunmore Cave.

Yes, several routes will take you past historical points of interest. For example, the Kilkenny – Rothe House & Garden loop passes by Rothe House & Garden in Kilkenny. The park itself has historical elements, including St. Colman's Well and the Walled Garden, which commemorates Irish poet Thomas Moore.

Jenkinstown Park is very family-friendly, offering a safe environment with its quiet roads and amenities. The park has picnic facilities and a deer enclosure, making it a great destination for a family outing that can include an easy cycle ride on the surrounding low-traffic routes.

Jenkinstown Park has a dedicated car park, which is a convenient starting point for many of the cycling routes. Picnic facilities are also available near the car park.

Late spring is particularly beautiful when the park's beech trees create a spectacular carpet of bluebells. However, the rolling country roads and natural beauty make it enjoyable throughout the warmer months, offering stunning views of the countryside in all seasons.

The area is highly rated by the komoot community, with an average score of 3.8 stars. Reviewers often praise the quiet roads and laneways that offer a peaceful, no-traffic cycling experience, as well as the scenic views and natural beauty of the park and surrounding countryside.

While Jenkinstown Park itself has picnic facilities, for cafes or pubs, you would typically find options in nearby Kilkenny City, which is often incorporated into longer cycling loops like the Rothe House & Garden – View of River Nore loop.