Carlow Cycling Club Summer Sportive

Each July, Carlow Cycling Club sends riders out through some of the finest road cycling terrain in Leinster. The Summer Sportive is a mass-participation event - not a race - which means you ride your own pace, take in the scenery, and arrive back at the finish with legs well used and no finishing order to worry about. With route options ranging from a manageable 40km to a full 120km-plus challenge, it suits a wide spread of cyclists: the leisurely Sunday rider who wants a structured day out, the commuter trying their first organised event, and the club-level enthusiast keen on a solid summer effort through the Blackstairs foothills.

What to expect

The routes roll south and east from Carlow Town through the Barrow Valley, following the course of the River Barrow before climbing into the Blackstairs Mountains. The Barrow Valley section is largely flat and peaceful, with good road surfaces and views across the flood plains that give way to wooded riverbanks. As the routes push further south, the land rises sharply into the Blackstairs range - Mount Leinster at 795 metres sits at the heart of this area, and the shorter route keeps to its lower slopes while the longer option ventures deeper into the hills. Marshals are positioned at key junctions throughout, and the longer routes include feed stations where you can top up on water and fuel. Route maps and GPX files are published on the club website before the event so you can load them onto a cycling computer in advance. Registration and the start are both in Carlow Town Centre, making logistics straightforward.

Getting there

Carlow Town is easily reached by road from Dublin via the M9 motorway (roughly 85km, about an hour), and from Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow by the regional road network. The town is also well-served by Irish Rail, with regular services on the Dublin Heuston to Waterford line stopping at Carlow station, a short walk from the town centre. Parking is available in the main town centre car parks off Dublin Street and Potato Market. The club’s website will publish the confirmed gathering point ahead of the event.

While you’re in Carlow

Carlow Town makes a good base for the day - the Medieval Mile around the town centre, the Carlow County Museum, and the River Barrow towpath are all within easy reach once you’ve finished cycling. There is more to see in Carlow and across Co. Carlow.

Good to know

• Date: Sunday 19 July 2026, starting at 8:00am
• Price: From €10 (entry covers route maps, marshalling and feed stations on longer routes)
• Routes: Short (40km), medium (80km) and long (120km+) options
• Register and check details: carlowcyclingclub.ie
• Helmets are mandatory and your bike must be road-worthy
• This is a sportive, not a race - riders set their own pace