Great Western Greenway

Great Western Greenway
Length 42 km (26 mi)
Location County Mayo, Ireland
Trailheads Westport, Achill
Use Cycling and Walking
Hiking details
Season Any
Surface Tarmac / gravel
Website http://www.greenway.ie/

The Great Western Greenway (Irish: Bealach Mór an Iarthair) is a greenway rail trail in County Mayo, Ireland. It is 42 kilometres (26 miles) long and begins in Westport and ends in Achill, passing through the towns of Newport and Mulranny as it runs along the coast of Clew Bay.[1] It is an off-road trail intended for use by cyclists and walkers.[2] It follows the route of the former Achill extension of the Westport railway line, which was constructed in the 1890s and closed in 1937.[3] An estimated 300 people cycle and walk the trail each day, which was constructed at a cost of €5.7 million.[4] The first section, from Newport to Mulranny, was opened in April 2010.[5] It was named as the 2011 Irish winner of the European Destinations of Excellence award.[6] The full route was opened by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, T. D. and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, T. D., on 29 July 2011.[4]

After reconstruction of part of the N59 at Kilbride,[7] and completed in September 2013, a section of the greenway that originally shared space on the road with cars and other traffic, is now safely segregated. However, there remains a 1-mile (2-kilometre) section through Newport town where greenway users share road space with other traffic.

References

  1. ↑ "Trail Map". Great Western Greenway. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "Greenway". Great Western Greenway. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  3. ↑ "History". Great Western Greenway. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  4. 1 2 Shiel, Tom (30 July 2011). "Rail line becomes cycling track". The Irish Times (Dublin). Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  5. ↑ "Greenway funding is boost for Mayo tourism". Mayo Advertiser. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  6. ↑ "Western trail wins tourism award". RTÉ News. RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  7. ↑ "Minister Ring officially opens Kilbride section of the N59 Westport to Mulranny" (Press release). Retrieved 2015-12-28.

External links

See also

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