I got back in the saddle last week to try something new. A few people have mentioned ‘The Greenway’ to me so I decided to have a look for myself. At 42km the Great Western Greenway, is the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland which follows the route of the Westport to Achill railway that closed in 1937. For all the details check out http://www.greenway.ie
We decided to pick up the trail in Newport, where we hired bikes and started pedaling slowly towards Mulranny. The trail is predominately flat and sheltered, making it manageable for even the most casual cyclist. The only obstacle we encountered was occasional rambling sheep. For anybody that only wants to cycle one way or not all stages, there’s an optional bus service that can pick you up at the end of the day and return you to the start.
A great way to explore the west of Ireland with fantastic views of the Nephin Beg mountain range and Clew Bay. Allegedly there are 365 islands in Clew Bay – I was too busy watching out for sheep to count them all.
Niamh on Leave 