One of the most picturesque cliff walks on the east coast will officially reopen today following the completion of remedial works aimed at saving the cliff from slipping into the sea.
The five-kilometre Bray to Greystones cliff walk, which attracts thousands of walkers to north Wicklow, was recently declared a no-go area by Wicklow County Council due to erosion to a narrow pathway on the southern slopes of Bray Head.
The local authority has since acquired land from a local farmer, which enabled it to move the path several metres away from the coast. Drainage and a new hard-core topping is also being installed on the walkway as part of a €140,000 works programme, funded by the Department of the Environment.
A lobby group, Friends of the Cliff Walk, has campaigned for the improvements. More than 200 people turned up at a recent meeting on the subject, according to Greystones councillor George Jones (FG).
"There is a great deal of passion about the walk locally. People realised the value of it. There is probably nothing on the east coast that is comparable to it."
He noted Wicklow County Council was looking at plans to develop a more extensive coastal walk, from Bray to Arklow, with the hope of creating a major tourist attraction for the county.
The environmentalist, Eamon de Buitlear, is to lead today's walk, which departs from the Bray Head car park, off Raheen Park, at 11.30am. The walk coincides with the opening of the Bray Summer Fest.
Mr Jones said the cliff walk, which closely follows the east coast railway line, was popular with hill-walkers, families, tourists and bird-watchers. "The views from it are immaculate, especially on a good day. There is plenty of flora and fauna, which makes it very attractive for visitors to the county. You could have hundreds on the walk every day, and you would always meet a couple of Germans or Italians or Americans on it."
Friends of the Cliff Walk has succeeded in getting Wicklow County Council and the two local town councils to reserve some money in their estimates for the maintenance of the amenity.
Under a proposed second stage of improvement works, new railings, fences and signage will be installed, and another parcel of land will be acquired, which would allow the walk come closer to Greystones Harbour.
