Every walking trail tells a unique story, and recent improvements in tracks and routes mean the Irish countryside is more accessible, as next weekend’s National Trails Day showcases
WHEN THE FATHER FIGURE of the Irish trails network, JB Malone, conceived the idea of the Wicklow Way, in 1966, he most likely foresaw the new trail’s aesthetic and physical benefits, not its earning potential. The realisation that a recreational route could double as a tourism honeypot came later, and spawned a multitude of imitators. Eventually about 40 trails meandered through most parts of Ireland. At their finest they bisected breathtaking scenery, linked tranquil villages, ambled by ancient abbeys and provided access to landscapes knee-deep in folklore and weighted with legend.
With such compelling scenery and historic echoes, these walks must have been instantly successful, attracting multitudes of domestic and overseas trekkers. Actually, no. Excluding the rare but captivating exceptions described above, Irish trails were, in general, extravagantly dull and bizarrely predictable, doing little to showcase the landscape. Due mainly to a depressing saga of disputes about access, which peaked almost a decade ago, trails often tiptoed timidly through the countryside, offering extended stretches of boringly unsafe road topped with boot-burning bitumen.
These were frequently interspersed with gloomy trails through invading armies of monoculture, including stands of Sitka spruce that were generally about as memorable as a motorway median. Most Irish trails fell well short of the best international standards, and an offering of traffic, tarmac and commercial timber was never likely to lure overseas visitors from the comfort of their urban bar stools.
Small wonder, then, that while the number of overseas visitors to Ireland more than doubled between 1993 and 2003, the number of walkers from abroad almost halved, from 322,000 to a mere 168,000, thereby reducing much-needed revenues for rural communities. At the lowest point for walking tourism only about 3 per cent of our overseas visitors bothered to sample the pulse-raising self-improvement of a ramble through the Irish countryside.
Recession is often, of course, the father of ingenuity. In recent times, major efforts have been made to extend and improve Ireland’s trails as a way of promoting a healthier lifestyle for Irish people and of increasing the income from activity tourism. Long-distance routes remain for committed walkers but are generally considered too difficult and time- consuming by casual ramblers. So Fáilte Ireland has developed a series of themed loop walks that can be completed in half a day or less and that return users conveniently to their starting point.
The result is that tourists have responded with their feet. Last year 830,000 overseas visitors participated in hiking or other outdoor walking and spent a welcome €494 million in the process. And for 366,000 of these the availability of walking was important in their choice of Ireland as a holiday destination.
According to Ciara Scully of Fáilte Ireland, activity holidays are a crucial way of allowing overseas visitors and domestic holidaymakers to experience the best of the Irish outdoors. “In conjunction with the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, we have spent over €10 million upgrading Ireland’s trail infrastructure, and next year we will have more than 200 looped walks available. Already we are seeing the benefits in terms of visitor numbers to the Irish countryside,” she says.
She admits that in the past our long-distance trails have not been of a sufficiently high standard before quickly pointing out that “a big effort is now under way to take these routes off-road and bring trail furniture and signage into line with best international practice”.
Certainly the Irish countryside is now more accessible than ever, a fact that National Trails Day, which takes place on Sunday, October 3rd at a large number of locations across the 32 counties, is intended to showcase.
Scully believes the day is important for raising awareness among Irish people of the hugely increased opportunities for recreation in the countryside. “For promoting our trails network overseas it is most important that Irish people are first aware of them and know what they have to offer,” explains Scully.
Cormac MacDonnell of the National Trails Office also believes that the showcase day on Sunday week is about raising awareness of the exciting opportunities that have been developed for walking, cycling, equestrian pursuits, water sports and other activities. “A huge amount of effort has been invested by local communities in Ireland’s trail network, and we want to acknowledge this and also educate users on responsible recreation and the importance of leaving no trace,” he says.
Every walking trail tells a unique story, and one of the purposes of National Trails Day is to highlight the huge variety of experiences to be had in the Irish countryside. With 120 events across the country, last year’s event was very successful in this, according to MacDonnell. “We had bat walks, mountain-bike cycles, guided canoe trips, family orienteering, leave-no-trace hikes, trail-conservation work, heritage walks and just plain walking,” he says. “This year we are doing even more interesting and exciting things, be it land or water, on a trail network that is provided by a variety of organisations for everyone to enjoy.”
There will indeed be a bewildering variety of themes and strands on October 3rd. There’ll be canoeing in Co Fermanagh, trailing autumn colours in Co Armagh, the Burren experience in Ballyvaughan, horseriding in Co Down and eco-walking in Co Offaly. And to remind us that the countryside can be at its most evocative when it works for a living, there is industrial-heritage rambling in Co Antrim, canal cycling in Newry, railway rambling in Co Limerick and trail maintenance in the Dublin Mountains.
So Ireland’s third annual National Trails Day presents an ideal excuse, whatever your interests, to get your feet working again as you head into the countryside to effect a reconciliation with nature. Remember, spectators are not required: it’s all about participation. Plump for one of the outings listed in the panel on the right, or visit nationaltrailsday.ie for more detailed information. The simple wonders of the Irish landscape are yours for the taking.
National Trails Day: What to do
EXPLORE IRELAND’S INDUSTRIAL LEGACY
Co Antrim Join industrial archaeologist Fred Hamond on a walk of historical discovery while he brings to life some of the fascinating industrial remains to be found along the Lagan canal. For details e-mail parkmanager@laganvalley.co.uk.
LOOK AFTER THE LANDSCAPE
Dublin Join a crew of Mountain Meitheal trail-repair volunteers as they visit paths they have constructed on Cruagh Mountain and explain the techniques used to preserve our upland areas. For details contact Robert Grandon at 087-6114315 or robgrandon@hotmail.com.
RECYCLE OUR CANAL HERITAGE
Newry Cycle along the towpath of the Newry Canal while discovering Northern Ireland’s industrial heritage and looking at sublime views. For details, call 048- 30313170 or e-mail newrytic@ newryandmourne.gov.uk.
BE DAZZLED BY AUTUMN COLOURS
Armagh Take part in a self-guided riverside and woodland walk (for all ages) beneath trees that are now a palette of autumn colours, with views of the neoclassical Argory House. For details, contact Harry Patterson at 048-87789002 or harry.patterson@nationaltrust.org.uk
LEARN ABOUT THE LIVING LANDSCAPE
Co Offaly Join a guided walk to be introduced to the wonderfully diverse flora and fauna of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. For details, contact John Scully at 086-2405187 or 057-8648629, or e-mail info@slievebloom.ie.
RAMBLE THE KERRY WAY
Killarney See some of Ireland’s most memorable landscapes by following the Kerry Way on forest roads, woodland paths and riverbanks to finish at the Climber’s Inn, Glencar. Contact Marguerite Brosnan at 086-3527637 or e-mail thekerryway@gmail.com.
WALK THE LINE
Co Limerick Recall the evocative age of steam as you ramble the 12km between Newcastlewest and Rathkeale along the route of the abandoned West Limerick Railway. For details, contact Liam O’Mahony at 087-6471956 or lomahony@hotmail.com.