Galway to Clifden Greenway

emtroche

This is good news.

Planning will be sought before the end of the year for a 50 mile off road cycle path in West Galway – similar to that in Mayo – which has the potential to generate millions of euro in tourism revenue.
The project on the old Galway to Clifden railway line, with an estimated cost of €6 million, has received the full backing of Failte Ireland and construction of the greenway could begin as early as next year.
Last weekend the extension of the Great Western Greenway between Westport and Achill was opened and this is expected to result in a huge increase in tourist numbers for the region.
The provision of a greenway between Galway and Clifden co
uld bring thousands of additional visitors to the Connemara area as well as injecting millions into the local economy.
The Midland Great Western Railway from Galway to Clifden was opened on July 1, 1895. Originally a route along the coastline was designed to boost the fishing industry and serve a population of around 60,000.
But the Royal Commission on Public works directed otherwise and chose that an inland route be constructed via Oughterard.
See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/20820-old-clifden-rail-line-be-turned-%E2%82%AC6m-cycle-track

Was just discussing the potential for this route with my dad last night. Serious potential and in my opinion it'd be up there with the best cycle routes in the world.

michaelm

emtroche wrote: »

Serious potential and in my opinion it'd be up there with the best cycle routes in the world.

Agree wholeheartedly - The success of the Mayo project will inspire many groups around the country to put disused railway lines to good use. Galway to Clifden by bike could become one Ireland's premier tourist attractions.

clonmahon

I know where I’m going on holidays when the Connemara Greenway opens. Cycle to Galway City, Greenway to Clifden along by Lough Corrib and through the wilds of Connemara, by road through Kylemore, Letterfrack, Lennane, Delphi, Louisburg, past Croagh Patrick and then onto the Great Western Greenway at Westport to Achill. What a journey I can’t wait for it.

I'm looking at a map of Ireland's rail network at its peak and thinking about all those other great greenways we could build.

emtroche

clonmahon wrote: »

I'm looking at a map of Ireland's rail network at its peak and thinking about all those other great greenways we could build.

The one to Valentia would be savage too.

yer man!

Any update on this?

The Idyll Race

michaelm wrote: »

Agree wholeheartedly - The success of the Mayo project will inspire many groups around the country to put disused railway lines to good use. Galway to Clifden by bike could become one Ireland's premier tourist attractions.

Closed lines that have been lifted with no preservation or reuse proposals such as Galway - Clifden or Valentia should be the priority.

galwaycyclist

yer man! wrote: »

Any update on this?

Yes rather than being designed as a wholly separate "greenway" Galway County Council want to incorporate the route directly into the N59 as an adjacent cycle path for 11km. The Galway Cycling Campaign have lodged an objection with An Bord Pleanala pointing out various obvious alternatives.

Edit: This refers to the Oughterard Clifden section. Galway to Oughterard is still up in the air.

yer man!

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Yes rather than being designed as a wholly separate "greenway" Galway County Council want to incorporate the route directly into the N59 as an adjacent cycle path for 11km. The Galway Cycling Campaign have lodged an objection with An Bord Pleanala pointing out various obvious alternatives.

Edit: This refers to the Oughterard Clifden section. Galway to Oughterard is still up in the air.

Ugh it would be handy to have a cycling facility where the majority of people wouldn't need a car to get too.....

The Idyll Race

yer man! wrote: »

Ugh it would be handy to have a cycling facility where the majority of people wouldn't need a car to get too.....

Dead right, the whole point is to be off road..this is the very best virgin route available in the west and should not be squandered.

shortys94

Is there any news on this project?

Seaneh

This would be a fantastic route to cycle and if they were able to connect it to westport via delphi and provide the needed resources to attract tourists (camp sites etc) it would be one of the best cycle routes going in europe.

I've always thought that using the cannal from dublin to mullingar and then the old rail line from millingar to Athlone and going from athlone to Galway via shannon brdge, loughrea and Clarinbridge and then from there onto clifden along the old rail line would be a lovely cycle rotue and a massive attraction.

on_the_nickel

I did Clifden to Galway last summer and it was one of the best days I've ever had on a bike.

The sun was shining (it has been drizzling all week), road was fairly quiet, and I had a big tailwind the whole way.

107km in 3 and a quarter hours, good times.

emtroche

This was the last i heard http://www.galwaycycling.org/cycling-campaign-welcomes-changes-to-clifden-greenway-proposals-at-oral-hearing/

MB Lacey

on_the_nickel wrote: »

I did Clifden to Galway last summer and it was one of the best days I've ever had on a bike.

The sun was shining (it has been drizzling all week), road was fairly quiet, and I had a big tailwind the whole way.

107km in 3 and a quarter hours, good times.

would you be able to ride it on 23mm road tyres?

I heard the Mayo one wouldn't really be suitable for road tyres.

ustazjoseph

Re Valentia line
this comes up locally for discussion every few years. most people agree it would be a great idea but.... CIE sold some of the right of way back to farmers so there s no longer a clear trail. probably with big energy and strong Govt support it could happen - like sustrans in britian.

Seaneh

MB Lacey wrote: »

would you be able to ride it on 23mm road tyres?

I heard the Mayo one wouldn't really be suitable for road tyres.

The trip he took was on the national road, so you'd be grand on a road bike.

lizzylad84

clifden is perhaps the nices part of ireland imho, beautyful spot, pity i live the other side of the country.

hollypink

Posted on facebook today, sounds like good news.

Great Western Greenway (Newport - Mulranny) Cycling & Walking Trail

An Bord Pleanála has Granted Planning Permission for the proposed Greenway along the route of the Galway - Clifden disused railway. Well done to Kurt Lydon and all in Galway County Council for pushing this project forward

yer man!

hollypink wrote: »

Posted on facebook today, sounds like good news.

The next challenge will be getting it from Moycullen to Galway city, as far as I know the scheme at the minute is Clifden to Moycullen. I know they had a lot of trouble negotiating with landowners and farmers along the route, hopefully the next phase goes a bit smoother.

Felloffmebike

Seaneh wrote: »

The trip he took was on the national road, so you'd be grand on a road bike.

I saw a few road bikes on the Westport/Achill Greenway but it's really not suitable for road bikes. I was on the hybrid, just the job.

Seaneh

Felloffmebike wrote: »

I saw a few road bikes on the Westport/Achill Greenway but it's really not suitable for road bikes. I was on the hybrid, just the job.

I've a trouing bike/tri-cross mongrel so I'd be laughing with my bit chunky 32c tyres . I did it a few years ago on a flat bar road bike with 25c tyres and while it was fine I struggled for grip now and then and found it very uncomfortable going on that bike so I'd imagine it's even worse on a rigid roadbike with 23c tyres but not undoable.

slideshow bob

Seems go ahead has been given for the Oughterard-Clifden greenway:-
http://www.galwaynews.ie/30692-go-ahead-connemara-greenway

The Mayo greenway isn't good for road bikes - apart from your own discomfort it's not really set up for moving at speed. The road is grand for that though.

smacl

MB Lacey wrote: »

I heard the Mayo one wouldn't really be suitable for road tyres.

The Mayo Greenway would be more suited to a hybrid, MTB or cross bike. You'd get by on a road bike with 25mm tyres, but have a lot of fine gravel and cattle grids to contend with. Personally, if I was down that way myself again and wasn't with the family, I wouldn't go near the greenway. Plenty of l-roads with minimal traffic, fantastic scenery, and easy access to small, shops and pubs all over Mayo. IMO cycling around loughs Mask, Carra, and Nafooey offer much more variety and enjoyment than the greenway for someone on a road bike. The greenway is more suited to families and occasional cyclists, looking for a relaxed spin.

jkforde

does anyone know where the council is at with the part of the greenway route from Oughterard to Galway? or is there even a plan to bring the route as far at the city? ta

Micilin Muc

Galway to Moycullen off-road cycle lane announced. I presume this is the same project?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0410/607989-funding-for-new-off-road-cycle-routes/

catweazle

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Galway to Moycullen off-road cycle lane announced. I presume this is the same project?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0410/607989-funding-for-new-off-road-cycle-routes/

This one is news to me, I thought they had the go ahead from Oughterard to Clifden recently alright but hadn't heard any talk of Galway city to Moycullen

Would be great if it went ahead

ronanmac

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Galway to Moycullen off-road cycle lane announced. I presume this is the same project?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0410/607989-funding-for-new-off-road-cycle-routes/

That'd be a fantastic long stretch of quality bike lane, and judging from the documentation submitted as part of planning (at least for Clifden to Oughterard), it's smooth blacktop all the way...

Micilin Muc

ronanmac wrote: »

That'd be a fantastic long stretch of quality bike lane, and judging from the documentation submitted as part of planning (at least for Clifden to Oughterard), it's smooth blacktop all the way...

Only three junctions (all local roads) from Quincentennial Bridge to Moycullen I'm actually very excited about this!

Bobeagleburger

Forgive my ignorance but is that proposed Galway - Moycullen a proper cycling path? ie, can I use my road bike on it?

Micilin Muc

rarnes1 wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance but is that proposed Galway - Moycullen a proper cycling path? ie, can I use my road bike on it?

According to ronanmac above, yes you should as it will be a smooth tarmac path. However I fear it could become a lane similar to the bike lanes in the Phoenix Park, ie used by walkers, skateboarders etc unless it's sectioned off from a pedestrian path.

Bobeagleburger

Micilin Muc wrote: »

According to ronanmac above, yes you should as it will be a smooth tarmac path. However I fear it could become a lane similar to the bike lanes in the Phoenix Park, ie used by walkers, skateboarders etc unless it's sectioned off from a pedestrian path.

Thanks, missed that bit of his post.

Yeah hopefully it would be segregated in some way.