2025 Foray: Carlingford Greenway and Newry Canal Way

 

Carlingford Greenway

Amid reports of the remnants of Hurricane Erin affecting Irish weather, I had rescheduled the foray from Wednesday this week to the day before. I consider myself blessed - apart from a few drops during the day the only proper rain started just a few miles short of my arrival home. It's now the day after as I write this and it is raining steadily, and is due to rain the rest of the week.

I can certainly recommend this foray, although it comes even better if you are 66 or over and thus able to enjoy free travel here in Ireland. And it can be done in a day: no need for the bother of finding a suitable wild camping site and the fear of being evicted. So I set out just before 06:00 with nose and tail lights affixed to my helmet. I got to Connolly station with time to spare (42km in just over 2 hours). After an hour by train to Dundalk I then cycled to Carlingford (26km) where I joined the Greenway, which has only recently been extended all the way to Newry (20km). From Newry I joined the Newry Canal Way which follows the West bank of the now defunct Newry Canal (not to be confuesed with the Newry Ship Canal) and thence to Portadown (32km). Finally I boarded the train for Dublin Connolly changing for the commuter service to Sallins from where I cycled back home (21km) via a pizza shop.

Both Greenway and Canal Way are pretty much level which is such a pleasure when cycling. There were plenty of other users, both cyclists and walkers (with their dogs). The Carlingford Greenway in particular seemed to attract cyclists who either can't cycle and have the tendency to ride rather slowly in the centre of the path and thus not making it easy for me, operating to my tight timescale, to pass.

Newry Ship Canal from Victoria Lock

The Greenway hugs the shore line and is largely tarmac, having only a few sections that are compacted small gravel, and a couple of amazing board walk sections. However the section between Victoria Dock and the Albert basin in Newry, where the path follows the narrow spit of land between the Newry Ship Canal and the River Clanrye, is paved with larger size gravel which was a bit scary for my road bike but I successfully navigated it without puncture.  In all a Grand Day Out!

---oooOooo---

Some notes on the subject of free travel and travelling with a bicycle, for those for which the experience is new. There is the FT (public services free travel) card which entitles anyone resident in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) aged 66 or over to free travel on any state owned transport (rail or bus) and some privately run buses nation wide. You can also apply for a "ROI Senior SmartPass" card which extends this privilege to Northern Ireland (NI). I have both. Whether a paying customer or not your bicycle can accompany you on trains in both NI and ROI free of charge. You cannot take a bike (unless it folds up) on ordinary buses or the Dublin Luas tram. But a long distances coach (bus) with a large luggage space under the main seating area will also take your bicycle free of charge though I have yet to avail of this.  However the trains understandably have limited space for bikes.

In the ROI you are supposed to book a bike slot in advance, but obviously not everyone does, so on the above Connolly to Sallins route there were three bikes (including mine) vying for two bike slots. The the train was overflowing with ordinary customers. In NI you cannot book a bike in advance and space is allocated on a "first come first served" basis, which rule is of course largely ignored. For the bike space: older commuter trains in ROI have a sort of rack where one or two bikes can be stored, although it requires some dexterity to get your bike in the further slot, and if your destination is before the chap whose bike is in the nearer slot...  On newer trains including the "Enterprise" service between Dublin and Belfast there is a general area allocated to bikes and similar impediments, but no explicit "slot" so you have to lean your bike against pull-down seats and hope that not too many other bikes will be piled on top.

As stated, in ROI you (or you are supposed to) prebook cycle slot when you book a seat. The Enterprise service is run by the NI "translink" but when travelling north you book in the ROI "transport for Ireland" website whether a paying or free customer. When travelling south you book in the NI translink website. So for the return journey (going south) I attempted to book a seat, going through all the motions until the final "click to book" instead of which a notice was displayed telling me to instead present my SmartPass card to staff at the departure station (Portadown for me), and if that station was unstaffed, to present the card to the conductor on the train. I happened to arrive just as my train was pulling in, so I was flustered. I waved my card at the woman at the gate and she said I needed a ticket, so I found the ticket office waving my card and the woman there gave me all the options - just a single I cried and I need to catch this train!  Armed with card and free paper ticket I was finally admitted. And then I had to find the carriage door bearing the bicycle symbol. Fortunately I with my bike didn't have to leg it far, but on finally boarding I found the bike slot occupied by the refreshments trolley (which I was later to avail of). The trolley was hastily moved and all was well.

In summary, it helps if you have been through this rigmarole before, but whether or not you will find the station staff are always helpful and only once have I been challenged: "did you book your bike in advance?" (I had). And all for a service that cost nothing! And if there are others with bikes, talk to them: they just might know the ropes, or if not you can at least commiserate. 

2025 Foray: Achill Island and the Great Western Greenway

Long ago I had considered cycling the Great Western Greenway (GWG) but had dismissed it because folk said its surface was, in parts, unsuitable for a road bike with narrow tyres like mine.  A few weeks ago a chance remark about Achill Island by my daughter in law prompted me to investigate again. The GWG links Westport to the Island, and I have free travel to get to Westport by rail. And thus I completed my foray a few days ago and I can confirm that the entire greenway is now good for a road bike, and the vast majority is paved (tarmac). They must have upgraded the surface recently.

The GWG is a 42km off-road cycling and walking trail is mostly built on the former Great Western Railway line. It starts in Westport and ends at Cashel in Achill Island.

The green tarmac but fallen tree

So on Wednesday last I woke shortly after 4am and cycled to Heuston Station (39.2km) where I boarded the 07:35 service for Galway, changing at Athlone for Westport, arriving there at 11:00. After visiting LIDL for my customary hard tack and orange juice (as much for the bottle as for the juice), I tried to find the start of the GWG. My internet research suggested the GWG was well signposted with green markers and, in Westport, by green tarmac. Experience said otherwise - I lost the way at least twice in one case dealing with a fallen tree and ending up in dense undergrowth. This was not helpful, especially when one has a bike! But once out of the town the signage was generally good, although a few warning signs would be handy before acute bends.

I emailed Mayo County Council about signage and, after acknowledging my thanks for the greenway experience, they replied positively: We also value your constructive feedback regarding signage in Westport and Newport. Clear and consistent wayfinding is essential to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all users.

But you'll be wondering why the bottle?

This early in the morning it is still dark, but my son had recently given me his Black Diamond Sprinter 500 for such a time as this, though I had a bit of bother fixing it to my helmet.

My track

My research had forecast a 30km/hr head-wind all the way to Achill, and so it was. I arrived somewhat weary at 16:30. The bright side was that my return journey the next day was a breeze.

Using Google Maps aerial view I had identified a promising location at the eastern end of Keel beach. On arrival I passed a notice "NO CAMPING" and hoped that it did not apply to further on where I pitched my tent. A couple had already pitched their tent and there was a motor-home further on down the road. My dinner consisted of cheese and pickle sandwich and fruit scone, after which I was ready for bed even though it was not yet 8pm. I slept, but was woken by the sound of a large vehicle very close. Had they come to evict us? I kept a low profile whilst conversation was going on between whoever it was and my neighbours. But eventually it all became quiet again - perhaps it was the local farmer come to check on his sheep that roamed wild in the area?

My paraphernalia

I was packed up and gone at 06:00 the next morning, before my neighbours had arisen so I never got to hear the and of that story. I had an Irish breakfast in mind, but I passed the SuperValue in Achill Sound before it had opened. I figured Newport and Westport must have eating places but any I found were of the boutique type and unsuitable for an un-washen man and his heavily laden bike. In the end I had to make do with a meal-deal at Westport's Tesco where, at the checkout, a man in front allowed me to skip his pile of produce and used his Club Card so that I could avail of the lower price for my purchase. Such folk are angels in disguise, God bless him.

   

One highlight was the beautiful sculpture of a man and his children of yore waving to to a passing train from their trackside cottage. You can read the back story here.

Oh... and the bottle? At my age my bladder can wake me several times during the night with the prospect of extricating myself from my sleeping bag and tent.

You can view the rest of my photos here.