National Trails Day in Ireland

View of Benbulben, County Sligo. Photo: © Catherine MackThe Bluestack Mountains in Co. Donegal were a regular feature of my Irish childhood. My father created a walking group for his ‘cronies’ (his word, not mine), called The Bluestackers, to take off on regular weekend hikes around Ireland. The Bluestacks was their favourite escape from 70’s Belfast, and for years just the very name ‘Bluestacks’ evoked romantic notions of both refuge and revelry for me.

Most people have favourite places to roam, be it by foot, on a bike, on horseback or in a wheelchair. And getting back in touch with these places, or indeed discovering new ones, is what  Ireland's National Trails Day is all about on 3 October, with a ramblers’ riot of events taking place to get us back in touch with the outdoorsy within. Most of the events are free, although you need to register for many.

Ireland's National Trails, which include walking, cycling, canoeing and (soon) riding trails, are managed by Ireland's National Trails Office, set up in 2007 by the National Sports Council. Despite the muddy mire of the economy, it is managing to stride forward with hiking style tenacity, to maintain and develop stunning outdoor spaces for us all to enjoy. Spaces which are not only helping many Irish people find refuge from the recession, but also providing international visitors with core tourism products outside the  normal tourist boltholes. Economic benefits to small rural areas are significant, but this growing network also means that Ireland can start to compete with other European Trail blazers, such as the grande randonnees (GR) in France.

National Trails Day gives visitors a chance to try out something new, such as one of the National Trails Office’s recent coups, The Great Western Greenway in Co. Mayo - an 18km off road cycling and walking trail which runs along the disused railway from Newport to Mulranny, extending to Westport and Achill by next summer. There is a mountain bike expedition along a section of the Greenway on 3 October which continues onto tougher tracks in the Nephin mountains. Turn up at  Nevin’s Inn for 11am kick off, intermediate mountain biking skills (and a bike) required.

The National Trails Office works in conjunction with organisations like Ireland's Forestry Commission, Coillte, on Forest Trails and the National Tourist Office, Failte Ireland,  on their Looped Walks, all of which come under the big umbrella of National Trails. All of these websites provide detailed information of trails, however on the day itself you can discover, for example, Coilte’s Ballinastoe Mountain Bike Trail at Roundwood, County Wicklow by taking a beginners’ mountain bike session. Suitable for anyone over eight with a reasonable fitness level, lessons are at 10am and 12pm, book in advance at info@biking.ie. Great eco-chic place to stay nearby, if there are a few of you, is The Old Milking Parlour.

Other events include the inauguration of The Hymany Way, in Co. Galway, a new 14km walkway which follows the RiverCatherine walking following The Mourne Wall, Mourne Mountains, County DownShannon from Portumna town to Meelick, and is part of the larger Beara Breifne Way. Bus transfers and refreshments are available at the end of the walk. Top tip on Tipperary cottages for overnight visitors, just a bit further along the river, is Tir na Fiuise, Terryglass.

I am an island lover, and the event on Rathlin Island, Co.Antrim will hopefully give many people an excuse to cross the waters to this bird watchers’ haven, where a walk of 4-5 hours is being organised by the Countryside Access and Activities Network, a brilliantly proactive Northern Irish network of outdoor activity providers. Booking is essential (diane@countrysiderecreation.com), to take the ferry from Ballycastle, and then from Rathlin Harbour to the new  RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Roonivoolin Nature Reserve. If you can, spend a night on the island at The Manor House where superb food is reared, grown or caught within sight of the house.

And not to forget Donegal, where the official Bluestack Ramblers will take you along Murvagh Beach to Belle's Isle, with a bit of local storytelling thrown in.  This beautiful walk along coast and moorland will last about three hours, starting in Donegal Town, which means that one of my favourite green farm and guesthouses, Ard na Breatha, is a must. The food here is so good, you will have to stay another night just to walk it all off the next day. Oh happy days. Oh happy Trails. 

An edited version of this article, by Catherine Mack, was first published in The Irish Times, 25 September 2010.