Page 104 - Our Wexford
P. 104
WEXFORD
GREENWAY
Walking and cycling have become hugely
popular throughout Ireland in recent
years and the country is now a popular
destination for visitors who hope to pursue
these activities.
Destined to be a much-travelled route in
the near future is the 24km stretch between
New Ross and Waterford city, which will use
CYCLING IN the amazing scenery of the area, and an old
disused railway line to provide a beautiful
WEXFORD greenway and add to the growing number of
such facilities nationwide.
The €3 million-plus greenway project is
located along the former rail line between
Wexford is a beautiful county full of
breathtaking coastlines, stunning New Ross and Waterford, much of it running
countryside and historic sites. A number of through County Kilkenny, and supported by
wonderful looped cycling routes are already Irish Rail who formerly operated passenger
in place across Wexford including the 53km and freight rail services along its length until
Slaney Route, a trip around north Wexford it fell into disuse some years ago.
taking cyclists across the bridge and on
towards Enniscorthy. According to Wexford County Council
Director of Services Eamonn Hore, walking
County Wexford is part of the European and cycling are worth about €300 million
network of cycling routes, the Eurovelo. The annually to the Irish economy so there’s no
‘Eurovelo 1’ cycling route extends over 9,000km reason why the county can’t benefit from a
from Scandinavia to the Algarve. Cycle along chunk of that business by using its natural
the County Wexford section of the route, which
begins in Rosslare and continues along the coast heritage to best advantage.
to Ballyhack for spectacular sights and scenery, The greenway will start at the Boardwalk
hidden from the car driver. in New Ross and continue through
The 36km coastal route takes cyclists out to south County Kilkenny to Waterford
the internationally important Wildfowl Reserve city, ultimately forming part of a major
of the Wexford Slobs and then on past some national walking and cycling route between
fantastic beaches. Dungarvan and Dublin.
A 78km tour of south Wexford initially takes The route will take in the old Red Bridge
cyclists uphill towards a roundabout near the outside New Ross and include an 800-metre
picturesque Johnstown Castle, and then on to
ABOVE: tunnel at Mountelliott, which is set to be the
Cycling at Mount the old town of Rosslare and its busy ferry port longest greenway tunnel in Ireland.
Leinster nearby at Kilrane and on to the fishing village
of Kilmore Quay. Later, cyclists can afford to The original railway line was built in 1904
linger at Johnstown Castle with its gardens but hasn’t carried any passengers for over 50
and Agricultural Museum, knowing that a few years or any freight for over two decades.
minutes freewheeling will take them back down
to Wexford town. But for the greenway plan, the entire route
was on its way to becoming totally overgrown
For cross-country and downhill mountain- and unusable.
bike riders a visit to Kilbrannish just outside
Bunclody is a must. Kilbrannish has hosted
various XC events in the past including Leinster
XC League. The trails are forever evolving and
contain loads of exciting single tracks with some
downhill trails also constructed in the area.
104 OUR WEXFORD
