Five trails on two offshore islands are among 62 new walking routes announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys.
The five new island routes are on the Aran island of Inis Meáin and Oileán Chléire/Cape Clear island in West Cork.
Also for the first time, National Walks Scheme trails will now be located in counties Monaghan and Wexford. This is part of what Humphreys has billed as “the largest ever expansion of Ireland’s National Walks Scheme with 62 new trails announced across 17 counties.
A phased expansion will see the number of trails on the Walks Scheme increase from 80 to 150 over the next two years, as part of the “Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors” national outdoor recreation strategy.
The Cnoicín Loop on Oileán Chléire and Lúb Dún Fearbhaí on Inis Meáin, Co Galway, along with six “Fastnet trails” in west Cork and the Ardmore cliff walk in Co Waterford, are among the coastal routes included in the expansion.
Over €15 million has been paid to farmers and landholders participating on the scheme since 2017, with an additional €1.4 million spent on materials for the maintenance of trails, Humphreys has said.
“This expansion will see an additional annual investment of over €500,000 to rural areas through the scheme,” she has said.
She announced the expansion on Feb 28 at the Carrigmeal Woods loop trails in Co Laois.
“I want to make Ireland an international destination of choice for walkers and hikers. We have a unique offering in terms of our natural landscape filled with mountains, forests, lakes, rivers and sea,” she said.
“Often these amenities can only be truly appreciated by crossing through fields and land owned by local farmers. The National Walks Scheme is about working in partnership with landowners so we can open up access to local communities and tourists to enjoy these wonderful hidden gems we have all across Ireland,”she said.
“I want to acknowledge and thank the work of all the farmers and landowners involved in the Walks Scheme who provide access to their holdings and who help to maintain the trails to a high standard for the benefit of a huge number of locals and visitors,” she added.
“Without the goodwill of farmers, we would not have access to many of our favourite tracks and trails. It is incumbent on all of us to use these amenities responsibly, respect local landowners and of course – Leave No Trace,” she said.
Her department is now inviting expressions of interest from local development companies (LDCs) for new trails and substantial extensions to existing trails.
“Potential applicants (e.g. trail management committees, community groups, local authorities, and other similar entities) should be advised that expressions of interest must be made through LDCs in respect of trails that are eligible for inclusion in the scheme,” the department says.
The closing date for expressions of interest is October 11th, 2024.
