Western Way

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The Western Way in Lettershanbally Forest

The Western Way is a long-distance walking route in Connaught passing through two counties: Galway and Mayo. The walk is 111 miles long, beginning in Oughterard in County Galway and ending in Ballycastle, County Mayo. It is typically completed in seven days. [1][2]

The route is designated as a 'National Waymarked Trail' by the National Trails Office and is managed by Coillte, the tow local councils, South Mayo Development Company and Mayo North and East Development Company.[3]

Route

The Reek

Galway section

Starting from Oughterard, the trail follows the western edge of Lough Corrib before breaking away across the Maumturks chain at the pass of Maumeen. It descends to the Inagh Valley along the base of the "Turks", following them around to Leenaun at the head of Killary Harbour. The Galway section ends here and the Mayo section begins.

Mayo section

From Leenaun, the Mayo section of the trail climbs over Sheefry Bridge, then down into Westport, then on through Newport, Sheskin, Ballycastle, Killala, Ballina, ending at Lough Talt in the Ox Mountains near the Sligo border. It is possible to continue on the Sligo Way.

The Bangor Way and North Mayo Walks

The Bangor Trail is a way marked trail mainly across the blanket bog and fairly rough terrain of the Nephin Beg Mountain range. The trail links the town of Newport in mid-west Mayo with the town of Bangor Erris in Erris, North Mayo. There are several looped way marked cliff walks along the cliffs of the county's north coast, Benwee Head and Glinsk overlooking Broadhaven Bay which start from Carrowteige.

Outside links

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("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Western Way)

References

  1. Western Way (Galway) on IrishTrails (Irish Sports Council)
  2. Western Way (Mayo) on IrishTrails (Irish Sports Council)
  3. National Trails Office 2010, p. 46.
Long-distance footpaths in the Republic of Ireland

National Waymarked Trails:   Ballyhoura WayBarrow WayBealach na Gaeltachta, Dún na nGallBeara WayBlackwater WayBluestack WayBurren WayCavan WayCroagh Patrick Heritage TrailDingle WayDublin Mountains WayEast Clare WayEast Munster WayGrand Canal WayHymany WayKerry WayLough Derg WayMid Clare WayMiners Way and Historical TrailMonaghan WayMulteen WayNore Valley WayNorth Kerry WayOffaly WayRoyal Canal WaySheep's Head WaySlieve Bloom WaySlieve Felim WaySligo WaySouth Leinster WaySuck Valley WayTáin WayTipperary Heritage WayWestern WayWestmeath WayWicklow Way

Greenways:   Boyne GreenwayDublin-Galway GreenwayGreat Southern TrailGreat Western Greenway

Others:   Bangor TrailMalin to Mizen