Greenways in Ireland are a great way to move around and enjoy the Irish landscapes. We had the pleasure of cycling some of our demo e-bikes from our shop, EV Sales, on the almost-finished Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway in August. Which, when finished, will be a 30-kilometre route that runs alongside the old railway line and through many panoramic meadows from Navan to Kingscourt. The Greenway will finish not far from the Dún na Rí Forest Park, which is perfect for those who like to cycle more than 30km!
The Greenways we have been to before offered a range of facilities including rest areas, cafes, accessible toilets, and bike rental shops along with bike racks and multiple car parking lots. While we are still waiting for such facilities on this specific trail, we hope that the Greenway will bring along many new businesses to the area. There are plenty of sections on the greenway which are lined with tall trees and are perfect to shelter from the rain and have a rest for tea or coffee and food. Hopefully once the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway is finished, we will see benches and picnic tables, along with bins, popping up all throughout the track.
With the short amount of time that the greenway has been open to public, we have already noticed the number of bikes and people using the path has increased. We passed all sort of vehicles on the day, from normal bikes to electric bikes, to children on bikes and scooters, and each person had respect for all other Greenway-users which was lovely to see. We are very grateful that the community has been given the space to get together and appreciate the lovely nature we have around our homes.
Since we are bike users, accessibility and quality of path plays a huge role in the places we choose to cycle on. This greenway’s path is mostly paved with sections that are gravelled and although there are some rougher patches, we hope they will also be paved before officially completing the project. Matthew who usually cycles with us, was recovering from an operation so he decided to join us on a mobility scooter on the day. He found that the drive was smooth, but the narrow gates, when closed, would have made manoeuvring around them tricky. Luckily, all the gates were open, and he was able to drive through. The gates, even though they do serve a purpose, may cause trouble for buggies, wheelchair, and mobility scooter users. The Greenway intersects with main roads, and it is important to note that as of yet, there is no stop lights or pedestrian crossings on these roads.
The Navan railway line, which the Greenway is built around, was completed, and opened on the 29th of August 1862. This year marks the 161year since the opening. The preserved railway tracks were given a new life by blending them into the scenery by using them as interesting decoration and as part of the path. It is a sustainable way to remember the old train tracks and the history that comes with it. We were surprised that there are no information boards scattered throughout the trail but especially beside the fences and path built out of the old tracks, as seen below.
This specific Greenway is a fantastic mix between nature, wildlife, history and just a great place for a relaxing walk or cycle, once all the amenities are in place. Keeping in mind that the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway is still not a completed project, we hope to see more amenities being built around the route to encourage people from all around Ireland to visit. We hope to see you one of these days cycling the Greenway! Maybe we can even see some of our bikes from EV Sales, Trimgate Street, Navan, out in the real world.
