County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie

County Kildare Walking Routes Project
students of environmental science. Bord na Móna has supported and funded
archaeological excavations within Bord na Móna peat bogs as part of the Principles and
Agreements reached between the responsible Government Departments and Bord na
Móna. The Bord is committed to peatland conservation and to the long-term planning of its
cutaway bogs and recognises the importance of peatlands as sites of scientific and
archaeological study. There is an opportunity for Kildare County Council to work with the
Bord to develop heritage and conservation walking routes on Bord na Móna property
where management and access issues are easily addressed.
The establishment of a Youth Hostel, independent or managed by An Oige, the Irish Youth
Hostel Association, at Lullymore or Robertstown would attract significant visitor numbers
from continental Europe to visit the peatlands, provide voluntary assistance to the
conservation work of IPCC and do environmental research. Kildare County Council should
consider interacting with IPCC, Bord na Móna and third level colleges with environmental
science courses to promote North Kildare walking routes as part of the course field work.
Recreational use by back packers will follow on the scientific publications and heightened
awareness. Promotion to schools to provide easily-accessed sites for Geographical
Investigation for senior cycle geography students should also be considered.
The Carbury Bog Walk (W24) offers a variety of terrain along tarred road, minor road,
forestry, peatland and railway line. It is promoted by the well established Balyna Rural
Enterprise and Development Association (BREDA) and a significant section of the route is
on Bord na Móna land. The erection of way markers, information boards and the
production of a map guide are required. Bord na Móna could be approached in relation to
sponsorship and branding of the route furniture and publications in the same way as
Coillte has done for forest walks and Waterways Ireland has done, to some extent, for the
canal walks. A sustainable management structure for the route has to be established but
shared support by Bord na Móna and Kildare County Council of a community
management structure using BREDA and the Rural Social Scheme is one possible way
forward. There is a link with an established Slí na Sláinte route at Derrinturn (W6) with its
interesting old windmill ruins.
The Blackwood Feeder (W26) Project is a transnational Interreg IIIB funded initiative
involving KELT and partners from the U.K. Spain, Portugal and France. It includes the
Special Areas of Conservation at Ballynafagh Lake and Bog. In the 1960s Kildare County
Council developed walks around Ballynafagh Lake which have since deteriorated. An
inventory of the built heritage and a survey by an expert in walking route development on
the site has been carried out. A geotechnical assessment of the fragile lake banks are
being carried out at present. There are issues about access, grazing animals along the
route, illegal dumping, overgrown stretches of the route and potential hazards for walkers
around the lake. There is an active community group Tír na Móna that maintain the route
around the lake. There is an appointed Ranger from the National Parks and Wildlife
Service for the area.
Significant investment in upgrading of the walking surfaces, provision of signposting,
information boards and other route furniture will be required if the access issues can be
resolved. Since the majority of the route is under the care of Kildare County Council these
issues could be resolved in time. Given the level of funding of the project by Interreg IIIB,
the amount of preparatory work already completed and the international partnerships
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