Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway explained

Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway
Location:County Westmeath, Ireland
Length:420NaN0[1]
Use:Cycling, walking
Season:Any
Surface:Tarmac
Website:Athlone.ie - Old Rail Trail
Difficulty:Easy

The Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway (also known as Old Rail Trail)[2] [3] is a long-distance cycling and walking trail in County Westmeath, which forms a section of the Dublin-Galway Greenway. It is a 42 kilometres long rail-trail over the disused Athlone-Mullingar rail line beginning in Athlone and ending in Mullingar.[4] [5]

History

The route was originally opened 1850 as a railway line by the Midland Great Western Railway and was the first to reach Athlone from Dublin.[6] The line was closed 1987 with trains using the former Great Southern and Western Railway line to reach Athlone.[7]

The Moate-Garrycastle section was officially opened by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in October 2015.[8] [9] [10] In September 2015 the Westmeath Independent reported that the greenway could provide a "€15m boost" to the local economy.[11]

The section was extended up to Ballymahon road (White gates) in December 2016, with plans to eventually extend into Athlone town.[12] [13]

As of 2015, plans by a community development organisation in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, were underway to connect the Greenway to the Offaly Cycleways at Kilbeggan with a greenway to Tullamore, County Offaly.[14] Work was planned to begin by summer 2016.[14] [15]

A new bridge to cross the River Shannon in Athlone was allocated €8.1m funding and began construction in 2021.[16] [17] [18] The bridge opened in August 2023.[19]

Access points

The following is a list of the access points to the cycleway.[20]

LocationDistance from Athlone (km)Distance to Mullingar (km)Coordinates
Abbey Road, Athlone-4353.426547, -7.942494[21]
Whitegates, Athlone-4253.427995, -7.931805
Garrycastle, Athlone-4053.422411, -7.899979
Mount Temple63453.402258, -7.816096
Maghermore83253.399294, -7.781841
Moate (Dún na Sí Park)122853.398406, -7.736041
Moate (Station)122853.399177, -7.723514
Rosemount 182253.415931, -7.641321
Lisnagree211953.415931, -7.641321
Streamstown231753.435258, -7.570478
Garhy (R391) 26.213.853.450029, -7.531310
Castletown Station 281253.454793, -7.522229
Dysart 301053.476641, -7.480747
Ballinea 36453.502709, -7.431523
Bellmount 37.22.853.508298, -7.403209
Kilpatrick 38.41.653.509364, -7.390320
Mullingar Newbrook (Canal Link)40-53.517095, -7.368273
Mullingar Newbrook (Roundabout Access)42-53.509364, -7.390320

See also

External links

53.436°N -7.5683°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160112180015/http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/media/OldRailTrailLeaflet_A3DLWeb.pdf . 12 January 2016 . 10 January 2020 . 2016 . Old Rail Trail Westmeath . . dead.
  2. News: 12 things to get you off the couch this Christmas . Susan . O'Shea . 23 December 2019 . IrishExaminer.com.
  3. Web site: Westmeath County Council - News . 2015-10-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222091625/http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/news/name,19325,en.html . 2015-12-22 . dead.
  4. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20151014150239/http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2015/10/11/4107318--midlands-greenway-official-opening-on-october-18/ . Midlands Greenway official opening on October 18 . . 11 October 2015 . 14 October 2015 . 14 October 2015 . dead .
  5. Web site: Work underway at Moate Railway Station. . pagesuite-professional.co.uk . 9 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150710071446/http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk//launch.aspx?pbid=b7931038-6567-4ee1-a9a6-fc0dfed4ae8f . 10 July 2015 . dead. 9 July 2015 . 4 .
  6. Book: Casserley, H. C.. 1974. Outline of Irish Railway History. 0715363778. David & Charles. Newton Abbot & North Pomfret. 249227042. H. C. Casserley. 95–96.
  7. Web site: Clara Heritage Group : **(Part 4) - Full Steam Ahead to Streamstown (Well almost)**. www.facebook.com.
  8. Web site: Taoiseach to officially open Greenway this Sunday. https://web.archive.org/web/20151016134828/http://www.advertiser.ie/athlone/article/80263/taoiseach-to-officially-open-greenway-this-sunday . live. 16 October 2015 . 16 October 2015 . 5 October 2015 .
  9. Web site: 5 October 2015 . 5 October 2015 . dead. Taoiseach to perform official opening of Mullingar to Garrycastle cycleway . https://web.archive.org/web/20151005103211/http://www.shannonside.ie/news/taoiseach-to-perform-official-opening-of-mullingar-to-garrycastle-cycleway/ . . 11 September 2015 .
  10. Web site: Adrian . Cusack . 18 May 2015 . Countdown is on to opening of Athlone to Mullingar cycleway . 4 June 2015 . Westmeath Independent.
  11. News: local greenway could provide '€15m boost' . 3 September 2015 . Adrian . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150903131420/http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2015/09/02/4079391-in-this-weeks-westmeath-independent/ . Cusack . . 2 September 2015. 3 September 2015.
  12. News: Greenway extension progress boost as funding is announced . 30 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180830173422/http://www.advertiser.ie/athlone/article/102670/greenway-extension-progress-boost-as-funding-is-announced . Ronan . Fagan . . 30 August 2018 . live. 30 August 2018.
  13. Web site: Council looking to push forward plans for extension of Greenway . . pagesuite-professional.co.uk . 5 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160506101500/http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?pbid=b7931038-6567-4ee1-a9a6-fc0dfed4ae8f . 6 May 2016 . live. 5 May 2016 . 1 .
  14. News: Kilbeggan track could be 'midlands Greenway' . . 6 February 2015 . 13 February 2014.
  15. Web site: Taoiseach to open Athlone-Mullingar Greenway this afternoon . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151211154121/http://www.shannonside.ie/news/taoiseach-to-open-athlone-mullingar-greenway-this-afternoon/ . 11 December 2015 . 18 October 2015 . .
  16. Web site: Significant funding allocated towards the construction of new town bridge . Fagan . Ronan. 12 November 2020 . live. . https://web.archive.org/web/20201113000432/https://www.advertiser.ie/athlone/article/118150/significant-funding-allocated-towards-the-construction-of-new-town-bridge . 13 November 2020 .
  17. Web site: Councillors welcome latest proposed design for Athlone's cycleway bridge . Grace . Robert. 10 December 2015 . live. . https://web.archive.org/web/20151211141950/http://www.advertiser.ie/athlone/article/81575/councillors-welcome-latest-proposed-design-for-athlones-cycleway-bridge . 11 December 2015.
  18. News: Council confirm plans for new towncentre bridge as part of cycleway . . Daly . Maria . 9 October 2014 . 9 October 2014.
  19. News: Athlone Greenway Bridge Officially Opened . ittn.ie . 8 August 2023 . 16 August 2024 .
  20. Web site: Old Rail Trail - Route Map . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223141645/http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/ourservices/artsandrecreation/greenways/oldrailtrail-routemap/ . live . 2022-02-23 . . 2022 .
  21. Web site: Next greenway phase could open by Easter. Westmeath Independent.

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