Western Way

Western Way
The Western Way in Lettershanbally forest
Length179 kilometres (111 miles)[1][2]
LocationCounties Galway & Mayo, Ireland
DesignationNational Waymarked Trail[1][2]
TrailheadsOughterard, Ballycastle
UseHiking
DifficultyModerate[1][2]
SeasonAny

The Western Way (Irish: Bealach an Iarthair)[3] is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It is 179 kilometres (111 miles) long and begins in Oughterard, County Galway and ends in Ballycastle, County Mayo. It is typically completed in seven days.[1][2] It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Coillte, Galway County Council, Mayo County Council, South Mayo Development Company and Mayo North & East Development Company.[4]

Route

The Reek

Galway section

53°29′13″N 9°27′14″W / 53.487°N 9.454°W / 53.487; -9.454 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 fjord. 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.

Bangor Way & 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 North coast cliffs, Benwee Head and Glinsk overlooking Broadhaven Bay which start from Carrowteige.

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d "Western Way (Galway)". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "Western Way (Mayo)". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Western Way". Placenames Database of Ireland. Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  4. ^ National Trails Office 2010, p. 46.

Bibliography

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