The Magical 7 Galway Castles' Heritage Cycle Looped Trail

There is no nicer way to end Bike Week 2019 than to take part in a leisurely group cycle through a mosaic of lovely picturesque rural landscapes that lie only a short distance from noisy, busy urban Galway city

The Seven Galway Castles' Looped Cycle Heritage Tour aka ‘Slí na gCaisleán’ (‘The Way of the Castles’), is a guided off-the-beaten-track heritage cycle excursion along a looped trail across beautiful countryside that encompasses seven castles on the north and eastern side of Galway city and on into Galway county. The tour, organised by the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden, will start at 9.30am on Sunday June 30th from the ‘Plots’ on the Dyke Road which was the site of former urban allotments in decades gone by, then onto Terryland Castle before undertaking a forty km looped cycle route that has castles at Menlo, Cloonacauneen, Killeen, Ballybrit, Castlegar and Ballindooley. This leisurely cycle will journey over hills, along botharins, past abandoned farms, ruined castles, karst outcrops, bogs, lakes, dykes, turloughs and meadows.
Local communities are hoping that it will become part of a new cycling friendly network that could benefit the quality of life of Galwegians as well as become a major green tourism attraction.

Note: Participants should ,bring along their own bicycle, suitable clothing, water and food. There will be a stopover at Cloonacauneen Castle where people can buy lunch. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

For further information, contact Brendan Smith at speediecelt@gmail.com

Finally a big 'Bualadh Bos' (applause) to the wonderful artist Helen Caird who worked with me on producing the beautiful attached poster