From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced a major initiative for Rural Ireland, which includes the addition of 31 new walking trails to her Department’s Walks Scheme and funding for a number of new Rural Recreation Officers.
The 31 new trails across 13 counties are to be added to the ‘Walk’s Scheme’, which aims to open up our countryside to local walkers, hikers and tourists.
Under the scheme, funding is provided to farmers and other landowners to maintain the trails that travel through their holdings.
Today’s announcement means there will now be 80 trails under the Scheme, which is operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development in conjunction with the Local Development Companies (LDCs) and over 2,400 farmers and landowners in total.
The trails added today involve over 400 farmers and include the Dingle Way in County Kerry, St Declan’s Way in County Waterford, the Ballyhoura Way in County Limerick, the South Leinster Way in County Kilkenny and the Slí Gaeltacht Mhuscraí in County Cork.
The Cavan Way in County Cavan, the Wicklow Uplands Way in County Wicklow, the Lung/Lough Gara Way in County Roscommon and the Durrow Leafy Loop in County Laois are also among the trails being added to the Scheme.
Additional funding will also be provided to the Local Development Companies that deliver the scheme locally, as well as for the salaries paid to the Rural Recreation Officers who play a vital role in delivering the Walks Scheme and developing the outdoor recreation sector locally. Minister Humphreys also today announced the creation of up to 8 new Rural Recreation Officer posts in addition to the 13 already in place. These are designed to further enhance our outdoor amenities and the experience of visitors to Rural Ireland.The announcement delivers on commitments in both the Programme for Government and Our Rural Future to increase the number of trails under the ‘Walks Scheme’ in order to boost outdoor recreation and tourism in rural towns and villages.
Minister Humphreys also today published a review of the Walks Scheme, which sets out a number of recommendations aimed at enhancing the Walks Scheme and the role of Rural Recreation Officers, and will be implemented in consultation with key stakeholders.
The Minister made the announcements during a visit to officially open St Declan’s Way in Co. Waterford, a 115km trail involving 45 farmers and landowners which is amongst the trails being added to the scheme.
The Minister said:
“Our walkways, trails, greenways, blueways and cycleways are a defining feature of Rural Ireland.
“They have been a godsend throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic – providing so many of us with the opportunity to get out for some exercise and to meet up with family and friends.
“Over the past number of months, we have seen unprecedented investment in our outdoor amenities, underpinned by the most ambitious ever policy for Rural Ireland, ‘Our Rural Future’.
“Today’s announcement is further action behind that policy. By adding 31 new trails to the Walks Scheme, we are opening up our rural countryside further to walkers, hikers, adventurists, cyclists, as well as domestic and international tourists.
“And it means we are investing in some of the most picturesque locations in the country, so that they can be enjoyed and experienced by millions of people every year.”
The Minister added:
“In rolling out the Walks Scheme, my Department works closely with our Local Development Companies, community groups and rural farmers and landowners. We are indebted to our farmers and other landowners throughout the country that facilitate access to these wonderful trails and who now, through this scheme, are being funded to maintain the walks to the high standard we have all come to expect.
“Another important part of today’s announcement is the decision to appoint up to 8 new Rural Recreation Officers, as well as improving the salaries of the Rural Recreation Officers that are already carrying out great work across the country. These individuals are crucial in implementing the Walks Scheme and working with all stakeholders to enhance our outdoor amenities.
“As Minister, I am committed to expanding the Walks Scheme so that more communities can reap the benefits.
“I am also committed to looking at further increasing the number of RROs nationwide based on the outcome of our new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, which is currently being developed and which will make Rural Ireland an even better place to live, visit and raise a family.”
Minister Humphreys concluded:
“I am also today publishing a review of the Walks Scheme, which was carried out by Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland (ORNI).
“The recommendations in the review are extensive, covering every aspect of scheme delivery and impacting across a range of stakeholders.
“Given the breadth of issues covered and that many impact beyond my Department, I intend to establish a stakeholder consultation group to explore the recommendations and how they could be implemented at a local level.
“Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the Local Development Companies, Trail management groups and especially the farmers and landowners for their excellent cooperation with my Department.”
The report on the review of the Walks Scheme can be found here
The Walks Scheme was launched in 2008 to facilitate the development and maintenance of key walking trails by private landholders. The scheme is administered by 16 Local Development Companies (LDCs) who deliver the scheme in their area on behalf of the Department. The Department funds Rural Recreation Officers (RROs) in 13 of these LDCs, with a contribution from Fáilte Ireland, to assist with the delivery of the Scheme and support other rural recreation initiatives at a local level.
Under the Programme for Government and Our Rural Future, the Department committed to doubling the number of trails under the Scheme to 80. Expressions of Interest were sought for trails to come onto the Scheme and 10 new trails were announced in December 2019 under Phase 1 of the expansion. The 31 additional trails being added today, as part of Phase 2, were drawn from the Expressions of Interest received as part of this process.
It was agreed that the 2nd phase of the expansion of the scheme should be informed by a comprehensive review of the delivery of the scheme and include a review of the role played by the RROs, the funding model applied and other relevant factors.
Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland (ORNI) were appointed to undertake the review and submitted their report to the Department in July 2021. The report outlines a range of findings with associated recommendations including increased pay for RROs, additional funding for Local Development Companies that deliver the scheme and additional RRO posts.
The 31 new trails to be added are as follows:
| County | LDC | Name | Est. Length of Trail (km) | Est. No. of Land holders | |
| 1 | Cavan | Breffni Integrated | The Cavan Way | 26 | 11 |
| 2 | Cork | West Cork Development Co | Slí Gaeltacht Mhuscraí | 50 | 16 |
| 3 | Galway | Forum Connemara | Luibin Garumna/ Sli Chonamara | 9 | 9 |
| 4 | Galway | Forum Connemara | Luibin Maighros | 5 | 7 |
| 5 | Galway | Forum Connemara | Seanbothar | 5 | 25 |
| 6 | Kerry | NEWKD | Dingle Way | 178 | 80 |
| 7 | Kerry | NEWKD | North Kerry Way | 48 | 10 |
| 8 | Kerry | NEWKD | Glanageenty Loops (3 looped walks) | 19.5 | 3 |
| 9 | Kerry | South Kerry Dev P/ship | Bolus Loop/Skellig Way | 13.6 | 4 |
| 10 | Kerry | South Kerry Dev P/ship | Pound & Knockeenawaddra Loop | 7 | 11 |
| 11 | Kerry | South Kerry Dev P/ship | Caher Marsh | 3.9 | 7 |
| 12 | Kerry | South Kerry Dev P/ship | Emlagh Loop - Reenroe Cliff Walk | 10 | 10 |
| 13 | Kerry | South Kerry Dev P/ship | Keel Uphill Downhill Loop | 13 | 7 |
| 14 | Kilkenny | Kilkenny LDC | South Leinster Way | 104 | 28 |
| 15 | Kilkenny | Kilkenny LDC | Brandon Hill | 19 | 9 |
| 16 | Laois | Laois Partnership Company | Durrow Leafy Loop | 23 | 3 |
| 17 | Leitrim | Leitrim Integrated Dev Co | Arroo Trail | 4.23 | 18 |
| 18 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Ballyhoura Way | 89 | 17 |
| 19 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Slieveragh Loop | 10 | 2 |
| 20 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Molanna Loop Walk | 13 | 15 |
| 21 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Darragh Hills Loop | 10 | 3 |
| 22 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Attychrann Loop | 5 | 2 |
| 23 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Glounreagh Loop walk | 6 | 2 |
| 24 | Limerick | Ballyhoura Development | Paradise Hill | 13 | 2 |
| 25 | Louth | Louth Leader Partnership | Slieve Foy Loop (6 looped walks) | 46 | 32 |
| 26 | Roscommon | Roscommon Integrated Dev Co | Lung/Lough Gara Way | 38.2 | 9 |
| 27 | Sligo | Co. Sligo Leader Partnership | Aughris Head Trail | 3.2 | 4 |
| 28 | Sligo | Co. Sligo Leader Partnership | Lung Lough Gara Walk | 30 | 9 |
| 29 | Waterford | Waterford Leader Partnership | St. Declan's Way | 115 | 45 |
| 30 | Waterford | Waterford Leader Partnership | Anne Valley Walk | 5 | 13 |
| 31 | Wicklow | County Wicklow Partnership | Wicklow Uplands Way | 8.8 | 4 |
| 930 | 417 |
Today’s announcement represents approval in principle for these new trails to be added to the Walks Scheme. Landowners on the 31 trails included in today’s announcement will be contacted by the relevant Local Development Company with a view to formally bringing them onto the scheme.
The funding of additional RRO posts is conditional on the presentation of an appropriate business case from the relevant Local Development Companies that employ these Officers. The 8 indicative areas for a new RRO position are outlined below and have been selected on the basis that they are areas which will have walking trails already on the Scheme. Depending on the number of trails in a given area, some Local Development Companies will be encouraged to work collaboratively so that 1 RRO can cover a whole county or a number of counties, depending on the particular situation locally.
The indicative locations, based on a selection of areas with trails already on the Walks Scheme, are as follows:
For further information on the Walks Scheme please see here.