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inuu nnwi nw II II" 1 saw an opportunity with elec-

DI UUI-LUIM |lju|| %|| AIM trie bikes. Germany is always ahead

THE West IS not Only

ir- i_kf j.
- _. i. IIIHM
1 IWTW WII HID
VIM of the game so I did some research
as to the best bikes there. I saw the
awake it'S -
_., eleCtliC.
. . -.
•■ «-
■•
opportunity to link the electric
bikes with tourism and developed
Imagine the joy of cycling
llltA
T
r__|_l__f__M# *c tours.The idea was to involve
for 18 kilometres without ICIIIwWCIV
f llllw
local food, culture and people."
meeting a car and the the
only sounds
_,4„_.^„_.
singing andi
are the birds
.the
1 windi
...i
_nP-r_rl__l1P
I ____ _ _ _ ill
_____^
Along the way you link up with a
photographer, or have fun baking
homemade bread, visit a mussel
farm and then have a cooking les-
whistling. WVWIIIIW Mmm son with the chef cooking the mus-
The Atlantic Ocean is on your ™ "™ ~~ ~ ™ ™™ ™ ~~~ ™™ sels with garlic and chilli and wash-
ins them down with a glass of wine
left and the Nephin Mountains
Cl_____ft_rill_i_ftl'
_■ I
are on your right. „S.Thec blelectric
? ck s ?_.,bikes merely miAe
And you're whizzing along on the SUU-ICIUIICII .
it easy for people of all ages and fit-
bike, taking in the scenery enjoying 2T ness l eve l s t0 travel distances with.
the fresh air I* al
And, oh my God, the bike
tery-operated electric. Come to the
is bat- _■__-__■_•«■
CV[_|i_D —lull
4w«%1l out the effort," says Paul
Guide
slightest hill, press the 'mode' but- _*f*""'j *■*■■■ ta sh can enj Ac d
ton and the pain of pushing is gone.
It's cycling for softies, but who _.-,„. f esea 5 hknackered.
of routes ames
cares? going
de
gets tough
utton '
you press
..
the
.
access etc „as probably the hard-
RemOte TA ? with two est part. In the past it would have
We are on the
, „Great Western
,„ nights'
unique expenence,
accommodation, dinners
been walking, cycling kayaking and
photography standing alone, now
Greenway, Ireland s longest off-road with guided walk -cycles, packed it's working together and we' re all
cycling and walking trail, 17.5 kms lunches and electric bike hire can benefiting," adds Paul
of cycling heaven. It once was a rail- be had for as little as €250.
way line to the remote West but was Londoner Paul was working in the
The electric bikes also give visi-
closed 73 years ago: now, after an building industry in Ireland when,
tors that extra push to detour off
the Greenway track,
investment of €1.6 million it's been like so many others, he fell victim We soon discovered this as walk-
totally re-invented as a cycle track, of the slump. ing guide Scan Cardan took us
Situated on the northern shore of But rather than feel sorry for him- across by a series of lakes up hill
Clew Bay in County Mayo, the trail self, he got to thinking about the and down dale.
links the historic town of Newport to electric bikes, sourced them in Mulranny Experience weekends
Mulranny, Mayo's jewel along the Germany, put forward a business combine electric bikes and guided
sea. plan and now he's up and running. walking tours of the Clew Bay 's spe- BBBM]
Paul Harmon of Electric Escapes
has supplied us with the bikes and
"Some people laughed, saying
tourism here was just about fishing,
eial interest sites, including Rockfleet
Castle home to Grace O'Malley the
W^m^M
while cycling purists may scoff, if golf and the seaside," says Paul. renowned "Pirate Queen".
you're into a headwind or climbing "When I was made redundant in There are options of walking or
a hill, and are of a certain age or fit- November and looked at what to cycling or a bit of both during the
ness level, don't knock it. You still do, I wanted to stay in the West with week-end. _.
have to pedal along, you get all the my family of Ross (7), Katie (4) and You can explore the historical
joys a cyclist gets ~ but when the my wife Marie who's from Clonmel. town of Newport, visiting Harry

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have been developed and Scan's

guided walks are a great hit, tied m
track world-class. Broken-down minutes from Westport WM
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stone railway bridges have been
reconstructed, overgrowth has been
An exceUent local base is the
Hotel Newport, reflecting the her-
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A Coastal Trail walk taking some cut back, gates and gaps are itage of the town with its atmos-
three or four hours, takes in both restored in such a way that cycling pheric Seven Arches Bar and bistro BM
gellacragher and Clew Bay. You will continuity is not disrupted, while and its Cobbler Restaurant special- BM
"" out , '""j _^„,i _"_■,. farmers know their stock are also ising in seafood and steaks. Mm
seasca cs formed, why "Old Irish"
? secure The Greenway is the longest off- ■
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.
■?•'$? , mlles from
Of course you don't have to go for road cycling and walking trail in M$
■
.T * 3 6 the soft option of electric bikes. You Ireland and is the first portion of
-A r
__-_d _sm«_! Stae. 22
can hire rdinar y bikes in
granny °
or Newport, or bring your
«
ther the Natlonal c Kle Network to be H

-
s rare and on your way pick some
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periwinkles for supper.
head of Leisure
Tourism at Failte Ireland says the
rff/yjWg f^ Jh_R Ar*limttmM&mKSy JW_*1 n UmdOimen
Mulranny is a charming seaside
village with a beautiful beach, development of this quality cycling

NPtBPi [if "1 _MH_________S._rar_ tra.rwa° P made possMe b.agre_ mountain terrain, wooded areas *g regionare in a position to capi- WM
FAMILY AFFAm-Paul ana Marie HanrmnwHhnossano^Katta^^S^^ ""S. have allowed access to users and 15 minutes from Achill. Pursuits MM
Clarkes "Last Judgment", the Greenway to Mulranny /^,.,~,
enjoying spectacular _£m _£____________E3___________ - °U '*" Mulranny Park Hotel nestled in a acfr^pSteln _Sd_pe_. I
"
wooa i a 5 d estate and exuding old
mural to Fr Manus Sweeney, inter-
preter in "The Year of the French", coastal views.
can be accessed
mmmgmKmmMMM^MMMMmk rom Mulrann V or world charm and right at the begin- more n€l yuion in 2008 with
almost a million overseas visitors
BM
____■
and the magnificent seven arch rail- Scan, a part-time ggWMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMi Newport and runs ning of the cycle track. engaging in activities such as walk !_____■
way bridge. farmer MMMMMMMwMMMMMMMm
from dose ,he At,anti <: with lts award "hming restaurant Cycling _________!
After a 4Km cycle on the
Greenway we detoured to beautiful
Mulranny, is one of
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rite new breed who MMMm^MSmWMMM^m^^jMMWm
at aR times.
There are spec-
'" and 41 rooms and 20 two-roomed
chalets, it's the ideal location to
equestrian
and water based activities
pursuits

More of these projects would

1^1
_____■
Burrishoole Friary with Scan, and
then on to the postcard view of to diversifyMMMMWMMMMmwMMM^MMWM
recognises the need
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in
tacular views of
Clew Bay as you
base your cycling or walking adven-
cure ' Tne notei also nas a fuU
boost cycle tourism greatly both for
stay-at-home two-wheel fans and
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Burrishoole Bridge with a short tourism. aH_m_____@_H_B________________________________Hl
t™^ 1 through leisure centre to ease away the the millions of cyclists from other
stop for refreshments at Deradda. He is WMmMWMmMmTMmMM^BMM^MMJ
hugely woodlands across tired muscles. countries looking for new (and _______■
Our next highlight was "the
Salmon Leap" a beautiful waterfall
active in promoting
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walks in the area and yMW^MM^MMMMbMM^MM^B over an^ under origi-
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after completion by the Midland
safe) places to explore
Ha^fid uiilmln
and home to Europe's oldest has a growing number yMMMMMjMMmMwBMMMMw nal han<l cut stone Great Western Railways but it was www.discoverireland ie/west lIH
Salmon research centre, then off to
the coast, and a visit to Rockfleet
of enthusiasts involved
in his specialised
raiJw ?> r bridges from
the Ta^- Wa y line dating
totally refurbished in recent years.
At the other end of the cycleway
i_r_fo@electricescapes.ie
www.mulrai__nyparkhotel ie
WM
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Castle. From there was enjoyed a Mulranny Wayward walks. Dack ro the late 1800s. i s Newport nestled on the south www-hotelnewport ie
relaxing cycle back along the A number of walking trails The quality of the cycle eastern shore of clew Bay, just 15 c_irol____i.seaniegmall.com MM

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tha na%r cycle way, you
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