Old Rail Trail
Trail in Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Old Rail Trail[2][3] (also known as Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway)[4][5] 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.[6][7]
| Old Rail Trail (Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway) | |
|---|---|
Bridge on the greenway | |
 | |
| Length | 42 kilometres (26 miles)[1] |
| Location | County Westmeath, Ireland |
| Use | Cycling, walking |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | Any |
| Surface | Tarmac |
| Website | Athlone.ie - Old Rail Trail |
History
The route was originally opened in 1851 as a railway line by the Midland Great Western Railway and was the first to reach Athlone from Dublin.[8] The line was closed in 1987 with trains using the former Great Southern and Western Railway line to reach Athlone.[9]
The Moate-Garrycastle section was officially opened by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in October 2015.[10][4][5] 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][needs update]
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]
| Location | Distance from Athlone (km) | Distance to Mullingar (km) | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Road, Athlone | - | 43 | 53.426547, -7.942494[21] |
| Whitegates, Athlone | - | 42 | 53.427995, -7.931805 |
| Garrycastle, Athlone | - | 40 | 53.422411, -7.899979 |
| Mount Temple | 6 | 34 | 53.402258, -7.816096 |
| Maghermore | 8 | 32 | 53.399294, -7.781841 |
| Moate (Dún na Sí Park) | 12 | 28 | 53.398406, -7.736041 |
| Moate (Station) | 12 | 28 | 53.399177, -7.723514 |
| Rosemount | 18 | 22 | 53.415931, -7.641321 |
| Lisnagree | 21 | 19 | 53.415931, -7.641321 |
| Streamstown | 23 | 17 | 53.435258, -7.570478 |
| Garhy (R391) | 26.2 | 13.8 | 53.450029, -7.531310 |
| Castletown Station | 28 | 12 | 53.454793, -7.522229 |
| Dysart | 30 | 10 | 53.476641, -7.480747 |
| Ballinea | 36 | 4 | 53.502709, -7.431523 |
| Bellmount | 37.2 | 2.8 | 53.508298, -7.403209 |
| Kilpatrick | 38.4 | 1.6 | 53.509364, -7.390320 |
| Mullingar Newbrook (Canal Link) | 40 | - | 53.517095, -7.368273 |
| Mullingar Newbrook (Roundabout Access) | 42 | - | 53.509364, -7.390320 |