A green future is the way for Belgooly and Kinsale
Written by Ken Forde
And the water dances as the heron glances...
Beál Guala - Belgooly is where I call home for the last 15 years and I still haven't explored all of it as of yet.
During the beginning of Covid-19, we experienced a unique opportunity to walk freely around various roads of Belgooly. There were no cars, vans or trucks. Nothing!
The one good thing that we experienced from the first lockdown. After work, we had the opportunity to stretch our legs a bit further than the beaten path of The Belgooly Walkway.
Almost 2.5 years ago, I began to notice our walkway was rather dirty, so I set about walking and beginning to clean it. Yep! Just me.. One man and his bag and litter picker. I had had enough of looking at all the rubbish that had accumulated over time. By whom, I don't know but it had just grown and grown until I finally noticed - so I decided to do something about it! So, off I went, 30 minutes walking along the walkway and 30 minutes of litter picking. After just a week I had collected a huge amount.
Now there are plans to fund improvements to the walkway, which stretches 1.83Km along the estuary, as it needs some TLC. It gets huge use and I can't ever recall this walkway never being there.
However, we have some other great walks in Belgooly and lockdown afforded a little more time and exploration, which have all been cleaned over these last 2.5 years. I think a cleaner countryside just helps us all enjoy these walks a little more. None of these items belong in our countryside and if we are to help nature then then the balance must begin with removing all this rubbish. I am sure it is less than 1% of people that litter, spoiling the enjoyment of our countryside for the other 99%.
The potential and freedom we have to walk in our community is enormous. Walking isn't everyone's cup of tea so we regularly see cyclists, joggers and even horse and jockey on these routes in and around Belgooly. Having cleaned up the School Road all the way to Coolcarron and back we now have a brilliant 6Km route right on our doorstep. Turning left at the end of this road brings one up a hill or two onto Coolcarron Cross and from there 3 other walks extend from this crossroads with some fine views to match.
Belgooly really is only a short hop, skip and a jump from nearby Kinsale and traveling by foot from Belgooly to Kinsale really is a unique experience, but not along the R600, of course. Get out of the car and try a walk. Go via Knockrobin and Brownsmills and up Tobhar na Lobhar, an old leper's lane, dating from before the 1600s and down into Kinsale via Farm Lane. It's just over an hour of walking but a truly unique experience.
Future plans and discussions are under way to connect Riverstick to Curra Woods and Curra Woods to the School Road as part of a potential Green Route. When achieved, boys and girls can safely cycle or walk to school, passing a small but unique forest on the way. Mams & Dads can opt to cycle or walk to the school to collect their children. Safety will need to be a priority as parts of these routes are along the busy R600 Kinsale to Cork road. But where there's a will there's a way and the newly formed Riverstick Walkway committee have set about exploring options to make this a reality in the coming months.
Potential exists too to develop a new green route, perhaps a stage on a Kinsale Camino, that starts at the 226 bus stop or Riverstick Community Hall and leads into Belgooly and onto Kinsale. When in Kinsale, the much developed walks open up to Castlepark and beyond to Sandycove and Courtaporeen. From here you can walk or cycle to Ballinspittle and loop back via Garretstown, the Old Head and back to Kinsale, however these routes are not all walkways or marked routes and will need further work in the future. But the potential is there!
From Belgooly along the Lybe Road I can walk to Ballyfeard via Fartha Cross. From Knocknahowla Mór I can go left, then right at Oatlands for Oysterhaven or at the top of this hill alternatively turn right and walk down along the Wood Road and up to Ringenane visiting the original Kinsale Golf course and take in the fine views overlooking Oysterhaven Bay. Along the R600, at the end of the Belgooly Estuary Walk there may be yet more potential to develop a dedicated cycleway & walkway to lead into Kinsale. The potential in the area is incredible.. Now we need the will and support of the people to make it so... And we can then all enjoy a healthier future, safely exercising in our localities.. I have no doubt the odd visitor or tourist would join in also.