Great Western Greenway

Overview

The Great Western Greenway follows the bed of a railway that closed in the 1930s, running from the Georgian streets of Westport along the edge of Clew Bay to Achill Island. The official route guide gives 49 km from Westport to Cashel on Achill, through Newport and Mulranny. The original route ended at Achill Sound, and an extension to Cashel opened in 2024. Because it follows a railway, the gradients are gentle, and it suits families and unhurried cyclists rather than anyone chasing distance.

The scenery earns the reputation. You get the conical summit of Croagh Patrick across the water, the drowned drumlins of Clew Bay, and the Nephin Beg mountains inland. If you only ride one section, make it Newport to Mulranny for the long views over the bay.

Route Sections & Timing

You can tackle the whole route in a day or break it into stages. For a shorter outing, start at one of the villages along the greenway and turn back at a point that suits your group. If travelling one way, arrange a return before setting out, and confirm bike hire, transport or shuttle arrangements with the operator.

• Westport to Newport – A gentle start through coastal woodlands and quiet farmland.
• Newport to Mulranny – The scenic highlight, climbing slightly to offer panoramic views over Clew Bay and Clare Island.
• Mulranny to Achill Sound – Follows the Atlantic coastline along the Corraun Peninsula before crossing the land bridge to Achill.
• Achill Sound to Cashel – The 2024 extension, featuring a boardwalk across blanket bog.

History & Heritage

The Greenway’s foundation lies in the Balfour Lines, a series of state-subsidised narrow-gauge railways built in the 1890s to connect remote western counties. The Westport-to-Achill line opened in stages between 1894 and 1895, bringing a boom in trade, tourism and postal services to the region. The Mulranny Park Hotel even opened in 1897 specifically to serve railway passengers, advertising combined rail-and-hotel tickets.

Passenger services ended in 1934, with freight ceasing in 1937. The tracks were lifted in 1938 and sold for scrap during the war years, leaving the corridor dormant for decades. In the early 2000s, Mayo County Council partnered with local landowners and state agencies to convert the route. The first phase, Newport to Mulranny, opened in April 2010; Taoiseach Enda Kenny inaugurated the full Westport-to-Achill-Sound route on 29 July 2011, and it went on to win the European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) award that year. The extension to Cashel followed in 2024.

What to See & Do

The trail passes through a mosaic of habitats, from active farmland and native woodland to coastal machair and blanket bog. Several stops are worth detouring for:

• Newport Viaduct – A seven-arch red sandstone bridge spanning the Black Oak River. The town of Newport also features the ancestral home of Princess Grace of Monaco and a park dedicated to her grandfather.
• Mulranny Causeway & Beach – The Victorian causeway (built 1889) links the village to Rosmurrevagh Machair, a rare coastal grassland habitat, and the sheltered beach. Check local notices before swimming.
• Dánlann Yawl Art Gallery – Located in Owenduff, a small gallery and café on the route; check its opening before relying on it.
• Ballycroy National Park – The Greenway skirts the western edge of Ballycroy National Park. Look out for the park’s boardwalks and the distinctive pines of the Wild Nephin range.
• Achill Island Highlights – Once across the bridge, explore the medieval Kildavnet Tower, the Slievemore Deserted Village, a settlement of many stone cottages, and the Atlantic Drive.

Flora & Fauna

The route traverses several Special Areas of Conservation. Spring and summer bring carpets of purple heather, marsh marigold and the rare Irish lady’s-tresses orchid. Birdwatchers should scan the shoreline for golden plovers, curlews and red-breasted mergansers, while inland sections attract buzzards, red kites and peregrine falcons. Butterflies such as the common blue and peacock are active from May through August.

Practical Information

• Bike Hire & Shuttles – Operators in Westport, Newport, Mulranny and Achill hire bikes and may offer shuttle returns. Prices and shuttle arrangements change, so check with the operator and book ahead in peak summer.
• Facilities – Cafés and pubs are found in Newport, Mulranny and Achill Sound, but services are thin between villages, so carry water and food and plan accordingly.
• Parking – Use public car parks in Westport, Newport, Mulranny and Achill Sound, and leave private gates and entrances clear. Check local signage for charges and limits.
• Rules & Safety – The Greenway is a shared space. Walkers and cyclists keep left, pass on the right, and cyclists should ring a bell before overtaking. Slow down around walkers, pass with room and take care at gates, bridges and road crossings. Keep dogs on a lead. Helmets are sensible, especially for children.
• Accessibility – Surfaces and gradients vary along the route, so check the official route guide before taking a wheelchair or buggy. Part of the route through Newport town centre shares the road with traffic, so take extra caution there.
• Route notices – Check current route notices on the official guide before you travel, and use designated access points.

Where to Stay Nearby

Four villages sit on or beside the route, and which one you pick decides how much of the Greenway you ride from the door.

• Westport – The obvious base if you want restaurants, pubs and traditional music at the end of the day, and the easiest place to arrive by train. Hotels and guest houses cluster around the Octagon and the streets uphill from it, close to the start of the trail and the bike-hire yards.
• Newport – At the seven-arch viaduct, a good choice if you want a quieter town with a full day’s cycling either side of you.
• Mulranny – The strategic pick. The Mulranny Park Hotel was built in 1897 for railway passengers on this very line, and Mulranny is roughly the mid-point, so you can ride in either direction and shuttle back.
• Achill Sound – The western end, at the gateway to Achill Island, handy if you are finishing the route one day and heading for Keel and the Atlantic Drive the next.

Book well ahead for July and August, when the Greenway, the beaches and the Westport festivals compete for the same rooms.

Planning Your Visit

A common plan is to park in Westport, hire a bike, and cycle westward. If you prefer a shorter outing, the stretch from Mulranny to Achill Sound delivers plenty of coastal scenery for the distance and is easily combined with a ferry trip to Clare Island or a hike up Croagh Patrick. Check the official Greenway website for current route conditions and the latest event listings across County Mayo.