A SUM of €10,000 has been announced in government funding for a picnic and seating area on the Dursey Island walking trail, and another €10,000 for new signage boards and an audio listening post on Whiddy Island.
Managed by Comhar na nOileán, the Whiddy Island funding will be used for an audio devide that will provide a ‘detailed and interesting account of the island’s history’.
The funding was announced as part of the government’s Walks Scheme, where it was also revealed that the Yew Tree Hill Loop Walk in Dunmanway, managed by the West Cork Development Company, is one of one of 22 new walk trails, approved in principle, to be added to the scheme.
The Walks Scheme facilitates the development and maintenance of key walking trails by private landholders, and is administered by Local Development Companies (LDCs), who deliver the scheme in their area on behalf of the department of rural development.
Projects supported include small scale trail surface improvements, signage and waymarking, new picnic and recreation areas, and rerouting of trails away from busy roads.
These projects will be led by local development companies in collaboration with landowners, community trail management organisations and other stakeholders.
There is currently approval in principle for 142 trails to be included on the Walks Scheme.
To date, 101 trails have been brought onto the scheme with work underway to bring the remaining trails onboard as soon as possible.
This will entail the Local Development Companies identifying the landowners along the trail, and developing workplans for each of them which will set out the work involved in maintaining their section of the trail.
The addition of the 22 new trails announced last week will bring to 164 the number of trails with approval in principle to join the Walks Scheme.
