WITH The Wild Atlantic Way attracting numerous tourists to the coastal routes of West Cork, the challenge faced by community groups like those in Kilbrittain was how to bring people inland to come and visit their areas.
By Kieran O’Mahony
WITH The Wild Atlantic Way attracting numerous tourists to the coastal routes of West Cork, the challenge faced by community groups like those in Kilbrittain was how to bring people inland to come and visit their areas. There is certainly plenty for tourists to see in Kilbrittain and sights include the Whale, the People of Kilbrittain Book in the Parish Hall and commercial adventures like The Secret Garden are showing that all roads lead to this bustling village. The latest additions to the area are four new Kilbrittain Walking Trails, which were launched just last month during their annual summer Festival. Trish Bevan of West Cork Development Partnership officially opened the four new walking trails and the WCDP were pivotal in helping the committee bring their plan to fruition. Guest speaker on the night was Damien Enright and prior to the opening, the Kilbrittain Trails Group completed the 4km Castle Walk where they started from the Trail Map Board in the Village Park.
‘We always knew we had a product here, which is a natural facility here in Kilbrittain and that we could sell to tourists and even people in West Cork. We first came up with the idea about two years ago that we should develop walks and trails in the area,’ said Con McCarthy of Kilbrittain Walking Trail Group speaking to The Southern Star.
‘The first thing we did was apply for funding to the WCDP to help develop the trails and Trish Bevan there was extremely helpful to us. They funded the majority of the project while members of our group undertook the work.
People from the WCDP came out and walked the area and looked at the proposed routes, with most of them actually overlooking the sea and walkers also get to see other attractions like very good views of Kilbrittain Castle.’
There are four different trails that all loop and all start at the garden in Kilbrittain Village. They range from the shortest, the Castle Walk, which is 4km to the longest, one, which is 14.5 km called the Kiln Loop. The map of the trails has also gone up in the Village Park and our members on the public roads have put up signs
‘The thing is that people have been using these routes informally for years and Damien Enright has been great in promoting these walks. Out hope and idea too is that when people come here to use the walk that they will also support the commercial life of the village. Kilbrittain like other villages have lost some services but we are trying to be pro-active and the onus is on us to use these facilities while at the same time supporting local business.’
‘As a community we welcome that we can get a small bit of funding to finance small projects like ourselves. They supplied all the directional information and warning signs and we did the labour and put them up.’
‘The brochures have been printed and we’ve dropped them into local shops both in the area and outside the parish. West Cork Tourism is also promoting it as are the WCDP.’
‘Kilbrittain is a beautiful parish on the coast and when walkers come into the village they will see the mopboard of the trails when they come into the Village Park. There are actually six routes in total, as two were already there. It’s a very historical village with plenty to do and see including visiting Kilbrittain Castle and there are activities for young people too with a new playground opened last year. The Whale skeleton too still draws the crowds and the parish has a lot of B&B’s and guesthouses so visitors can come and stay for a few days and take in the walks and accommodation places are also listed on our brochure.’
By Kieran O’Mahony
WITH The Wild Atlantic Way attracting numerous tourists to the coastal routes of West Cork, the challenge faced by community groups like those in Kilbrittain was how to bring people inland to come and visit their areas. There is certainly plenty for tourists to see in Kilbrittain and sights include the Whale, the People of Kilbrittain Book in the Parish Hall and commercial adventures like The Secret Garden are showing that all roads lead to this bustling village. The latest additions to the area are four new Kilbrittain Walking Trails, which were launched just last month during their annual summer Festival. Trish Bevan of West Cork Development Partnership officially opened the four new walking trails and the WCDP were pivotal in helping the committee bring their plan to fruition. Guest speaker on the night was Damien Enright and prior to the opening, the Kilbrittain Trails Group completed the 4km Castle Walk where they started from the Trail Map Board in the Village Park.
‘We always knew we had a product here, which is a natural facility here in Kilbrittain and that we could sell to tourists and even people in West Cork. We first came up with the idea about two years ago that we should develop walks and trails in the area,’ said Con McCarthy of Kilbrittain Walking Trail Group speaking to The Southern Star.
‘The first thing we did was apply for funding to the WCDP to help develop the trails and Trish Bevan there was extremely helpful to us. They funded the majority of the project while members of our group undertook the work.
People from the WCDP came out and walked the area and looked at the proposed routes, with most of them actually overlooking the sea and walkers also get to see other attractions like very good views of Kilbrittain Castle.’
There are four different trails that all loop and all start at the garden in Kilbrittain Village. They range from the shortest, the Castle Walk, which is 4km to the longest, one, which is 14.5 km called the Kiln Loop. The map of the trails has also gone up in the Village Park and our members on the public roads have put up signs
‘The thing is that people have been using these routes informally for years and Damien Enright has been great in promoting these walks. Out hope and idea too is that when people come here to use the walk that they will also support the commercial life of the village. Kilbrittain like other villages have lost some services but we are trying to be pro-active and the onus is on us to use these facilities while at the same time supporting local business.’
‘As a community we welcome that we can get a small bit of funding to finance small projects like ourselves. They supplied all the directional information and warning signs and we did the labour and put them up.’
‘The brochures have been printed and we’ve dropped them into local shops both in the area and outside the parish. West Cork Tourism is also promoting it as are the WCDP.’
‘Kilbrittain is a beautiful parish on the coast and when walkers come into the village they will see the mopboard of the trails when they come into the Village Park. There are actually six routes in total, as two were already there. It’s a very historical village with plenty to do and see including visiting Kilbrittain Castle and there are activities for young people too with a new playground opened last year. The Whale skeleton too still draws the crowds and the parish has a lot of B&B’s and guesthouses so visitors can come and stay for a few days and take in the walks and accommodation places are also listed on our brochure.’
By Kieran O’Mahony
WITH The Wild Atlantic Way attracting numerous tourists to the coastal routes of West Cork, the challenge faced by community groups like those in Kilbrittain was how to bring people inland to come and visit their areas. There is certainly plenty for tourists to see in Kilbrittain and sights include the Whale, the People of Kilbrittain Book in the Parish Hall and commercial adventures like The Secret Garden are showing that all roads lead to this bustling village. The latest additions to the area are four new Kilbrittain Walking Trails, which were launched just last month during their annual summer Festival. Trish Bevan of West Cork Development Partnership officially opened the four new walking trails and the WCDP were pivotal in helping the committee bring their plan to fruition. Guest speaker on the night was Damien Enright and prior to the opening, the Kilbrittain Trails Group completed the 4km Castle Walk where they started from the Trail Map Board in the Village Park.
‘We always knew we had a product here, which is a natural facility here in Kilbrittain and that we could sell to tourists and even people in West Cork. We first came up with the idea about two years ago that we should develop walks and trails in the area,’ said Con McCarthy of Kilbrittain Walking Trail Group speaking to The Southern Star.
‘The first thing we did was apply for funding to the WCDP to help develop the trails and Trish Bevan there was extremely helpful to us. They funded the majority of the project while members of our group undertook the work.
People from the WCDP came out and walked the area and looked at the proposed routes, with most of them actually overlooking the sea and walkers also get to see other attractions like very good views of Kilbrittain Castle.’
There are four different trails that all loop and all start at the garden in Kilbrittain Village. They range from the shortest, the Castle Walk, which is 4km to the longest, one, which is 14.5 km called the Kiln Loop. The map of the trails has also gone up in the Village Park and our members on the public roads have put up signs
‘The thing is that people have been using these routes informally for years and Damien Enright has been great in promoting these walks. Out hope and idea too is that when people come here to use the walk that they will also support the commercial life of the village. Kilbrittain like other villages have lost some services but we are trying to be pro-active and the onus is on us to use these facilities while at the same time supporting local business.’
‘As a community we welcome that we can get a small bit of funding to finance small projects like ourselves. They supplied all the directional information and warning signs and we did the labour and put them up.’
‘The brochures have been printed and we’ve dropped them into local shops both in the area and outside the parish. West Cork Tourism is also promoting it as are the WCDP.’
‘Kilbrittain is a beautiful parish on the coast and when walkers come into the village they will see the mopboard of the trails when they come into the Village Park. There are actually six routes in total, as two were already there. It’s a very historical village with plenty to do and see including visiting Kilbrittain Castle and there are activities for young people too with a new playground opened last year. The Whale skeleton too still draws the crowds and the parish has a lot of B&B’s and guesthouses so visitors can come and stay for a few days and take in the walks and accommodation places are also listed on our brochure.’
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