New 15km walkway will link Ballinascarthy with Courtmac

WORKS are set to commence in the coming weeks on a new 15km walkway between Ballinascarthy and Courtmacsherry, which will contain waymarkers, map boards and interpretive signs, a meeting heard last week.

Details of the Argideen Walkway were outlined to councillors at a meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District where councillors were told that this walk will allow it connect with both the Timoleague and Seven Heads walks.

Cork County Council was awarded €13,280 for the walkway under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the signage will direct people along the route.

Cllr John O’Sullivan (FG) welcomed the announcement of works on the walkway.

‘It’s a new development in a historical valley and it brings a connection from Ballinascarthy down to Timoleague and it will connect up with the Timoleague and Seven Heads walks,’ said Cllr O’Sullivan.

‘This will increase the walk offering in the area and I want to thank Council official for this,’ he said.

Cllr O’Sullivan also mentioned the idea of developing a blueway from the Argideen River to Timoleague and noted that a group of kayakers recently did a trial run there.

‘They went from Courtmacsherry to Inchybridge and the reports that were posted online were very positive from what I saw. Maybe we could look into this again and develop it as a tourist offering. There are facilities there and and it would be a lovely trail.’

Senior executive officer Mac Dara O’ h-Icí said they would look into examining the possibility of developing such a blueway but he pointed out that there is extra criteria attached to blueways and that they may not be able to comply with the full requirements needed. Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) once more requested that the Council also examine the potential for a blueway from Kinsale to Innishannon bridge.