Rural Recreation Development Programme
Rural Recreation Development Programme
Roscommon LEADER Partnership is proud to deliver the Rural Recreation Development Programme on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. This programme involves the management and maintenance of some of our most valuable recreational facilities, including long distance walking trails and looped walks. The programme also involves the implementation of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy in Counties Roscommon and Longford and includes objectives develop, maintain and promote recreational facilities in the countryside, to secure funding for development projects to enhance our recreational tourism product and to promote our rural tourism resources for the benefit of the local economy.The Walks Scheme
The Rural Recreation Development Programme includes the administration of the Walks Scheme for three priority walking trails, whereby local landowners and farmers agree to carry out essential maintenance of the trails for a bi-monthly payment. The Walks Scheme was launched nationally in 2008 and has resulted in significant improvements in the quality of our walking trails, with increased enjoyment for trail users and benefit for local businesses as tourism increases in these rural areas. For more information on the National Walks Scheme, download the Walks Scheme Booklet.Miner's Way and Historical Trail
The Miner’s Way and Historical Trail is a 132km long, figure-of-eight walking trail that starts and ends at Arigna, north County Roscommon. The route is a varied one that manages to touch on three lakes, Lough Allen, Lough Arrow and Lough Key and crosses three low mountain ranges, Corry Mountain, the Curlew Mountains and the Bricklieve Mountains. Other attractions that may tempt walkers to linger along the way include the Arigna Mining Experience, an interpretative centre for the mines and their history, Lough Key Forest and Activity Park, Kilronan Castle Hotel, the 12th century Cistercian Boyle Abbey, and Carrowkeel Neolithic cemetery, which consists of fourteen passage graves topped by stone cairns dating from around 3,000 BC. The trail crosses Counties Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim. In County Roscommon, the trail is 60 km in length and involves 78 Walks Scheme participants.For more information on the Miner’s Way:
Contact Úna Bhán Tourism Co-Op in Boyle or Joe O’Beirne on 071 96 46186 / josephob@ridc.ie
Download the Miner’s Way Map Guide
Like the Miner’s Way on Facebook
Suck Valley Way
For more information on the Suck Valley Way, visit www.discoversuckvalleyway.ie
or contact reception@ridc.ie or 090 66 30252,
Rinn Dúin Looped Walks - This trail is temporarily CLOSED
Rinn Dúin is a walker’s delighted and a national cultural tourism treasure that is just waiting to be explored! The Warren Point and Castle Looped walking trails take you 3 km along the shores of Lough Ree around a tranquil peninsula of undulating farmland and woodland. Walkers at Rinn Dúin are captivated by the fascinating remains of an Anglo-Norman castle and walled medieval town. Built in 1227 by King Henry III of England, it was populated by up to 1000 people but within less than 150 years this town was destroyed, ruined and forgotten. In recent times the important historical site has found a new lease of life through the conservation of the medieval town walls and parish church that are visited by many. The Rinn Dúin walking trails are in private ownership and Roscommon LEADER Partnership work with two Walks Scheme participants in maintaining this trail to a very high standard.For more information, visit Roscommon.ie, download the Rinn Dúin trail map or contact 090 66 30252.
Rural Tourism Marketing
Since a strong focus of the Rural Recreation Programme in County Roscommon is to support our local economy, the promotion of our rural resources for their tourism potential is an important part of our work. Roscommon LEADER Partnership work closely with Roscommon County Council, Fáilte Ireland and the Roscommon Community Tourism Network to develop and deliver initiatives to promote the county. Our county tourism brand and marketing campaign was launched in 2012 at the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway and has involved the development of an interactive mobile enabled website, brochures, active Facebook and Twitter pages, online advertisement, online trip planner, a series of promotional videos, discount booklets, competitions, promotional events and a staffed promotional stand at Ireland West Airport Knock.Una Bhan Tourism Co-Operative are also supported in their celebration of Sky TV’s celebrated sit-com based in Boyle town and featuring renowned comedy actor Chris O’Dowd, through a dedicated Moone Boy Fanpage. An important aspect of the role of the Rural Recreation Development Officer is to support the activities of Roscommon Community Tourism Network and the tourism community in their collective efforts to promote the county. This includes providing assistance in developing and delivering projects, accessing funds and arranging training and capacity building programmes.
If you have any ideas for how we can better promote our county for tourism, please contact Roscommon LEADER Partnership on 090 66 30252.
Visit roscommon.ie for great special offers, info and guidance on planning your trip to Roscommon.