Overview
The Connemara Greenway is not finished, and it’s worth knowing that before you set out. The plan is a 76 km traffic-free trail from Galway city to Clifden along the old railway line; what actually exists on the ground is three separate open sections with gaps between them. Each is a good half-day in its own right, and all three are free and open year-round, but you can’t yet ride the whole thing end to end without long stretches of public road.
If you only do one section, make it Ballynahinch: it’s the most scenic of the three, threading through old oak and beech woodland.
A railway reborn
The route follows the former Galway–Clifden railway line, which opened in stages in 1895, Galway to Oughterard on 1 January and the rest later the same year, and carried passengers, livestock and goods across some hard country until services ended in 1935. The trackbed then went back to scrub and woodland. The greenway, a campaign led by the Connemara Greenway Alliance, aims to reclaim that corridor as a walking and cycling route, starting from the Fisheries Field at the University of Galway, running along the River Corrib to Dangan, then picking up the old line through Moycullen, Oughterard, Maam Cross, Recess and Ballynahinch to Clifden.
The open sections
Plan around the three open segments, each best treated as a standalone trip:
- Galway to Dangan (4 km): starts near the city at the Fisheries Field and follows the River Corrib out to Dangan Sportsground. Mostly paved, gentle and good for families and casual riders.
- Ballynahinch (6 km): the pick of the three, opened in May 2018, running from Athry to Cloonbeg through the oak and beech woodland of the Ballynahinch estate, crossing the Owenmore River and passing close to Ballynahinch Castle. The compacted-gravel surface drains well.
- Clifden (3.5 km): threads through the town’s edge and along the coastal plain, with easy access to Clifden’s pubs and shops and views to the Twelve Bens on the horizon.
What to pack and how to ride
The surfaces are mixed: compacted gravel or natural track on the rural sections, with only the Galway stretch fully paved. A hybrid or mountain bike with decent tyres handles it comfortably. Electric bikes can be hired from the Clifden Bike Shop, or from Fat Bike Galway in the city. Connemara weather turns fast, so bring a waterproof layer and a charged phone, and download a route map in advance as reception is patchy in the more remote stretches.
The path is shared by walkers, cyclists and families with pushchairs. Keep right, slow near bends, and use a bell when passing on foot. The Galway–Dangan corridor and parts of the Ballynahinch stretch are smooth enough for wheelchairs; the older railway bed in remote areas can be uneven.
Practical information
The greenway is free and open every day, with no booking. Parking is available along the route, including a small car park off the R341 just past the entrance to Ballynahinch Castle on the left, heading towards Roundstone. The Galway section is an easy reach by city bus or a short drive from the centre, and guesthouses and self-catering cottages sit within range of the trailheads.
Completion has stalled on land-access and funding problems rather than any lack of will, with the Galway-to-Oughterard and Oughterard-to-Clifden phases still to be built. Until the gaps close, treat the three open sections as what they are: short, scenic day rides on a piece of old railway, with Ballynahinch the one to drive out for.