Crossing the Boyne at Bru na Boinne?

rflynnr

Would anyone know if it's possible to walk through the Bru na Boinne Newgrange Interpretative centre and use the pedestrian bridge across the Boyne without having to pay for a visit to Newgrange itself? Attaching a screengrab of where I mean...

It's totally fine I've done it a few times now usually crossing from north to south through the area for coaches. Just be sure to walk your bikes over the bridge.

Bear in mind opening hours as the gates may be closed.

Wishbone Ash

I've done it also. Use the Service Entrance of the visitor centre rather than the main gate - it a bit further west of the main entrance.

Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I've done it also. Use the Service Entrance of the visitor centre rather than the main gate - it a bit further west of the main entrance.

Yeah this exactly, you get a better impression of the entrance you're talking about on the satellite view vs the map.

a148pro

Nice cycling there was up a few weeks ago - they have the bones of a blue way from drogheda to slane and should do it. Gorgeous river, history and prehistory along the route, could be a cracking piece of infrastructure for tourists

rflynnr

Doing this as I write and was indeed able to cross although I sensed it was only informally permitted. Also tried the shared bike/ped path along the Boyne but turned back after a couple of kms: too many nettles for shorts and 25mm tyres not quite up to the surface. 28s might do it though...

Eamonnator

rflynnr wrote: »

Doing this as I write and was indeed able to cross although I sensed it was only informally permitted. Also tried the shared bike/ped path along the Boyne but turned back after a couple of kms: too many nettles for shorts and 25mm tyres not quite up to the surface. 28s might do it though...

Did you go onto the bike/ped path at Oldbridge?

rflynnr

Eamonnator wrote: »

Did you go onto the bike/ped path at Oldbridge?

I certainly joined it at a bridge although I’m not sure of its name. It’s the one that leads onto the Glen Road if you go directly north from it.

Eamonnator

rflynnr wrote: »

I certainly joined it at a bridge although I’m not sure of its name. It’s the one that leads onto the Glen Road if you go directly north from it.

Yes, beside Oldbridge House and King William's Glen.
You would have needed a machete, rather than 28mm tyres, to get to the Interpretative Centre, if you had continued on.

rflynnr

Eamonnator wrote: »

Yes, beside Oldbridge House and King William's Glen.
You would have needed a machete, rather than 28mm tyres, to get to the Interpretative Centre, if you had continued on.

I know. I hadn't originally planned on going anywhere near that path but it sort of beckoned to me and it is explicitly marked as a bike/ped route. And, indeed, you can sort of cycle it for maybe 1500 metres before it turns into a narrow mud path. I applaud any effort to encourage recreational cycling and there's some evidence that the local authority has made gestures in that direction but this particular example is arguably counter-productive in that it promises one thing and delivers something kind of horrible. I tried because it promised to keep me off the N2 but in the end I embraced the latter with some relief.

If I recall there was a video of someone doing it (oldbridge to slane) on a mtb on youtube

EDIT: I mentioned on another thread on boards, that with the proposed mornington to drogheda greenway and the other one from navan to kingscourt they needed some more ambition to join up and deliver all of those and could have a route to rival and surpass the other big greenways in the country. Link drogheda to navan via the boyne and then on along the train tracks to kingscourt. I fear I'll be long passed cycling it if it ever came about.

a148pro

There are a few great off road stretches around there. First of all there's obviously the paved stretch from Drogheda out towards Bru na Boinne. Then there's the path mentioned by the poster here. There are other paths in and around the Oldbridge estate. On the other side of the Boyne from the start of the path mentioned by the poster, across the old metal bridge, there is a very pleasant route through a forest. During the route there is also a sign off to another town further north. Bru Na Boinne itself wouldn't be a bad place to cycle (i.e., no traffic). Then past Bru Na Boinne on the southern side there is another beautiful track I think maintained by an angling club (its signposted off the road). Then in Slane itself there is a gorgeous section of towpath heading back in the direction of Drogheda, which looks like it could ultimately be joined to the Oldbridge route if landowners played ball, but it dies off at a beautiful old humpback bridge with a private property sign. There are a few nice bohereens around Newgrange too.

When you add in the heritage and tourist attraction in the area, Slane, a fascinating UNESCO world heritage site in Newgrange Knowth and Dowth, and the Oldbridge estate / battle of the Boyne site which is gorgeous and really well done, direct access to Dublin and Belfast by train, a manageable distance for non cyclists, it could be an exceptional amenity.

rflynnr

a148pro wrote: »

There are a few great off road stretches around there. First of all there's obviously the paved stretch from Drogheda out towards Bru na Boinne. Then there's the path mentioned by the poster here. There are other paths in and around the Oldbridge estate. On the other side of the Boyne from the start of the path mentioned by the poster, across the old metal bridge, there is a very pleasant route through a forest. During the route there is also a sign off to another town further north. Bru Na Boinne itself wouldn't be a bad place to cycle (i.e., no traffic). Then past Bru Na Boinne on the southern side there is another beautiful track I think maintained by an angling club (its signposted off the road). Then in Slane itself there is a gorgeous section of towpath heading back in the direction of Drogheda, which looks like it could ultimately be joined to the Oldbridge route if landowners played ball, but it dies off at a beautiful old humpback bridge with a private property sign. There are a few nice bohereens around Newgrange too.

When you add in the heritage and tourist attraction in the area, Slane, a fascinating UNESCO world heritage site in Newgrange Knowth and Dowth, and the Oldbridge estate / battle of the Boyne site which is gorgeous and really well done, direct access to Dublin and Belfast by train, a manageable distance for non cyclists, it could be an exceptional amenity.

What he said.

positron

Eamonnator wrote: »

Yes, beside Oldbridge House and King William's Glen.
You would have needed a machete, rather than 28mm tyres, to get to the Interpretative Centre, if you had continued on.

Now that you mentioned machete, I have always wondered if it would illegal to have a go at the path with a brush cutter. I am desperate to jog/cycle along the river from Oldbridge to Slane. Years ago it was half decent up to to drelict house on the hill a km or two from Oldbridge, but it's even more overgrown now and it's really a bit sad to see it neglected like that. I always wanted to rock up there with a machete / brush cutter and clear a few metres every once in a while.. a bit of gurilla gardening thing I suppose but probably will get me a ride in the back of a Garda van I suspect?

Eamonnator

positron wrote: »

Now that you mentioned machete, I have always wondered if it would illegal to have a go at the path with a brush cutter. I am desperate to jog/cycle along the river from Oldbridge to Slane. Years ago it was half decent up to to drelict house on the hill a km or two from Oldbridge, but it's even more overgrown now and it's really a bit sad to see it neglected like that. I always wanted to rock up there with a machete / brush cutter and clear a few metres every once in a while.. a bit of gurilla gardening thing I suppose but probably will get me a ride in the back of a Garda van I suspect?

The derelict house is Glenmore House.
About 5 years ago, my wife and I walked from Oldbridge, along the canal, past Glenmore House and onto the Interpretative Centre. The worst part was just after Glenmore House. I'm not sure, you could do it now, but at that time, most of it was in good nick. There is a walk way from Rosnaree, towards The Interpretative Centre beside the Boyne. And there's a pathway from Slane that goes for quite a way towards Rosnaree.

LeChienMefiant

This thread piqued my interest and I had a look at the plan for the Boyne Cyclepath from Drogheda to Trim.
https://www.meath.ie/sites/default/files/migrated_files/Tourism/SportsandActivities/Cycling/LargerthanFourMBDownload%2C59411%2Cen.pdf

The latest seems to have been some funding for planning/design:
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/lifestyle/850k-boost-for-boyne-greenway-37853176.html

It might be worth contacting Cllr Wayne Harding about the brush cutting if it's on public property. If it's private property it might be worth attempting engaging the land owner. Or just do some guerilla brush cutting.

It sounds like a great little greenway from Slane out to Drogheda.

EDIT: It seems it's OPW land, I think you're unlikely to land in a Garda van for clearing it.
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/open-letter-to-the-opw-30522277.html

rflynnr

positron wrote: »

Now that you mentioned machete, I have always wondered if it would illegal to have a go at the path with a brush cutter. I am desperate to jog/cycle along the river from Oldbridge to Slane. Years ago it was half decent up to to drelict house on the hill a km or two from Oldbridge, but it's even more overgrown now and it's really a bit sad to see it neglected like that. I always wanted to rock up there with a machete / brush cutter and clear a few metres every once in a while.. a bit of gurilla gardening thing I suppose but probably will get me a ride in the back of a Garda van I suspect?

Well, it's a public right of way, no? So, making it more accessible seems like a reasonable act and hardly one you could be done for (unless you're destroying whole habitats in the process).