By Andy Spearman
The village of Tullyallen was a hive of activity on Saturday afternoon when over 100 walkers, Mayor Michelle Hall, Deputy Fergus O’Dowd and many others gathered for the official unveiling of a new sign.
Why all the fuss about a sign? Well, this sign is a map of the Boyne Valley Camino which passes through the village but not only does it point the way for walkers it is also an indication of changing attitudes to our countryside.
More and more people are beginning to realise what a wonderful amenity the Boyne Valley is to have on our doorsteps and that realisation is spreading far and wide thanks in part to the development of the 25 km Boyne Valley Camino by the members of the Boyne Valley Walking and Drogheda Walks groups.
Members of the Boyne Valley Camino Committee at the unveiling of the new signage at Tullyallen (from left): Dusty Flanagan, Áine Walsh, Terry Collins and Caoimhe Mulroy who designed the sign.
After many months of planning and negotiating rights of way, the Boyne Valley Camino was initiated in 2019 and now it is really taking off with walkers from all over the country and from many other European countries taking the opportunity to experience this “new” walk.
It was fitting that the ceremony took place in Tullyallen because the section of the Camino through Belnumber Wood was very much a forward thinking piece of rural development.
Belnumber Wood runs from Tullyallen Village down to the Obelisk Bridge parallel to King William’s Glen which is a beautiful country road but very winding and very dangerous. Sadly it has been the scene of several tragic accidents over the years.
Thanks to the Camino and with great work by Coillte and with a donation of land from local man Dick Cheevers, the Belnumber Walkway Project is now a reality and has provided a safe and beautiful alternative to walking on the road.
Pictured at the unveiling of the new Camino signage at Tullyallen (from left): Caoimhe Mulroy, Áine Walsh, Mayor Michelle Hall and on right representing NECRET are Anna Egan Liz Summersby, Reem Salman and Mary Meade.
This realisation has been helped by imaginative developments such as the Boyneside Trail Greenway which is an ongoing project but already it has had a great effect.
Every weekend people are heading out in their droves walking, cycling kayaking or fishing and all of this activity is instilling a love for the countryside which can only bode well for the future.
Charities have also seen the potential to use the Camino as part of their fundraising efforts and many have organised walking groups, sometimes with local leaders other times not, to explore the region often for the first time.
Participants on a recent charity walk for the Peter McVerry Trust by 30 or 40 people mostly from Dublin said they were gobsmacked by the beautiful countryside they were walking through.
Other charities to have walked the Camino in recent weeks include The Red Door, The Alzheimer Association and on Saturday there were 100 or so walkers raising funds for the Northeast Cancer Research and Education Trust (NECRET) in support of the work being carried out at the Oncology Unit of the Lourdes Hospital.
“NECRET would like to sincerely thank everyone who participated yesterday in our annual Camino walk and greatly appreciate their wonderful support of our cause” said spokesperson Liz Summersby.
“We would also like to express our gratitude to Áine, David, Dusty and Terry from Boyne Valley Walking, the Red Cross and OPW team in Mellifont. Without this support we wouldn’t be able to run this wonderful event. Also we would like to thank The Morning Star, Annie’s Cafe and Clarkes Bar”.
For more information about the Boyne Valleye Camino and to download a map CLICK HERE
