News

New Ballygarry Estate/Ballyseedy Woods 5k Trail Now Open To Public

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Ballygarry Estate Marketing Executive Norma O’Connor with Managing Director at Ballygarry Estate Hotel and Spa Padraig McGillicuddy and General Manager Thys Vogel at the new bridge on the 5k trail. Photo by Domnick Walsh

BALLYGARRY Estate Hotel has announced a new 5km trail connecting its grounds to Ballyseedy Woods via two new bridges funded by Kerry County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development as part of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

This project marks a significant milestone in the development of Tralee’s wood walks and trails for tourists and locals alike.

This now offers a seamless connection between Ballygarry Estate walks and Ballyseedy Woods. The 5km looped trail allows visitors to explore the woods while also taking in the backdrop of the Slieve Mish Mountains.

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“This has been a wonderful collaboration between Kerry County Council & Ballygarry Estate,” said Padraig McGillicuddy, Managing Director at Ballygarry Estate Hotel and Spa. .

“We are thrilled to see this project come to fruition and to have this new amenity for the North Kerry area, for guests & locals alike to enjoy. Of all projects we have done this has been the most satisfying. It will never return the investment but Ballygarry is coming up on 70 years, I felt we owed this to the community that supports us.”

An aerial view of the trail. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD

The work was from the joint efforts of Kerry County Council, Tadhg McGillicuddy Engineering, MRG Engineering, and Mike Cronin & Sons Plant Hire over the past three years to deliver this combined 180-acre Woodland and Estate.

Access points to the trails are from Ballygarry Estate or the existing two Ballyseedy carparks north and south.

Padraig explained that enhancing the trail amenity does not stop there. “It has been a part of our Greenway vision for years but it’s great to see the opening in sight. We will continue our vision in the hope of connecting the Estate to the Tralee Greenway in the next year or so. Local funding through Kerry County Council along with €1.5m from Ballygarry has made this all possible,” he said.

Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Mikey Sheehy, warmly welcomed the new amenity: “This is a fabulous addition to our local network of walkways and cycleways and enhances Tralee’s reputation as being home to top-class leisure facilities.”

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