Walkers to take Pilgrim Path from Aghamore to Balla

Walkers to take Pilgrim Path from Aghamore to Balla


Michael Commins

ALL is in place for the inaugural Well to Well Walk from St Patrick’s Holy Well in Carrownedin near Aghamore to the well at the Round Tower in Balla. The venture, which is being coordinated by the East Mayo Ramblers Walking Club, will be staged on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 29, and covers a distance of 30k (18 miles). The newly way-marked walk is part of the Mayo Trails network.
Walkers will meet at Knock Community Centre at 9am and get a bus to Aghamore. They will walk from Carrownedin Well to Knock Community Centre where they will enjoy some refreshments. It is hoped to be back on the road again between 12.30pm and 1pm for the second leg of the Saturday journey which will see them proceed through Carramore, Lecarrow, Knockroe, Cloonlavish, Dalton and Cloonmore Upper before arriving at the old school in Cuiltybo which will complete the walk on the first day. They will then board the bus for the return journey to Knock.
They will gather again at Knock Community Centre on Sunday morning to take the bus back to Cuiltybo school where they will commence the second day of their walk to Balla.  This ten mile walk will see them pass through Cuiltybo, Townalahard, Ballintaffy, Ballinlough (where they will have a stop-off at Eddie and Mary Barrett’s), Derrowel, Heathlawn and Rathduff before arriving in Balla. They will then be transported by bus back to Knock after completing their journey. Entrants are urged to contribute €20 and the proceeds from the walk will go to the local branches of St Vincent de Paul in Ballyhaunis and in Knock. All interested are welcome to join in for all of or part of the walks over the two days.
Last week, members of the East Mayo Ramblers had a preparatory walk-out in glorious sunshine from Aghamore to Carrownedin and were led by current Mayo senior player Alan Freeman and Peter Burke from Knock, the former Mayo goalkeeper, as they got into the mood for the challenge.
“The walk is generating a lot of interest, not alone in the east Mayo region but much further afield, even as far west as Westport,” says Michael Sloyan from the Ramblers group. “We are getting plenty of enquiries and are confident that we will have a fine turnout of walkers for the walk from Aghamore to Balla over the weekend. It is a good and healthy exercise and we are also raising funds for worthy causes.”
Further information can be had from the East Mayo Ramblers page on Facebook or from Michael Sloyan on 0879947842.