Westport Hiking Festival cancelled after confusion over land access

The first ever Westport Hiking Festival, which was due to take place next month, has been cancelled after the organisers could not find alternative routes when they became aware of land access issues on their planned routes.
The Westport Hotel Group had planned to host the event on October 18 and 19 and was offering three different hikes to suit beginner, intermediate and advanced hikers.
However, landowners on the hike routes recently raised concerns over access to land which was planned to be used for the hikes. The organisers endeavoured to try and overcome these difficulties but have now decided to cancel the event.
They released the following statement to The Mayo News today: “We regret to announce the cancellation of our upcoming hiking festival, scheduled for October 18-19.
“During our preparations, we became aware that certain sections of the planned routes, while established as public trails, were not suitable for organised commercial events. Although it was always our intention to use routes that follow established public rights of way, an oversight on our part led to some sections not aligning with our original plans.
“As soon as this was brought to our attention, we apologised to the landowners and advised them that we would explore alternative routes. Unfortunately, the complexities of finding suitable alternative routes proved too challenging given the limited time before the event. Consequently, we made the difficult decision to cancel the festival.
“We sincerely apologise to all entrants for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. We have been in contact with all the entrants who had booked across the 3 hikes (Beginners - 10, Intermediate - 15 Advanced - 19), to inform them of the cancellation.
“We hold the utmost respect for the landowners and the local community, who have always been incredibly supportive of us. It is our responsibility to ensure that all our activities honour the land and its owners. We are committed to upholding the trust and goodwill extended to us and to meeting the expectations placed upon us. Maintaining positive relationships with landowners is of paramount importance, and we are dedicated to ensuring that our activities fully reflect this respect and consideration.
“Once again, we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and deeply appreciate the understanding and support of everyone involved.”
The Westport Hotel Group are also responsible for the organising of the hugely successful Sea2Summit adventures races, which return to Westport this year on November 9, and the recently introduced Westport Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k races, which are pencilled in for April 5, 2025.