Midleton to Youghal Greenway
23km one way · Negligible; the route follows a former railway alignment elevation
About
Twenty-three kilometres of off-road walking and cycling on the old railway line, opened in full in December 2024 and running from Midleton through Mogeely and Killeagh to Youghal. Because it is a former railway it holds an easy gradient the whole way, which Cork County Council makes a point of: this is a route suitable for all ages and abilities rather than a hill route with a view at the end. The Midleton trailhead is at the railway station on Mill Road, with car parking, seating, drinking water, a bicycle repair stand and toilets. There are further access points at Mogeely, Killeagh and the MacCurtainstown car park in Youghal, so you can ride one way and come back by other means rather than committing to 46km. Dogs must be on a short lead throughout. Horses and motorised vehicles are not permitted.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A continuous 23km off-road route with no traffic
- ✓Former railway gradient, so genuinely easy the whole way
- ✓Trailheads at Midleton station, Mogeely, Killeagh and Youghal
- ✓Bicycle repair stand, drinking water and seating at the Midleton trailhead
- ✓Finishes at the sea in Youghal
Tips
- →Start at Midleton station: it is the trailhead with parking and facilities, and it is a two-minute walk from the train.
- →There is no lighting on the route. In winter, start early or carry lights.
- →Keep left and pass right. Cyclists ring a bell; walkers let bikes through.
- →It is off-road but not crossing-free. There are public road and farm crossings where you give way to traffic.
- →Riding to Youghal and returning by bus is a common plan, but check the timetable and whether bikes are carried before you count on it.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
Midleton Distillery Experience
The 1825 distillery off Main Street, on fifteen acres. A guided 75 minutes, a short film, three whiskeys and a drink at the end.
Ballyannan Wood
Twenty-five hectares of old estate woodland on the estuary, known locally as the Bluebell Woods. Coillte's waymarked loop is 2.3km.
Kindred Spirits
Nine twenty-foot steel feathers in Bailick Park, for the money the Choctaw Nation sent Ireland during the Famine in 1847.