National Trails Day will be held on 28th September 2008 with the objectives of:
• Promoting an awareness of the recreation trails (walking and biking) and allied outdoor recreation facilities that are currently available in Ireland
• Promoting an understanding of the need to manage and resource our trails and other facilities
• Promotion and awareness of the work of all key agencies in delivering trails and other facilities
The target audience is the general public maybe those who haven’t considered going out or using a trail or maybe those that don’t know where to start. There are many different trails aimed at many different users across the country and National Trails Day is intended to promote the diversity of what we have to offer.
There will be a media campaign in local, regional and national press beginning September 1st, to promote the events taking place on the day.
There will be a new website ( www.nationaltrailsday.ie) set up to give all information on any particular event, including location, description, time and duration , who the event is aimed at, etc…
There will be 50/ 60 trail events held on the day. They can include:
• Organised cycles
• Organised walks / organised runs
• Trail repair work shops/demonstrations
• Events on Multi access trails to highlight new wheelchair accessible trail
• Beginner’s ride on a mountain-bike trail
• Nature trail events
• Leave No Trace awareness walks
• National Looped Walks events
• Ride out on an equestrian trail
• Orienteering for beginners on trails, etc…
Some guidelines for planning events are:
• The events must be trail-based as the emphasis is on the use of trails across the country
• All events must be on ‘off-road’ trails
• Permission of the landowner to hold the event is required.
• There must be a clear leader/ host organisation who are responsible for organising and running the event. (this includes any site clean-up that may also be required)
• Events should typically run for between 1 and 3 hours.
• Adequate and safe parking must be available for predicted level of visitors at each site – the Gardaí must be informed of the proposed event.
• First-aid provision appropriate to the event should be available if necessary.
• Children at all events must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• All events must be free-of-charge.
The organising partners of National Trails Day are Coillte, Comhairle na Tuaithe, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the National Trails Office and Fáilte Ireland and we request interested groups or organisations to plan and run an event on the day.
Events approved by the organising partners will be listed on the National Trails Day website and advertised in local and regional newspapers. In this first year, we are limiting events to 50/ 60 events in total, which averages 2 per county.
Organisations wishing to plan and run an event on the day should forward the information to be added to the website to daithi.deforge@coillte.ie .
Please fill in the form below with details of your event. Partial or incorrect information will not be posted on the website. Please note the deadline for registering an event is Friday, the 15th August.
Further information is available from National Trails Day Project Coordinator, Daithi de Forge at 086-2058873 or at daithi.deforge@coillte.ie
If your event is taking place in a Gaeltacht area, provide the information in Irish language also, for inclusion on the website.
Head Office, Shannon Town Centre,
Shannon, Co Clare: t: +353 (0)61 361555 f: +353 (0)61 361903