rain miles count double

I wrote a short while ago about the signing of an agreement to extend the existing Newtownabbey Way cycle path, and recently I’ve taken a couple of opportunities to explore the  path as it stands presently.

Heading from central Belfast towards the north of the city along the Sustrans NCN93 cycle path, following the coast of Belfast Lough, I left the path at Jordanstown to link up with the Newtownabbey Way.

Previously I’d been concerned with how to cross the busy A2 Shore Road when on a bicycle, but in reality it was achieved easily using a combined pedestrian/cycle crossing. The crossing into Glenavna Manor still needs improving though if this route is to become popular, as there is currently no signage indicating the direction to take (I guessed) and no cycle friendly link across the complex junction that exists there. It’s passable with care though.

Once safely into Glenavna Manor, I headed up into Glen Park where the Newtownabbey Way begins. The path I followed was quiet, hilly, mainly tarmac and in good repair. On my first visit, a Sunday afternoon, the path suffered from a bit more litter, glass and dog leavings than I like to see, but on a second visit most of the debris had been cleared away. It’s good to see Newtownabbey Borough Council obviously maintaining this path.

After an initial hill and blind corner, there’s a nice section that drops you down a twisting track through some denser woods, then heads up beside a river towards the much vaunted viaduct section of the route. Incidentally, this is not the best place to remember you should have fitted those new pads to your rear brakes the previous evening. The viaducts are impressive, but sadly are defaced by a lot of graffiti and look nothing near as pleasant as the PR photographs would have you believe.

Grafitti on the Newtownabbey Way viaducts

As I say though, they’re still impressive when you’re sat underneath them.

The impressive Newtownabbey Way viaduct section

From there it’s a steep but smooth climb, then more winding tarmac through open grassland more or less paralleling the Doagh Road and running behind the Glenville bus depot towards Monkstown. There are turn offs that can be taken, but I forged on along the main path until the end at the Monkstown Woods car park. Take note that the gate at the end of this path is difficult to pass through with a bike; I had to manhandle mine “up and over” while I went through.

For this ride I was on my regular commuting bike, a Commencal Normal Disc 2008 mountain bike running on Continental Ultra Gatorskin slick tyres, which was perfectly fine on the surfaces I encountered. It would also be passable on a road bike, such as the BeOne Storm,but you would need to navigate some of the later sections very carefully when on road wheels and tyres and a head down riding position would likely give inadequate visbility of pedestrians sharing the path. It’s best suited to off road cycles really.

And a further note of caution: I would have been flattened by a scrambler motorbike on a blind corner near the start, except that I had pulled to the side when I heard the roar of his two stroke exhaust approaching, so keep alert and be careful! I’m fairly sure motorcycles aren’t allowed on the path but regulations mean nothing if they’re not enforced, and even less when a speeding motorcycle or quad bike is trying to occupy the same space as you on a narrow path.

Joining the main road again after my little jaunt along the Newtownabbey Way cycle path was a disappointment, and also quite tricky given the exit location, traffic levels and direction I had to head. For my own selfish reasons I’m looking forward to the completion of the route, which will extend it into the Three Mile Water conservation park, bypassing most of the busy Doagh Road and giving me the option of an almost traffic free cycle commute from the city centre.

I’d still like to see Alderman Robinson take the Newtownabbey Way from Loughshore to the council headquarters at Mossley Mill though. How about it, Mr. Mayor?