New Ulster Way website - now live

Just had a Jeffrey at the Walk NI Ulster Way page and it appears that the webiste has finally been launched and at first look it appears to be pretty much on point, impressed one is. I haven't spent too much time annalyzing the content but it looks accurate, and exactly what the Ulster Way has been deserving, I could be wrong but I don't know of any other long distance path to see such support.

The revised Ulster Way has been unveiled with every section being covered and receiveing free OS mapping, availible to download, all be it in black and white, but still very usable. Where else is it free (and legal) to obtain OS mapping? Top marks there!

Walk NI (or the powers that be, above them) have split the Ulster Way into quality and link sections; the quality routes have received a descriptive guide as well as the downloadable mapping; the link sections give advice on how to get to the next quality section by car or public transport, but still give free mapping if you were to walk it. Like others I don't really aggree with this link and quality system, as it makes a farce of the whole concept of a continuous waymarked path. On the one hand it removes you from a continuous journey, and means you will miss out on some great sights and views (Stormont and Scrabo Tower spring to mind off the top of my head) but on the other hand it does remove some of the more tedious parts of the way. I suppose they must be looking it from Joe Bloggs' point of view, that he won't want to walk the boring sections so why bother; maybe most normal people drop the more tedious road walking sections in any case. I'll have to have a close look at where the route is getting changed and see how much it differs form the "classic" one I walked.

If any one is to walk the Ulster Way this would be my first port of call, you might even get away without shelling out on a whole load of maps! With the rerouting in certain parts, this is definately the most cohesive source of information for anyone out there thinking about attempting walking it, I just wish it had been active before I had started.

Will I walk the new rerouted Ulster Way....

.... well not in the next six months.

P.S If anyone in NIEA wants me to "proof walk" the new route for a small fee, I'd be more than happy, and am free around the end of Jan 2010 :)