Blessington eGreenway

The Blessington eGreenway proposal is back on track, new plans are viewable on the Wicklow County Council website and all is to go before An Bord Pleanála.

Poulaphuca Reservoir was created in the 1930s both to generate electricity and also to stabilise water supplies to Dublin. The small farms along the broad River Liffey valley were acquired by the ESB through compulsory purchase and the valley flooded. The ESB in consequence own a narrow strip of land essentially around the full reservoir, which is mostly wooded now.

Over time, paths have developed along stretches of this ESB land and the idea arose some years ago to create an approved walking path making a circuit of the lakes. Similar to the popular paths that circumnavigate the Roundwood Reservoir.

The idea grew legs and greenways came along, so this path idea morphed into a greenway proposal and now an eGreenway, with ebike hire facilities etc. The budget required has also gone multi million as a full spec greenway of suitable width and surface quality is now proposed by the engineers. The bridge crossings have become controversial as the present two way traffic flow will be reduced to one lane with traffic lights.

Personally I think the original path solution would have been fine, winding between the trees, much cheaper and with less construction damage. However it is what it is and in time if it does go ahead, we’ll map it.

#eastwestmapping