Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.
Columban Way (Comber to Newtownards)
Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.
| TYPE | First section of a long-distance challenge walk which can be a walk in its own right with a bus option to return to start. |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE | 5.2 miles / 8.3 km |
| SURFACES | Mainly pavement and road walking, good compacted paths through the Country Park Section with some steps. Killynether Wood long option includes rough, rocky and potentially slippy paths. |
| HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS | 400 feet climb (excluding extensions) |
| HAZARDS |
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Columban Way (Helen’s Bay/Crawsfordburn to Bangor)
Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.
| TYPE | Linear mainly coastal walk with option to use train to return to starting point. |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE | 5 miles / 8 km |
| SURFACES | Mostly on on hard surfaced made paths. Short sections on rougher and steeper earth paths at Grey Point and Stricklands Glen |
| HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS | 130 feet climb |
| HAZARDS |
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This is the final section of the Columban Way from Carlow to Bangor and in some ways, it is the easiest. At only 5 miles long and with the sea on the left to guide you and a broad asphalt path to follow, a description almost seems redundant. However, it is also one of the most beautiful sections of the walk and it deserves to be taken slowly and enjoyed with full attention. The route described below also augments the council’s waymarked route to add extra interest and to reach back into the historical landscape to find current features which would have been largely familiar to Columbanus and the monks of Bangor.
Continue readingColumban Way (Comber to Newtownards)
Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.
| TYPE | First section of a long-distance challenge walk which can be a walk in its own right with a bus option to return to start. |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE | 5 miles / 8 km |
| SURFACES | Mainly pavement and road walking, good compacted paths through the Country Park Section. |
| HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS | 400 feet climb |
| HAZARDS |
|
Columban Way (Newtownards – Helen’s Bay Crawfordsburn)
Maps and photos note: click or tap to see any maps or photographs below as a high resolution version.
| TYPE | Mixed but largely off-road linear walk with some climb as short steep sections |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE | 7.6 miles / 12.2 km |
| SURFACES | Roads, pavements, unmade, sometimes muddy paths and well-made tracks |
| HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS | 500 feet climb |
| HAZARDS |
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