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Reflections on experiencing the best of this little bit of world around us

Columban Way (Helen’s Bay/Crawsfordburn to Bangor)

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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	Several road crossing with moderate traffic In severe weather the path is exposed, particularly on the beach sections at spring tide..

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.

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Columban Way (Comber to Newtownards)

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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	Some walking on low traffic roads without pavements. Route passes close to abandoned quarries.

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Columban Way (Newtownards – Helen’s Bay Crawfordsburn)

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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	Some urban road walking and crossings Mountain bikes and scramblers may be present around Whitespots Three crossings over fast roads.

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Columban Way (Comber to Bangor)

The Columban Way forms part of the wider European ‘Via Columbani’. It traces the epic journey of St Columbanus, a 6th century monk, from his birthplace in Co. Carlow to Bangor Abbey and later across eight countries of Europe finishing in Bobbio, Italy. The Irish section of this walk is still very much a work in progress and in most places the exact route is still to be finalised. Ards and North Down Council has published a route on its website, but this uses two sections of paths not yet in existence.

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