"A walk around Galway" a Galway Travel Page by sourbugger

It gives me great pleasure to reveal that I will become a Galwegian this summer. We will actually be living about 20 miles outside of town, but I feel I can legitimately refer to this wonderful city as my 'hometown'.

The idea of this little tour is to help you pick up some of the more hidden delights of Galway. So many tourists see Eyre Square, walk down shop street and end up in a pub. The walking time for the trip is about and hour and a quarter in total. So plan on a nice afternoon if you want to take up this offer. I've purposely not included much historical information so you can discover it for yourselves.

1) Begin outside the Great Southern Hotel on Eyre Square, turn right to the bus and train station.

2) Walk through the Bus Station area, at the rear of the station you will find a footpath heading alongside the railway. Continue on this and onto the railway bridge for the view. This area is quite unusual at there are a number of wild (and perhaps tropical) flowers and plants in the seclude area near the old railway turntable.

3) Double back on the path and head right, away from the bus station.

4) Turn right down the hill by the hotel and right again underneath the railway bridge.

5) On the right you will find Forthill Graveyard. There are some 300 Spanish sailors buried here , the remnants of the scattered Spanish Armarda. Read the whole story on a plaque just inside the graveyard.

6) Turn Right out of the graveyard and head into the port area. Bear left and follow the signs to the Galway Seafood Company. Here you can buy great seafood for an early snack.

7) Continue around the edge of the dock coming onto the dock road
(Note : you can nip across the entrance to the port over the storm gates - but at your own risk)

8) Continue around the far end of the part buildings and into the Long Walk next to the river outlet. Continuing along here you come to the main tourist sights of the Spanish arch and the Galway Museum.

9) Left over the river bridge turn left again over the small bridges that thread through to the area of open ground known as the Claddagh (Who is the Lord of the Rings?)

10) Once across the bridges head up Priory Road and right down Fairhill. You will see a small park to your left (Fr Burke ' s park). Exit in the top right corner.

11) A small wiggle through will bring you into the centre of the new Claddagh area. Some great new lively shops here. Turning right onto William street west wich soon becomes Sea Road.

12) Turn right onto The Crescent. This is a very well-appointed area with nice townhouses and gardens.

13) Turn Right again onto St Mary ' s road (signposted to Clifden). Continue on this road for about a Km, as it become Newcastle road, passing the hospital.

14) Turn Right again into University road, past UCG (university college Galway) and onto the Cathedral.

15) After a look at the Cathedral cross over the bridge on the far side known as Salmon Weir bridge. (you may see some !)

16) Finally once over the bridge turn right for the last time and follow the river (lovely area this) back to the Spanish Arch.

Hope you enjoy it !