Comber Greenway

in Cycling Walking by Simon — September 4, 2010 at 6:58 pm | 2 comments

The Comber Greenway is a traffic free (except where it crosses roads!) route that runs from just outside Comber to Dee Street in Belfast. It follows the route of the old Belfast & County Down Railways line that linked Belfast and Comber. Following a fatal train crash at Ballymacarrett (near the Dee Street bridge) in 1945, the company struggled to remain financially viable and was eventually nationalised in 1948. Nationalisation led to the closure of most of the Belfast & County Down Railway lines, with just the Bangor to Belfast line remaining. The Comber line was used by locals informally for many years, but following major sewer replacement funding was found to tarmac the route and it was launched officially as the Comber Greenway in 2008. Officially the route runs from Dee Street to the Old Belfast Road just outside Comber, but the description here runs in the opposite direction.

• If starting from Comber town centre then go north out of the square on Mill Street and take a right at the first roundabout.
• Follow the road until just before it joins the main road from Comber to Belfast, take a right to drop down below road level and back up the path where you will see the sign for the start of the Comber Greenway.
• The Greenway starts out in beautiful countryside with views of Scrabo Tower and a patchwork of arable fields. It crosses a few minor roads and care should be taken crossing these as in place walking or cycling a short stretch of road is necessary to rejoin the Greenway on the other side.
• The first point at which uncertainty over the route is encountered is at a large white church to your right. Do not follow the path straight ahead, but take the bridge to your left. This takes you to a pedestrian crossing. Cross the road and walk up the steps and then turn right up the hill. After no more than 15 metres follow the blue “National Cycle Route 99″ sign to the right and rejoin the traffic free route.
• As you near Belfast the route passes over more major roads, the most notable of which you will meet at the Holywood Arches. When you have reached the other side of the road stop to admire “The Searcher”, a bronze cast statue of a man peering into a wardrobe – this stands as a memorial to C.S. Lewis, the Ulsterman who is best known for writing “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.
• Passing the statue you are nearing the end of the route at Dee Street. As Dee Street is an unprepossessing place to end your walk or cycle, pass the “Comber
  

  The Odyssey, Belfast

  Greenway” information board towards the road. Turn right and follow the road around over the bridge that passes over the Sydenham bypass. Pass over 2 roundabouts (take a right at the first and a left at the second), to join the wide boulevard of the Sydenham Road.

• At the end of this straight section of road you will reach the Oddyssey and the River Lagan. The city centre is easily accessible from here (follow the river to the left and pass over the Lagan Weir), or you could follow the river downstream through the newly developed Titanic Quarter to the Titanic Docks & Pumphouse to see where the RMS Titantic was built.

Distance: 11.3km (7 miles)

Total ascent (descent): 78.0m (86.4m)

Terrain: Tarmac paths/roads

Nearby: Birthplace of the RMS Titanic, Beacon of Hope, Clarendon Dock

Tags: Belfast Comber Comber Greenway Cycling Titanic Quarter walking