Cycling is the ultimate feel good activity for all levels of ability and as Domhnall O’Donoghue discovers, Co Mayo’s Clew Bay Bike Trail invigorates the body, mind and soul.

Over the past few months, it’s been wonderful seeing so many sporting facilities re-opening, allowing us to resume the fitness regimes that served us so well before the pandemic reared its infectious head.

However, despite the gyms and swimming pools welcoming us once again, I still prefer to exercise outdoors where possible - and when the weather behaves itself, is there anywhere better to work up a little sweat than beautiful Ireland?

I always enjoy attempting new activities, so, channelling my inner Stephen Roche, I sign up for the Clew Bay Bike Trail - an initiative spearheaded by Mayo County Council and Fáilte Ireland.

Spanning a substantial 105 kilometres from door to door, this expedition is a combined bike and ferry route, which can be completed over one day or two and loops the magical bay, long associated with the fearless pirate queen, Gráinne Uaile.

Thanks to the Great Western Greenway – a former railway line stretching from Achill Island to Westport - a considerable section of the trail is level, ideal for novices like yours truly. I’m also told that there are plans to extend the Greenway along the full length of the trail.

THE WHEEL DEAL

“­Thanks to staycations, the popularity of cycling has gone through the roof here,” Anthony Murray of Westport Bike Shop reveals while kitting me out with a top-notch bicycle and all the necessary accoutrements. “It’s wonderful to see.”

When it comes to the cycling industry in Ireland, Anthony says: “Even before the pandemic, cycling was certainly growing here - and we’re slowly catching up with other countries like Australia.”

He adds: “Cycling is cheaper than driving a car and quicker than sitting in traffic - and also better for our environment. It is healthier for the body and the mind - you always feel better after a cycle.

There is so much fun involved, and there is a massive cycling community that creates a sense of camaraderie.”

Much to my relief, Anthony assures me that cycling is the perfect sport for those of us advancing in years as its non-impact nature is sensitive to any cranky or insubordinate joints.

What’s more, my bicycle is electric, so I can receive a little zoom during any uphill moments along the way.

ON YOUR MARKS

And so, with my helmet fastened, I set off on the trail, which is both an on- and off -road route.

Mere metres into the trail, and it becomes apparent why cycling is enjoying such a surge in popularity here – I instantly feel invincible!

I know we are prone to exaggerate - “never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” Mark Twain once quipped. It could easily be the Emerald Isle’s unofficial tagline - but I will stand in front of any judge in the land and argue that the Clew Bay Bike Trail boasts some of the most majestic scenery in the world.

Whether it is Croagh Patrick towering above me, the sandy beaches of Trawoughter Bay below me - or the friendly dolphins sashaying across the azure waters - I feel invigorated, inspired and free, sensations that have eluded so many of us in recent months. And when I flag, I allow the spirit of Gráinne Uaile to inspire me – her influence in the region is especially evident across the trail’s two stop-offs- the otherworldly Clare Island and Achill Island.

TEAM SPIRIT

But, best of all, as Anthony previously mentioned, it is the camaraderie between cyclists that truly lifts my spirits.

Greeting everyone you meet along the way - from families to couples, friends to individuals - creates

an instant bond between us. If our shared smiles could talk, they would say, “Isn’t this the best feeling in the world!”

­They are few and far between, but a definite silver lining of COVID-19 is that many of the country’s greenways and cycling routes have - or are in the process of being - improved. Clew Bay’s thrilling but user friendly trail is the perfect example of how successful and rewarding these investments can be.

After an overnight in Gráinne Uaile House on Clare Island, I finally return to Westport a day later and check into the Mariner Hotel, where I enjoy a long, well-earned soak in my tub. I scan my diary in my mind, trying to figure out when I can next return here. Or possibly attempt one of the other excellent cycling trails throughout the country, such as Co Monaghan’s Sliabh Beagh, the Waterford Greenway, Blessington Loop or County Fermanagh’s Kingfisher Trail.

Who knows, one day, you might even see me sporting a yellow jersey in the Tour de France!

For more visit clewbaybiketrail.ie