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A new all-island walking route has been launched, running the 40 miles from Portadown to Carlingford through Newry. The North South Way Peace Camino is described as the first all-island peace walking route and is being developed as a flagship Shared Island peacebuilding initiative.
The route, supported by REACT Armagh, connects the historic Newry Canal towpath with the Carlingford Lough Greenway, following waterways, landscapes and villages along the way. It is open to everyone and is intended to provide a civic and community space where people can walk together, connect with nature, explore local heritage and experience the landscapes that unite communities.
Councillor Jessica Johnston, Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, spoke at the launch. "I am pleased to support the North South Way Peace Camino as a community led initiative that will encourage community development, peacebuilding, tourism, environmental stewardship, health and wellbeing, and local economic growth," she said.
REACT Chief Executive Shirley Hayes described the thinking behind the project. "The North South Way Peace Camino is a community-led initiative designed as a shared pathway for peace, bringing people together across communities, places and traditions," she said.
The Peace Camino passes through some of the most historically rich areas on the island, with the Newry Canal towpath forming a central part of the route.
