The Ballybofey-Stranorlar to Donegal Town Recreation Corridor Group (BSTD) are partnering with the social enterprise Ballybofey Stranorlar Integrated Community Company (BASICC) to deliver two walks on the 29th October, 2022 in the Barnesmore Gap as part of the Twin Towns Walking Festival event. The first walk will be the 'Leghowney Loop Walk' and is rated at ‘Moderate difficulty’. The second will be the 'Leghowney Heights Walk' which is rated as ‘Difficult’.

Their event has also been featured on the Donegal Daily website. You can read the article here: https://www.donegaldaily.com/2022/10/17/twin-towns-walking-festival-returns-with-one-day-event/

You can read more details about the event, and book tickets through the festival’s Facebook page, here: https://en-gb.facebook.com/twintownswalkingfestival/

To learn more about the group itself, visit their website: https://www.bsdtrecreationcorridor.ie/

Well done to BSDT, you’re doing amazing work! Everyone at Innovating Communities wishes you luck with the event and look forward to learning how the day goes.

More about the Group:

BSTD took part in the Innovating Communities course ‘A recreation corridor from Donegal’s Heartland to the coast’ from June 2021 to March 2022. With Trainer Desmond Bernie, the group moved through the Design Thinking process to tackle the challenge of developing a plan for a new recreational corridor in Donegal between Ballybofey-Stranorlar and Donegal Town. The group is comprised of local organisations, businesses and individuals across the proposed recreation corridor area. 

During their time on the course, the group developed and hosted various events. During the Empathise stage of the Design Thinking process, the group undertook user-centred research via kick-off events held in Donegal and Ballybofey/Stranorlar to gather insights from the communities within the Barnesmore Gap using a survey. In the Ideate phase, they held group walks to explore potential new routes, as well as a Night Walk and School walk along some of their proposed routes, offering a glimpse into the types of activities and events that might be experienced along these routes.

You can read more about their Night Walk here: https://www.innovating.ie/hubs/1/posts/55-shining-lights-of-the-barnesmore-gap

After all of their fantastic work and achievements within their Innovating Communities course, the group continue their mission, now including their work on the Twin Towns Walking Festival. 

Image Credit: https://www.bsdtrecreationcorridor.ie/#gallery_1-1