Waterways Ireland

Floating Boardwalk

Gripsure decking is helping to bring more visitors to an expanding network of scenic waterside trails in rural Ireland. Gripsure’s Premier non-slip timber decking is used on a new 60-metre-long boardwalk at Acres Lake near Drumshanbo, County Leitrim.

  • The boardwalk is a fantastic facility that has been very well received. It is bringing in more visitors to use the Shannon Blueway, including walkers, cyclists, paddle boarders and anglers. When we were designing the boardwalk we decided we needed a non-slip surface that was also very durable. We are committed to making the boardwalk and fishing platform accessible to visitors with disabilities and safety has been an important consideration. The decking was very easy to install, looks great and works really well.

    Deirdre Donnelly| Design Engineer at Waterways Ireland

The boardwalk forms part of the Shannon Blueway, a network of multi-activity recreational trails providing routes into the heart of rural Ireland by canoe, bike or on foot. The boardwalk was officially opened by The Minister for the Department of Rural and Community Development, Minister Ring TD.

Gripsure’s anti-slip decking is also used on Acre Lake’s new fishing and viewing platform, which is accessible to disabled visitors. Using one of the safest decking profiles available, it will ensure the waterside attraction stays safe underfoot– even in wet weather.

Created by Waterways Ireland, the development is aimed at attracting more people to enjoy the waterways. In addition to traditional boaters, the family-friendly trails are now bringing walkers, canoeists, paddle boarders and cyclists to enjoy the trails.

The Shannon Blueway encompasses more than 200km of waterborne or waterside trails. Its recreational trails offer walking, kayaking, and cycling routes in lesser-known parts of the State.