Laois Sports Partnership, in partnership with Orienteering Ireland, has officially launched the Derryounce Orienteering Trails.
The trails are now available on the MapRun App, allowing participants to enjoy their orienteering at any time.
This new initiative launched on Wednesday, October 4, where over 130 TY students from Coláiste Íosagáin Portarlington and Portlaoise College launched the initiative by trying out the new trails.
This launch was part of the fabulous work ongoing in Derryounce, where several community groups are developing a long-term plan for the future development of the site over the next 10 years.
These groups include the Portarlington Community Development Association, Laois County Council, Offaly County Council, Bord na Mona, Coillte, and local sports partnerships.
The new plan will show how the site can be sensitively developed to become an even better community resource and a major regional visitor destination.
Over the next six months, the development association will be preparing new concepts to improve and extend the recreational facilities, including:
- a hub building,
- lakeside access,
- parking improvements,
- biodiversity enhancement,
- new infrastructure to support the site and better connect it to the network of towns and villages.
The site has an abundance of natural assets including woodlands, wetlands, peat bogland, and lakes which together support a matrix of flora and fauna.
The site also has a variety of walking trails, and its lakes are actively used by a number of sports clubs and anglers.
Derryounce is simply a great place to visit, hang out, relax, enjoy a picnic and have a wander.
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