CHFNI: Routes and Roots

A man cycling on a bridge with the Harland and Wolff cranes visible in the background

Community Heritage Fund

Date awarded
Location
Connswater
Local Authority
Belfast
Applicant
Cyclists' Touring Club
Award Given
£10000
A new cycling trail will connect Belfast’s communities and tell the story of the city’s industrial and maritime past.

Developed by Cycling UK, The Maritime Heritage Trail will take cyclists on a journey from the shipyards in the Titanic Quarter to the homes of former ‘dockers’ in Sailortown.  

The trail is part of the ‘Routes and Roots’ project, which is connecting east and north Belfast and helping local communities learn about the city’s rich history. 

Interactive maps will guide people, whether they are cycling or on foot. A documentary film will show what it was once like to live and work in the districts, at a time when Belfast's linen, ropeworks and shipbuilding industries were at their peak. Cross-community events will include heritage cycle rides and film showings.  

A participant being filmed outside a church in North Belfast for the Routes and Roots project
Filming taking place for the Routes and Roots project


Josh Murray, Northern Ireland Engagement Officer, Cycling UK said: “We hope the project will encourage as many people as possible to take part in the journey, take in what the area has to offer in terms of landmarks and features, but also learn about the history and heritage, what these places used to look like and the people who used to live and work there.” 

The project is funded through the Community Heritage Fund which we are distributing on behalf of the Department for Communities. 

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