The final stretch of a 30 kilometre greenway connecting counties Meath and Cavan has been completed.
The Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway will be officially opened today, more than ten years after the first work on the project began.
The greenway was developed in phases since 2013 along the former Midland Great Western Railway line.
Starting in Navan, Co Meath, the greenway now provides a 30km car free pathway as far as the Dún an Rí Forest Park in Kingscourt, Co Cavan.
Cyclists and walkers have been enjoying the sunshine in the early afternoon including Ed Moynihan from the Navan Cycling Initiative, which was set up to try to encourage more people to take up cycling.
He said the greenway has been brilliant in satisfying the "big appetite" for cycling.
Mr Moynihan said that it was all about having somewhere safe to cycle.
He said the group also wants more connectivity to the town of Navan from the greenway which would improve safety.
"It's a really build it and they will come scenario, people are mad to get out and cycle if it is good and safe to do so," he said.
The amenity has also provided business opportunities for local people too.
The Doughty Family in Wilkinstown have run a service station in the area for 18 years, but took a chance to develop a "greenway hub".
Eiméar Doughty said that they bought some land next door, to create Park Beo, which provides car park and toilet facilities and a direct link to the greenway too.
"The buy in and interest and support locally, and nationally has been incredible", she said.
Ms Doughty said that the greenway has led to a significant increase in the business of their existing shop, but Park Beo is flourishing in its own right and has future potential too.
"We have a little coffee truck here, it's only here six weeks and we'll have to upgrade to a container to cope with demand for coffee and ice cream and other fresh food," she said.
"It's growing and snowballing," she added.
Also set up in Park Beo is Feel Good Bicycles, providing rented standard and electric bikes to visitors to the Greenway.
The company has a bicycle shop in Virginia, Co Cavan, but has expanded into rentals because of the popularity of the greenway.
Dominic Donoghue, who is helping out customers at their stand today, said they have only been open for around 10 weeks, but that business is going good.
"It's just bike rentals at the moment, but we will go on to do little bits of servicing and providing other things that people may need for the greenways, bells, seat covers all that sort of thing," he said.
"We're still getting up and going," he added.
Mr Donoghue said that business has come from near and far.
"We get a lot of local customers, a lot of people just looking to try electric bikes, we have gotten calls from people across Ireland to try out the greenway and rent some bikes for the day or the weekend," he said.
Chief Executive of Meath County Council Kieran Kehoe said that developing tourism in the area was a key priority for the local authority.
"Developing compelling visitor experiences is key in terms of attracting visitors from around the world and I have no doubt that this newly developed greenway will provide a top class experience, with incredible scenery, for locals and overseas visitors alike," he said.
The project received around €6 million in funding from the Department of Transport and the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Minister of State Jack Chambers said that so many rural villages were now connected through the greenway, and it has also enhanced road safety, opportunities for active travel and tourism.
He said that the Government had accelerated the delivery of greenways with €360 million being invested every year.
