A guide to a through-hike or a day’s stroll through the Emerald Isle’s historic heartlandThis website now covers more than the Grand Canal. See the "March 2011 update" on the right panel.
In a land of 100,000 welcomes and as many
historic treasures, the Grand Canal stands out
as one of Ireland’s unheralded manmade
masterpieces. This grand old engineering
marvel winds genteelly through the centre of
Dublin, passes through fertile farmlands and
charming villages and past the crumbling
remnants of old tower houses and castles in the
country’s midlands, on its way 80 some miles
later to the River Shannon.
As a canal, it is most commonly viewed in
boating terms. And it is a delightfully
peaceful waterway for boaters. But in
recent years, thanks to the Irish government,
the communities along its route, and the Irish
public, it has become one of the nation’s finest
routes for walkers and hikers. The
Grand Canal Way,
an official walking trail following the old
towpath, hugs the edge of the canal for its
entire distance. The way is well maintained,
with walking surfaces ranging from grassy
surfaces typically a few meters wide to paved
surfaces. At times a local gravel or paved
road built on the towpath becomes the way. But
at no times is the walker left stranded without
a comfortable path.
This website tells the tale of my hike along the
Grand Canal from east to west in the autumn of
2003. With apologies to the Irish, I
habitually call this 80+ mile trek a “hike”
although I gather it is more commonly called a
“walk” in Ireland.
The reader is advised to take my thoughts and
recommendations with due caution and confirm
distances, lodging, sites, and other details
from one or more other sources. Check
Books and maps
as a beginning.
What I hope to portray here is the Grand Canal
as an idyllic, safe and eminently serene route
for both the casual day-hiker and someone who
wants to spend several days on foot as a
through-hiker. Or put two days together and
enjoy a wonderful weekend in peaceful and
picturesque rural Ireland.
I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Email me at
GrandCanalHiker@aol.com I will update this site from time to time, incorporating readers’ suggestions, so come back to visit again. |
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My Canal
Well, not literally, of course, but the Muscle Shoals canal, now submerged 20 feet below the surface of Wilson Lake, lies just a few hundred yards from my home and may have been the inspiration for my Grand Canal hike. (More...)
The Grand Canal Hiker In some ways I’m an unlikely candidate for a solo 85-mile hike in a foreign (to me) country. In other ways, it doesn’t surprise anyone who knows me well. (More.....) |
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