The South Leinster Way: The Forgotten Link Between Wicklow and the Barrow
The Wicklow Way ends at a bridge in Clonegal, and almost everybody ends there too. You get the photograph, you find a lift into Bunclody, and you go home with 132 kilometres behind you. What hardly anyone does is keep going — four kilometres out the road to a quiet Carlow village called Kildavin, where a yellow arrow on a black background points south-west and another 104 kilometres of waymarked trail begins.
That trail is the South Leinster Way, and it is the most overlooked National Waymarked Way in Ireland. It carries you around the flank of Mount Leinster, down onto the loveliest stretch of the River Barrow, over the shoulder of Brandon Hill and on to Carrick-on-Suir, where the East Munster Way takes up the thread. It is also, in places, a genuinely hard trail to love. This guide is an honest account: what the route is, which days are worth your boots, and what nobody tells you before you set off.
What the South Leinster Way actually is
The South Leinster Way is a 103.6 km linear trail from Kildavin, County Carlow, to Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, passing through a long middle section of County Kilkenny. Sport Ireland grades it Moderate, suggests five days, and puts the total ascent at about 1,490 m — which sounds like a lot until you realise it is spread thinly across a hundred kilometres. There is no single climb on the whole route that will frighten you.
It was opened in November 1985, which makes it one of the older Ways in the network, and it is looked after jointly by Carlow, Kilkenny and Tipperary County Councils together with Coillte and the local sports partnerships. Waymarking is the standard yellow arrow on a black background. Dogs are welcome on a lead. The nearest town to the start is Bunclody; the finish, Carrick-on-Suir, is a real town with shops, pubs and a bus service.
The scenery is better than the trail's reputation suggests. You cross the heathery lower slopes of Mount Leinster (796 m, the highest of the Blackstairs), walk a fine riverside stretch of the Barrow, pass through the decayed grandeur of the Woodstock demesne above Inistioge, and thread a good deal of Coillte forest in between. The towns are the real prize: Borris, Graiguenamanagh and Inistioge are three of the prettiest small towns in the south-east, and all three are on the route.
One thing to check before you book anything
At the time of writing, Sport Ireland lists the South Leinster Way as closed between Carrick-on-Suir and Piltown until further notice, because of a collapsed bridge. That is the final stretch of the last stage — the very end of the walk if you are heading south-west, the very beginning if you are walking it the other way.
It does not make the trail unwalkable. It does mean that if you are planning the full route you need to check the trail's page on sportireland.ie before you commit, and be ready to take a road detour or a lift for that section. Closures like this on the quieter Ways can sit unresolved for a long time, so treat the notice as current until you see otherwise.
A trail built to join other trails
The South Leinster Way exists largely because of what sits at either end of it. It is part of European walking route E8, the long line that runs from Dursey Island in County Cork all the way to Istanbul. The Irish section of E8 strings together the Wicklow Way, the South Leinster Way, the East Munster Way, the Blackwater Way and parts of the Kerry and Beara Ways.
So the South Leinster Way is the join. Its northern end at Kildavin sits a short unmarked road walk from Clonegal, where the Wicklow Way finishes. Its southern end at Carrick-on-Suir is where the East Munster Way starts. Halfway along, at Graiguenamanagh, it meets the Barrow Way coming down the river from Athy; at Inistioge it meets the Nore Valley Way. If you have ever wondered how people walk across Ireland coast to coast, this is the piece of the puzzle in the middle.
The five days, stage by stage
Day 1 — Kildavin to Borris, about 26 km
The longest day, and the one with the most height in it. You climb from Kildavin onto forest tracks below Kilbrannish and traverse the western flank of Mount Leinster to the Nine Stones, a line of boulders on the mountain road with a view that on a clear day reaches across five counties. Then a long descent to Borris. Two warnings from walkers who have done it: the waymarking around Kilbrannish Hill is easy to lose, and the last two or three kilometres into Borris are on a narrow road with no verge and fast traffic.
Day 2 — Borris to Graiguenamanagh, about 13 km
The short day, and the best one. You drop out of Borris under the great stone viaduct and onto the towpath of the River Barrow, and you simply follow the water south. Grass underfoot, locks at Ballingrane and Clashganny, herons, wooded banks on both sides. It is flat, it is beautiful, and you will arrive in Graiguenamanagh by early afternoon with time to look at Duiske Abbey and have a long lunch.
Day 3 — Graiguenamanagh to Inistioge, about 18 km
Up and over. The trail climbs steeply out of Graiguenamanagh onto the northern slopes of Brandon Hill (515 m, the highest point in County Kilkenny), runs along dirt tracks and old lanes through the hills, then descends into the Nore valley. The last stretch zigzags down through Woodstock Forest for the guts of seven kilometres before delivering you into Inistioge — a village so photogenic that tour buses stop there. Watch the waymarking after Graiguenamanagh; more than one walker has ended up on the R700, which is no place to be on foot.
Day 4 — Inistioge to Mullinavat, about 22 km
A forest day. Coillte tracks and small dirt lanes, plenty of conifer, not many views, and a hidden reward: Poulanassy Waterfall, a few minutes off the trail before Mullinavat down a gap in the hedge. It is not signposted and it is worth finding. Mullinavat itself is a small village on the old Waterford road with a couple of pubs.
Day 5 — Mullinavat to Carrick-on-Suir, about 24 km
The road day. This is the section Sport Ireland itself describes as a long stretch of quiet tarmac, and it is also the section currently affected by the bridge closure near Piltown. There is a lovely footbridge over the little River Lingaun near the end, and a nervy dash across the N24. Then Carrick-on-Suir, and the East Munster Way waiting for anyone with legs left.
The honest part: how much of it is road?
A lot. And the official sources do not agree with each other. The trail description on Sport Ireland's page says the route "finishes with a long stretch of 30 km on quiet tarmac roads". The trail management notes on the same page say something rather different: 58 km, or 56% of the Way, follows local roads. The 2010 national review of the Waymarked Ways put the figure at 55% and recommended reducing it. Trust the higher number — it matches what walkers actually report.
That is the reason the South Leinster Way has the lowest walker rating of any trail we have covered in this series. Reviewers on Sport Ireland's own page use words like "mood killer" and "too much road walking for my liking", and several mention vague waymarking after Inistioge and dangerous verges near Borris and Mullinavat. We would not send you out there without telling you that.
What we would say in its defence: the roads are mostly very small, very old and very empty, and on a fine day they are pleasant walking. The problem is the cumulative effect on your feet. Hard surfaces for five days running will take a toll that hill walking of the same distance simply would not. If you go, go in trail shoes rather than stiff boots, and be ruthless about looking after your feet.
The two days worth doing on their own
If you do not want to commit to five days, do not. The South Leinster Way is one of those trails that rewards being cherry-picked.
Borris to Graiguenamanagh is 13 km of riverside towpath and is, without exaggeration, one of the loveliest easy walks in Leinster. Do it as a linear day walk with a taxi back, or stay two nights in Graiguenamanagh and walk it both ways.
Graiguenamanagh to Inistioge is the mountain day — harder, 18 km, with real views from the shoulder of Brandon Hill and the Woodstock descent at the end. Between them, those two days give you almost everything good about the trail and almost none of the tarmac.
Getting there and when to go
Public transport is thin but not impossible. The start at Kildavin is a request stop on a Bus Éireann express service; Bunclody, five kilometres away, is better served. Carrick-on-Suir at the far end has a daily express bus and a local service Monday to Saturday. In between, Borris, Graiguenamanagh, Inistioge and Mullinavat all have some level of local bus, but timetables are sparse — check before you rely on one.
May and September are the sweet spots. May gives you bluebells in the woods above Piltown and the Barrow at its greenest; September gives you settled ground and quiet towns after the summer. Avoid high summer if you can: much of the road walking is unshaded and the tarmac holds heat. You will want OSI Discovery sheets 68, 75 and 76, or the EastWest Mapping South Leinster Way map guide, which is better.
Where this one fits with us
We do not offer the South Leinster Way, and we will not pretend otherwise. The road percentage is too high for us to put walkers on it for five days with a clear conscience.
If what draws you to it is the river — and for most people it is — the trail you actually want is the Barrow Way, which follows the same water for 114 km from Athy down through Carlow and Graiguenamanagh to the tide at St Mullins. It is flat, it is green, and it is one of our favourites. Our self-guided Barrow Way walking holiday takes six days over it, with handpicked B&Bs and your bags moved each morning.
If it is the Blackstairs and the height you are after, the Wicklow Way gives you far more of that, and finishes at Clonegal — the very bridge where this article started. And for the whole network, our guide to Ireland's National Waymarked Ways covers all twenty-six of them. Not sure which suits you? Just ask us — we are always happy to talk about trails we do not sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the South Leinster Way?
The South Leinster Way is 103.6 km, usually rounded to 104 km, running from Kildavin in County Carlow to Carrick-on-Suir in County Tipperary. Total ascent is about 1,490 m spread across the whole route, with no single significant climb.
How many days does the South Leinster Way take?
Five days is the standard, at roughly 13 to 26 km a day. The natural overnight stops are Borris, Graiguenamanagh, Inistioge and Mullinavat. Fit walkers have done it in four long days; there is no advantage in rushing it.
Is the South Leinster Way difficult?
It is graded Moderate, but the difficulty is not the climbing. The hard part is the hard surfaces: depending on which of Sport Ireland's own figures you believe, between 30 km and 58 km of the route is on tarmac, and five consecutive days on road punishes your feet more than hill walking would.
Is the South Leinster Way open?
Mostly. Sport Ireland currently lists the section between Carrick-on-Suir and Piltown as closed until further notice due to a collapsed bridge. Check the trail page on sportireland.ie before you plan the final stage, and be ready to detour by road.
Does the South Leinster Way connect to the Wicklow Way?
Not directly, but nearly. The Wicklow Way finishes at Clonegal, County Carlow, and the South Leinster Way starts at Kildavin about four kilometres away. The link is an unmarked road walk. Both are part of European walking route E8.
What is the best section of the South Leinster Way?
Borris to Graiguenamanagh, 13 km along the towpath of the River Barrow. It is flat, grassy, green and easily the finest walking on the trail. The next best is Graiguenamanagh to Inistioge over the shoulder of Brandon Hill, which has the views.
Can you bring a dog on the South Leinster Way?
Yes, on a lead and under effective control. There is a good deal of farmland and forestry along the route, so keep them close.
Does Walking Holiday Ireland offer the South Leinster Way?
We do not. There is too much road walking on it for us to recommend it as a five-day holiday. For the same river scenery with far better walking underfoot, we offer the Barrow Way, which follows the same stretch of water south from Athy to St Mullins.
