Moderate 11 Days / 9 Nights Walking

National Famine Way Walking Holiday — 11 Days

The complete trail at a steady pace, eight walking days, Strokestown to Dublin

Starting From €1345 per person

This is the full National Famine Way at a sensible pace. Eight walking days, 169 km, from the museum at Strokestown to the sculptures on the Dublin quays.

Days run from 15 to 27 km, and most sit around 19. The towpath is flat and well marked, so the walking is easy underfoot even on the longer days.

You overnight at Clondra, Ballymahon, Ballynacarrigy, Mullingar, Enfield, Maynooth and Dublin. This is the version most people choose, and it matches the trail own Middle of the Road plan.

Hill of Down has no beds, so you stay two nights at Enfield and we run you to and from the water. One less pack and unpack in the middle of the week.

Highlights

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Every kilometre, at a pace you can enjoy

Eight walking days of 15 to 27 km, with most around 19. You walk the whole trail without the long days that make the shorter versions hard work.

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The towns the emigrants passed through

Clondra, Ballymahon, Ballynacarrigy, Mullingar, Enfield and Maynooth. Small canal places with real pubs, where the walking traffic is still a novelty.

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Museum entry and the Passport Pack

Entry to the National Famine Museum is included, along with the official Passport Pack and your personalised ship ticket for one of the Strokestown families.

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Two nights in Enfield

Hill of Down has no accommodation. We base you at Enfield for two nights and drive you to and from the trail, so the middle of your week is a little easier.

Who Is This For?

This suits regular walkers who want the whole trail without rushing it. If you walk most weekends and a 20 km day holds no fear, this is your tour.

It is the best balance on offer. You get every kilometre of the Famine Way, and you still have evenings left in you. The flat ground means you can enjoy the history rather than watch your feet.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Strokestown, National Famine Museum

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Your holiday begins at Strokestown Park, where the National Famine Museum holds the estate archive that makes this trail possible, including the record of the 1,490 tenants cleared from the land in 1847. Take your time here; the walking makes far more sense once you have stood in these rooms. Collect your Passport before you set out.

Day 2

Strokestown to Tarmonbarry

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pin_drop Strokestown → Tarmonbarryhiking 17.7 kmlandscape ↑92mlandscape ↓100mschedule 5h 15m

20 km · about 5 hours · country roads, then canal towpath

Quiet Roscommon roads carry you out of Strokestown and down to the Shannon at Clondra, where Richmond Harbour marks the western end of the Royal Canal. From here the towpath runs unbroken to Dublin. The first of the bronze children's shoes appears along the way, there are over thirty of them set into the route.

Day 3

Tarmonbarry to Ballymahon

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pin_drop Tarmonbarry → Foighahiking 20.4 kmlandscape ↑16mschedule 6h

24 km · about 6 hours · level canal towpath

A long steady day on the towpath through Keenagh, where a short detour reaches the Corlea Trackway, an Iron Age bog road laid in 148 BC and preserved under glass. The canal then carries you southeast into Ballymahon. The trail passes a little outside the town, so the last stretch into your guesthouse is a short walk off the towpath.

Day 4

Foigha Bridge to Ballynacargy

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pin_drop Foigha Bridge → Ballynacargyhiking 24.2 kmlandscape ↑9mschedule 7h

19 km · about 4½ hours · level canal towpath

An easier day through Abbeyshrule, where the canal is at its prettiest and the towpath runs right past the village. Over the Whitworth Aqueduct and on into Westmeath, finishing at Ballynacarrigy.

Day 5

Ballynacargy to Mullingar

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pin_drop Ballynacargy → Mullingarhiking 19.2 kmlandscape ↑31mschedule 5h 30m

19 km · about 5 hours · level canal towpath

Past Coolnahay Harbour, where the canal reaches its summit level and the locks stop for a while, then an easy run down into Mullingar Harbour. Mullingar is the biggest town on the route, a good evening for a proper dinner and a look around.

Day 6

Mullingar to Hill of Down

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pin_drop Mullingar → Hill of Downhiking 25.9 kmlandscape ↓18mschedule 7h 30m

26 km · about 6 hours · level canal towpath

East out of Mullingar through Riverstown and Thomastown Harbour to Hill of Down. There is no accommodation at Hill of Down itself, so we transfer you the short distance to your guesthouse at Enfield, you stay there two nights and walk back from where you stopped in the morning.

Day 7

Hill of Down to Enfield

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pin_drop Hill of Down → Enfieldhiking 15.1 kmschedule 4h 15m

14 km · about 4 hours · level canal towpath

The shortest walking day, and a welcome one after yesterday. A transfer back out to Hill of Down, then an easy stretch through Moyvalley, stop on the Ribbontail Bridge, it is the photograph everyone takes, and on to Enfield, where the Famine Pot stands as a reminder of what the soup kitchens meant.

Day 8

Enfield to Maynooth

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pin_drop Enfield → Maynoothhiking 18.8 kmlandscape ↓18mschedule 5h 15m

19 km · about 5 hours · level canal towpath

Through Kilcock and into Kildare, with the canal widening and the towpath busier as you near Dublin. The day ends at Maynooth Harbour. Maynooth Castle and St Patrick's College are both a few minutes from the water and worth the hour.

Day 9

Maynooth to Ashtown

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pin_drop Maynooth → Ashtownhiking 19.3 kmlandscape ↓9mschedule 5h 30m

27 km · about 6½ hours · canal towpath into the city

The longest day saved for last, and the one the whole trail has been pointing at. Through Leixlip, Clonsilla and Ashtown as the canal threads into Dublin, finishing at the Famine sculptures on Custom House Quay, the quayside where the 1,490 boarded for Liverpool. Your certificate of completion is waiting at the end.

Day 10

Ashtown to Dublin Docklands

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pin_drop Ashtown → Dublin Docklandshiking 8.2 kmlandscape ↓43mschedule 2h 15m

None

Day 11

Departure from Dublin

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Breakfast and onward travel. If you can spare the morning, the Jeanie Johnston famine ship is moored a few minutes from where you finished, and EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is next door, both pick up the story exactly where the trail leaves off.

Accommodation

Nine nights in family run B&Bs, guesthouses and small hotels in the canal towns.

Mullingar has the widest choice on the route. Enfield is a two night stop. Every room is en suite, and breakfast is included each morning.

What's Included

check_circle What's Included

done9 nights accommodation in B&Bs, guesthouses and small hotels (en suite rooms)
doneFull Irish or continental breakfast every morning
doneDaily luggage transfer between accommodation
doneAdmission to the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, with the gardens and woodlands
doneThe official National Famine Way Passport Pack, your personalised ship ticket for one of the original Strokestown famine families, the 14 page Passport & Guide, the 30 page End of Trail booklet, your famine family's fate, the Bronze Shoes lapel brooch and your Certificate of Completion, collected at EPIC in Dublin
doneTransfers between the trail and your accommodation where the trail has no beds of its own
donePersonalised digital itinerary and route app for your smartphone that keeps you on the trail at all times
done24 hours a day emergency contact and on trail support
doneBefore you travel information pack

block Not Included

closeFlights to and from Ireland
closeTravel and walking insurance, which is essential. We are happy to suggest providers
closeLunches and dinners
closeTravel to Strokestown on day one, and home from Dublin on day ten
closePersonal expenses

Best Time to Visit

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

You can walk the National Famine Way from April to October. May, June and September are the best months. The days are long, the air is mild, and there are fewer midges by the water. July and August are warmest, but the towns are busier. The yearly Remembrance Walk is held in May, and it brings a real sense of company to the trail. Early spring and late autumn are quiet. The days are shorter then, and the towpath is wetter.

From

€1345 per person

Based on 2 sharing

Single room supplement

Walking with others but want your own room

+ €550

Walking solo?

Your own room and luggage transfers, all included

€2,155

Preferred Start Date

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Book at least 20 days in advance

Number of Walkers

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Your total€2,690

2 walkers sharing

Add €550 for each walker who wants their own room.

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Cliff & Louise

Your Personal Hosts

Have a question about this tour? We've walked it dozens of times and love helping you plan your trip.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's included in this 11-day tour? expand_more

Here's what your price covers:

9 nights accommodation in B&Bs, guesthouses and small hotels (en suite rooms)
Full Irish or continental breakfast every morning
Daily luggage transfer between accommodation
Admission to the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, with the gardens and woodlands
The official National Famine Way Passport Pack, your personalised ship ticket for one of the original Strokestown famine families, the 14 page Passport & Guide, the 30 page End of Trail booklet, your famine family's fate, the Bronze Shoes lapel brooch and your Certificate of Completion, collected at EPIC in Dublin
Transfers between the trail and your accommodation where the trail has no beds of its own
Personalised digital itinerary and route app for your smartphone that keeps you on the trail at all times
24 hours a day emergency contact and on trail support

Not included: Flights to and from Ireland, Lunches and dinners, Personal expenses.

Which days can I start? expand_more

Any day you like between 15 April and 15 October. This is a self-guided holiday, so there are no fixed departure dates: you choose the day you arrive and we build the trip around it.

You can book online from three weeks ahead. June to August fills up first, so for summer it pays to book early.

How fit do I need to be? expand_more

This tour is graded Moderate. You walk on 9 days, 14.4–27.4 km a day. There is some climbing, so you should be comfortable walking day after day. A few months of regular walking, including some hills, is the best preparation. You set your own pace, with route notes and our GPS app to guide you.

How we grade our tours

What happens if I need to cancel? expand_more

We take a 25% deposit to book, and the balance is due six weeks before you start. If you need to cancel:

More than 6 weeks before: you lose the deposit only
4 to 6 weeks before: 50% of the tour cost
2 to 4 weeks before: 80% of the tour cost
Less than 2 weeks before: 100% of the tour cost

We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation. If we can't find suitable accommodation for your dates, you get a full refund. Full booking terms

Can I walk solo, and is there a single supplement? expand_more

Yes, solo walkers are very welcome and there is no minimum group size. Walking on your own, this tour costs €2,155 instead of €1,345. That includes a solo supplement of €810 and gives you a room to yourself every night.

Travelling with others but would like your own room? The single-room supplement is €550 per person (10 nights at €55).

Do I get a certificate for walking the National Famine Way? expand_more

Yes. The official National Famine Way Passport is included in your holiday price. You collect a stamp in each county as you walk. Hand your passport in at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin at the end of the trail and you receive your completion certificate.

Where does the National Famine Way start and end? expand_more

The trail starts at the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, County Roscommon. It finishes at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in the Dublin Docklands, where you collect your completion certificate. The Famine Memorial sculptures on Custom House Quay are a short walk from EPIC, so most walkers visit both on their last day.

How difficult is the National Famine Way? expand_more

It is one of the easiest long walks in Ireland. Most of the trail follows the Royal Canal towpath, which is flat the whole way, with only about 650 metres of climbing over the full route. The challenge is distance, not hills. Daily stages run from about 12 km on our 13 day tour to over 30 km on the longest days of the 8 day tour, so pick the pace that suits you.

How many days does it take to walk the National Famine Way? expand_more

Most walkers take six to ten walking days to cover the full trail from Strokestown to Dublin. Our holidays run 8, 10 or 13 days in total, which includes your arrival and departure days. The 13 day tour adds a rest day in Mullingar. Short on time? You can walk it in two halves of 6 days each: Part A from Strokestown to Mullingar, and Part B from Mullingar to Dublin.

What are the bronze shoes on the National Famine Way? expand_more

Over 30 pairs of bronze children's shoes mark the route. Each pair stands for a child who made the walk from Strokestown to Dublin in 1847. Together they tell the story of Daniel Tighe, who was twelve that year, and who lived. Spotting them becomes part of the walk.

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