The Blueways Walking Routes
Have a look at the Blueways website for interactive maps for Kildare and the rest of the country. A network of stunning trails running on and alongside Ireland's most idyllic lakes, canals and rivers. Taking you into the heart of her most unspoilt landscapes. As you meander through inspiring, picturesque vistas, soak in the charming rural atmosphere and explore life at a different pace.
Why not go and enjoy this scenic route into the heart of rural Ireland by canoe, bike or on foot. Connect with friends and family as you escape to unique natural environments.
Explore The Barrow Way Website
A comprehensive website with map and walking route details it also features activities and attractions and much more.
For more information on the Barrow Way other walking routes have a look at the Towpath Trails Booklet online. It gives information on The Royal Canal, The Grand Canal and The Barrow Line. A beautifully illustrated book which gives you the km/ miles for each trail so you can choose one that suits you best.
The Royal Canal Greenway
The Royal Canal Greenway is a walking route which starts from Maynooth and stretches as far as Enfield and beyond. It is a route along the canal and so is easy to access. There is lots to do along the route and plenty of nearby attractions.
Discover the Royal Canal Greenway, a 130km scenic walking and cycling route.
Click on the link below to bring you to the intokildare website for a printable map and more information
For those walkers who like to go it alone, this pages offers a range of walks taking in different environments. The Kildare Town Heritage Centre advocates the use of "Leave No Trace" principles and we would encourage all walkers/cyclists to do the same:
Plan ahead and prepare | Be considerate of others | Respect farm animals & wildlife | Travel & Camp on durable ground | Leave what you find | Dispose of waste properly | Minimise the effects of fire
Pollardstown Fen is the largest remaining spring-fed fen in Ireland. Calcereous is supplied to the Fen from around 40 springs which originate from the Curragh aquifer. The Fen began to develop 10,000 years ago when the area was covered by a large lake. Walking Pollardstown Fen is a wonderful natural experience due to its unique flora and fauna. There is a short boardwalk looped walk of the Fen of just a few kilometers and a longer walk for those walking enthusiasts.
For full details of this unusual trail go to WalkingRoutes.ie or call National Parks & Wildlife Service on +353 45 521713.
Informative leaflets of Pollardstown Fen are also available free from the Kildare Town Heritage Centre and Tourist Office.
The Irish word 'Currach' is usually translated as plain, a place of the running horse. The Curragh was originally known as Cuirrech Life suggesting that it once extended as far as the Liffey. Situated between Kildare and Newbridge it is almost the only area unenclosed lowland grassland in Ireland and certainly the largest. As it is an open plain you can walk in almost any direction. Walkers who begin early in the day will have the pleasure of seeing some of Ireland's top thoroughbred horses riding out on the gallops and for those evening walkers, sunsets over the Curragh are some of the most magical in County Kildare.
See our Curragh page for more information on this beautiful part of the county.
The Royal and Grand Canals traverse County Kildare and both offer some very scenic, natural walks for people to enjoy. The Canals have been well maintained over the past number of years and so, the towpaths are accessible in most areas although, most have barriers preventing high-roofed vehicles entering so be aware of this if you arrive in a van of camper! Although walkers can walk any part of the Canal they wish, the staff here at the Heritage Centre have a few favourite routes which we have shared with you below.
The River Barrow is the second longest river in Ireland at 192km. Its source is in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in the midlands and it runs through the counties of Laois, Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford where it meets the sea. The Barrow Navigation is the stretch of the River Barrow between Athy in Co. Kildare and St. Mullins in Co. Carlow. Above Athy, the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal links the Barrow Navigation to the main line of the Grand Canal at Lowtown in Co. Kildare, many interesting and tranquil walks can be found along the Grand Canal throughout Kildare.
The Barrow Way App is also available to download from Guidigo for a fee to help you along the way. For those who would like a pre-arranged itinerary to walk the Barrow Way check out, http://irelandways.com/ways/adventures/the-barrow-way.
Some useful links to the Barrow Way:
Set in 640 acres of mature native Irish woodland, Donadea Forest Park is a designated National Heritage Area. The Park is home to a diverse range of habitats, a walled stream, lake, and a beautiful Gothic style church dating to c. 1820. The Park is also home to a castle built by Sir Gerald Aylmer in 1624, rebuilt in 1773 after it was damaged in the 1641 rebellion and gothicised in 1827 by the architect Sir Richard Morrison. Unfortunately, this castle is now in ruins but can still be admired by visitors to the Park.
Donadea carpark charges €5 per car for an unlimited time and all monies go back to maintaining this wonderful amenity. The Donadea Forest Café is open all year long, Saturday 10am - 5pm & Sunday 10am - 5:30pm and of course, it opens for those all-important school holidays to keep the kids busy!
There are a couple of well-maintained routes to choose from in Donadea shown below, or you can choose to go off-track and explore the forest!
Coíllte developed this 200 acre amenity area just 1 mile outside of Rathangan village. Killinthomas Wood is a mixed hardwood conifer forest with diverse flora and fauna. The woods are ideal for walkers with about 10 km of signposted walks and great access to a wide variety of ecosystems. In Spring and early Summer these woods are carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic. There are marked walks with picnic tables and benches dotted throughout so it is also a great place for families to visit.
It has good car parks, entrance is free and it is readily accessible for all.
For the months of June, July and August meeting at Kildare Town Heritage Centre on Saturdays at 11.30 tours will take approximately one hour.
Cost : Please contact us for more information - All money collected will go back into heritage projects for the town.
Maximum number per tour is 20 people, booking is advised.
Email us info@kildareheritage.com or call us on (045) 530 672.
Why not take a tour of one of the oldest towns in Ireland? Taking in St. Brigid's Monastic Site, the site of a Norman Castle, walkers will learn about three medieval Abbeys, Ireland's first Turf Club and much much more. Discover this fascinating heritage on a guided walk around the Town, by a local historian or by yourself with the App by Abarta Heritage.
Advance Booking Essential
Group Tours: 15+ (tours will be adjusted to each groups requirements based on ability, time available etc.)
Bookings/Enquiries: 00 353 45 530 672 / info@kildareheritage.com
Tours available from:
1st May 2023 to 1st September 2023
Monday to Saturday 10.00 - 1.00pm and 2pm - 5pm
( Bookings outside these times and dates may not include St Brigid's Monastic Site , contact us for more information)
Cost : Prices starting from €5 per person ( based on group booking)
Group Booking ( minimum of 10 people ) Contact us for Rates and Availability
Situated in the heart of County Kildare the Curragh is a truly unique landscape. The circumstances by which this remarkable natural feature was created are fascinating and the combined forces of humankind and nature have shaped the Curragh over many millennia, resulting in an exceptional array of internationally important flora and fauna
.
Visit http://www.abartaheritage.ie/product/story-of-the-curragh-audio-guide/ to download your free audio guide.
Celbridge Guided Walking Tours are free and lead by local guides. The tours encompass oral history, folklore, monuments, architectural heritage, flora, fauna and landscapes.
Advance Booking Essential
Group Tours: Tours will be adjusted to each groups requirements based on ability, time available etc.
Bookings/Enquiries: Facebook.com/celbridgeguidedtours / 00 353 87 963 0719 / breda.konstantin@iol.ie
Another opportunity to discover Celbridge is to download the Guidigo App for a self-guided tour of Celbridge.
Athy Medieval Walls Guided Walking Tours are run from the Athy Heritage Centre. Athy, meaning literally ‘the ford of Ae’, is named after the son of a Munster King who was killed at a battle in Athy in the 2nd Century, find out about this & more on a walking tour of the town.
Advance Booking Essential
Group Tours: Tours will be adjusted to each groups requirements based on ability, time available etc.
Bookings/Enquiries: Medieval Tours Brochure / 00 353 59 863 3075 / athyheritage@eircom.net.
Slí na Sláinte, meaning "Path to Health", is an innovative scheme developed by the Irish Heart Foundation and supported by the HSE and the Irish Sports Council, to encourage people of all ages and abilities to walk for leisure and good health. The Slí na Sláinte Walking Routes are mapped, measured routes which use attractive signage at kilometre intervals on established walking routes to help walkers identify the distance they walk. Below is a list of Slí na Sláinte routes in County Kildare,
Kildare Town Heritage Centre, Market Square, Kildare Town, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Tel: +353 45 530 672
Mobile: +353 871900945
Email: info@kildareheritage.com
(Lunch 01:00-02:00pm Daily)
Monday 09:30am - 05:00pm
Tuesday 09:30am - 05:00pm
Wednesday 09:30am - 05:00pm
Thursday 09:30am - 05:00pm
Friday 09:30am - 05:00pm
Saturday 09:30am - 05:00pm
Sunday Closed
© 2019 by Kildare Town Heritage Centre