Long Distance Walks
The Slieve Bloom Way is a 77 kms. long circular walking trail which stretches across counties Offaly and Laois through the wild and mysterious Slieve Bloom Mountains Environment Park – an area of undiscovered environmental beauty, boasting a fabulous array of flora and fauna, remarkable deep glens, rock outcrops and waterfalls. On some days it is possible to see the highest points of each of Ireland ’s four provinces. The highest peak is Glendine Gap standing at 1510 ft. Truly a ‘walk on the wild side’.
The Grand Canal is now being developed as a Long Walking Route from the River Liffey (Dublin) to the Shannon. The Offaly section, involving over 64 kms of canal and traversing large tracts of bogland, enters the county near Edenderry and extends westwards through the towns and villages of Daingean, Tullamore, Rahan, Pollagh and Belmont to join the Shannon at Shannon Harbour. Walkers can now use the towpath along the canal, a route sheltering a wealth of flora and fauna and allowing inspections of 18th and 19th century engineering works, some of which are still in use.
The Offaly Way is a linear route linking the Slieve Bloom Way to the Grand Canal Way . Only 29km long, it includes areas of mountain and riverside as well as long stretches of bogland. Though the highest point is only 140m, much of Offaly Way commands wide views over a comparatively flat landscape. The route has ecclesiastical and prehistoric interest.
The Offaly Way starts in Cadamstown, with Slieve Bloom less than 2km away. The waterfalls and gorge along here are most attractive features. The Offaly Way crosses the Silver River and runs along its bank into the town of Kilcormac . The Offaly Way enters Boora Bog, an area of peatland formerly harvested for turf. Nearby is Lough Boora, formerly a lake and now a fen and nature reserve. This area is of great historical interest since excavations have revealed Mesolithic remains.
The Monastic Way of Ireland gives visiting tourist and explorers an alternative route to travel from Dublin to Galway , along an ancient Irish route, taking sites of historical significance and monastic settlements. It includes various places of interest and is constantly expanding as more communities get involved.
The Monastic Way roughly fallows the path of the “Eiscir Riada” – Kings Highway – the ancient route from east to west, and incorporates County Dublin , Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Offaly. The midlands park of the Monastic Way passes through Tullamore, Lynally, Rahan, Clara Bog, Doon , Clonmacnoise and Shannonbridge
