Canal run from Lucan to Sallins .....

The Rook

Does anyone know if there is a direct (runnable!) route down the banks of the canal from Lucan in Dublin to Sallins in Kildare? Am looking at doing something like this during the summer as part of training but I’m not sure if there’s a viable route going all along the canal banks …anyone got any ideas?

Woundedknee.

Yes it's perfect for running. It's quite a while since I've trained along that section but can't imagine it's changed much.

robinph

Not sure what the state of the tow paths on that canal are like all the way, although when I've run over it a few times they looked relatively OK, at the Lucan end anyway.

I've used OSM to locate paths that I didn't know existed before and the mapping of the Royal Canal is pretty good. Seems that either nobody has got round to doing the other one yet, ot it's just not as good along the Grand Canal.

robinph

Just came across this page though wich on a breif browse seems to suggest it's OK.

http://kildare.ie/Tourism/waterways/grand-canal.asp

Maybe I'll see about going for a run along there soon and improve the mapping of that a bit.

The Rook

Excellent stuff, thanks for the very quick response!!

misty floyd

I run on that canal bank quite a bit actually. I start from Hazelhatch and from there to, I think, Naas is grand. In the summer especially. Its a bit mucky in parts as there was some work done to tidy the trees along parts of it. Past Ardclough is good and then you reach a grassy bit that has been soggy in previous weeks. It would be ok now and by summer it's all good.

I'm not sure about the stretch from Lucan to Hazelhatch but I'd like to know myself.

robinph

Found some more details of the canal, although it seems to be from the perspective of someone traveling on the water part of it:

http://www.iwai.ie/maps/grand/index.html

In the more detailed map sections I can just about make out the tow paths, but they sem to switch from one side to the other at various points.

The Rook

Just found this ...seems to be do-able ! Happy days !


http://www.visitdublin.com/SeeAndDo/sportsandactivities/IndependentWalkingTours/Detail.aspx?id=281&mid=2233

robinph

I think I will go and check out a bit of the Grand Canal this afternoon. I've been doing a couple of runs along the Royal one from Lexlip out to Maynooth which is good, just the hills to get to it through Lexlip are a bit of a pain.

meathcountysec

I do some of my long runs along the Royal canal from Longwood towards Mullingar. In my experience the towpaths are generally suitable for running on, with a mixture of gravel and grass. You may have to switch banks as you move along though.

This site might be useful:

http://www.iwai.ie/framed.map.html

robinph

Well, I went for an investigate of a short bit of the towpath today and made it along a short section between Adamstown and Hazelhatch. Nice run along there it was too and felt far more out in the middle of nowhere than along the one from Lexlip with the train track on one side and still able to hear the road on the other. Although it was sunny when I went out, I had forgotten that there had been rain earlier so it was a touch muddy in parts, but that is just my stupidity that got me muddy, the path is grand. Didn't see anyone else wandering along the path at all, well apart from the lads on quad bikes and off-road motorbikes that came riding along towards me on my return leg.

Not really much to update, but there is now the path marked on the OSM map here. It is there, honest, just it's not been updated for all tiles at all zoom levels along the bit I ran along yet. I'll maybe make it a bit further along the next week.

Ant

I'm a cyclist but interested in taking up running. I have John Dunne's book, Towpath Tours on cycling the towpaths of Ireland. The author has cycled along both the Grand and Royal Canal from Dublin to Shannon. The Grand Canal also links up with the Barrow River. Last year I cycled from Dublin to Sallins along the Grand Canal and would concur with robinph and the other posters' assesments.

The nearest canal to Lucan would actually be the Royal Canal which is just to the north. It's very pleasant heading west from Leixlip and if you're into nice scenery you could turn off the canal at the Deey Bridge and go for a nice run through the Carton Demesne (now a golf-course) which could bring you back into Maynooth town. I've cycled as far as the Hill of Down on the Royal Canal and I'd also say that on balance, it's drier with better drainage than the Grand Canal. (Between Kilcock & Enfield is probably the worst part).

911sc

I mapped this route a while ago with mapmyrun, see here

Section from Adamstown to Hazelhath is ok if you like mud. I find best is to go up Tubber Lane road (from underneath Spa hotel) to Hazelhatch. Small country road with hardly any cars..

Run a very nice along canal path from HazelHatch bridge to Baronrath, though some section were very muddy weeks ago as there were cleaning up the canal.

From Baronrath to Sallins is like a trail rather than a path, i did not like run on it. Did that at least a year ago, so may be different now.