walk the Royal canal way

shy

Hi Guys

I hope someone could answer a quick couple of questions for us

1 .Can you walk the whole way 150 km along the royal canal way from clondra to dublin
2. I assume it would be ok to camp along it
3. how fit would you need to be to walk the 150km in five days.

We are slowly but surely getting fit and have giving ourselfs till Augs to do this as we are trying to raise some much needed dosh for a charity

cheers for any feedback giving.

dogmatix

I'd be weary about camping along the canal anywhere within 50k of Dublin. As for walking it in 5 days - that amounts to 30k a day - between 18-19 miles a day. Do-able for one or two days but with 5 days in a row you'd want a pair of well-broken into walking boots and some toughened/tempered legs. Since it's august that should be plenty of time - but at 18+ miles a day i'd be demanding a relaxing hot bath to soak in at the end of each day.

I don't think the royal is as well developed as the Grand but i'd imagine it would be possible to walk it the full lenght.

micawber

There is a very good web guide here with details on various sections of the route:
http://www.iwai.ie/maps/royal/index.html

I have done the first section from the city to maynooth several times and apart and was surprised at how "away from it all" it seems even when walking through urban areas.

bovis

Hi, I've recently walked/cycled the Longford end from Ballymahon to Clondra. Its a lovely walk and some say the most scenic part of the Royal. But be warned. Its hard going at times as many of the towpaths are in poor enough condition and I couldnt believe that farmers have been allowed to put fences across the path in some parts.

But I'd hope I dont discourage you as I'd love to see more people use this great amenity and hopeful when more people use it - the condition of the towpaths will be improved.

HappyNoel

Thinking of cycling it myself next spring - is there any chance I could come across an irate farmer at some point or is the access issue sorted by now?

bovis

Hi HappyNoel,
Yes - cycling the whole route is possible. No farmer should complain at all. They have had the last 12 months to see boats pass so its probably more real to them now that the canal is back as a thorough-fare. Just a word of warning, the tow path can be bumpy in parts.

If you wanted a little "taster" you could try the national trails day cycle on Oct 2 up the Royal Canal and back the Grand canal from the Pheonix Park. I'm going to give it a go myself.

Good luck in your journey

ANXIOUS

bovis wrote: »

Hi HappyNoel,
Yes - cycling the whole route is possible. No farmer should complain at all. They have had the last 12 months to see boats pass so its probably more real to them now that the canal is back as a thorough-fare. Just a word of warning, the tow path can be bumpy in parts.

If you wanted a little "taster" you could try the national trails day cycle on Oct 2 up the Royal Canal and back the Grand canal from the Pheonix Park. I'm going to give it a go myself.

Good luck in your journey

Have you a link to that cycle? Or even a map?

bovis

Links for the national trails Cycle Loop:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2056396246

http://www.irishtrails.ie/Trail_News/NTD%20Green%20Trail%20Loop%20Map.pdf

HappyNoel

bovis wrote: »

Hi HappyNoel,
Yes - cycling the whole route is possible. No farmer should complain at all. They have had the last 12 months to see boats pass so its probably more real to them now that the canal is back as a thorough-fare. Just a word of warning, the tow path can be bumpy in parts.

If you wanted a little "taster" you could try the national trails day cycle on Oct 2 up the Royal Canal and back the Grand canal from the Pheonix Park. I'm going to give it a go myself.

Good luck in your journey

Thanks bovis. I did the Grand Canal last year and loved it, was hoping to try the Royal this year. I did cycle it when I was in College from Maynooth to Dublin and back, never did it beyond Maynooth though.

The Grand Canal is also worth a trip, especially the section through the Bog of Allen (now mainly forest). Wilderness and more wilderness, nice to see it exists in Ireland still!

HappyNoel

hey how long did it take ya to do that cycle?

Was the path / trail rough? would ya need a mountain bike?

Sometimes it was rough, sometimes it was grassy, the odd time it was rough. But, being a canal, it was always pretty flat. So not too hard to cycle. I used a trek 8.3 Dual Sport - but any half decent hybrid should do. Wouldn't use a road bike though.

If I had planned things right I could have done the whole thing from portobello to Shannon Harbour in a day. As it was, I had been out the night before and had a late start but made it to Tullamore that evening. The lashing rain didn't help either.

It actually worked out better that way because Tullamore had some decent accommodation options whereas Shannon Harbour has very little. I was cycling onto Ennis but for someone heading back to Dublin be warned that there's no train station in Shannon Harbour or in Banagher and fairly limited bus connections.

HappyNoel

Some pics from the cycle - it was wet for much of it, hence the picture under the bridge. But it improved as things moved westward.

The rail drawbridge is located in the middle of the bog of Allen, the creepy crawlies are Crayfish that I noticed crawling on the banks of the canal at one point.

Tabnabs

For a more leisurely pace and a more detailed account of walking the canal, have a look at this blog

http://ouchmybackhurts.wordpress.com/royal-canal-life/

AJ Vosse

Thanks Tabnads for placing the link... also, thanks to the new blog visitors. I'm hoping to get to the Shannon within the next few days... pop around to the blog nearer the weekend for an update... ;-)

Until the... stay well... enjoy the sunshine before the snow! :-P

AJ Vosse

Hi All,

I've eventually managed to complete the walk... a few quick observations...

• the last third of the walk, say from about Lock 26 onward, is often grassy towpath. The rain resulted in soft, slippery, soggy going at times.
• I would recommend wellies, plenty spare socks, towel to dry wet feet... patience and care on the slippery clay sections...
• I would not want to cycle these sections unless they were pretty dry... in fact, I think cycling could be unpleasantly hard work...
• I would not attempt to walk the canal in anything less than 7 days... I know logistics are tight and time is limited... if you go to all the trouble of attempting the walk then you may just as well enjoy what you are doing! Don't torture your self... there's no fun in that!
• Be prepared to stop and chat... you will learn plenty!

I will keep updating the blog with the last few walks in the next few weeks...

Enjoy your time along the canal... it is a special place!

Cheers,
AJ

http://ouchmybackhurts.wordpress.com/

Deeno37

Hey Noel,
A couple of us are kayaking the grand canal in July,was wondering any decent camp sites along the way? We're thinking of stopping in Edenderry, Tullamore and Shannon harbour before we continue on bikes to kerry.
Thanks, Carl

Carawaystick

I don't know what it's like from the national convention centre up to Croke park, but it's pleasant enough from Binns bridge up to Cross guns bridge( Drumcondra to Phibsboro.

150 yards up from Cross Guns, you start to enter fairly rural territory, unexpected wilderness in the heart of the city.

From Coolmine to Clonsilla, the canal goes through a cutting, the towpath s only about a metre wide and is about 4 or 5 above the canal, it'd be reasonably serious to veer off here.

I thought it was fairly boring from Clonsilla on to Leixlip Confey ( maybe cos there was no risk of falling in....) and I only got as far as Louisa Bridge.

There's a bit of grass track a log the way, and from looking at it on the train it firms up on to Maynooth.

From an `escape' point of view of you wanted to give up, the section from Ennfield to Mullingar is off the beaten track

JimmyLate

Thomastown Royal Canal Festival on Sunday 5 May 2013 promises to be a great day out.
I am particularly looking forward to the display of model power boats by by the Dublin Model Boat Club.
There will also be a Scarecrow Contest.
(I'm working on my 'Angela Merkel' exhibit)
visit www.thomastownroyalcanal.net and click on link to Facebook