Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Clare
Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun is a 143.9 km moderate waymarked loop in Clare, starting near Newmarket on Fergus.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 6 days |
Getting there
Starts at Newmarket on Fergus - Public car park beside the Catholic Church, near Newmarket on Fergus.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.76089, -8.8942
- Irish Grid reference
- R 39705 68096
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheets 52, 58 and 59
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
Public transport
Bus services available – Bus Eireann Local Link - https://www.locallinklc.ie/2020/01/25/route-c4-ennis-newmarket-on-fergus-shannon/ Clare Bus - http://www.clarebus.ie/mid-clare-south.html
About the trail
With the Burren Way to the north and the East Clare Way to the east, the Mid Clare Way, called in Gaelic Slí na Mearacan or the foxglove way, is a 130km long circular walking route around the centre of County Clare in the west of Ireland, with the county capital, the busy and picturesque town of Ennis, at its centre. The route touches on the Burren to the north and the broad Shannon Estuary to the south. Terrain on the route consists mainly of quiet tarmac side roads and farm roads with only brief sections on forestry tracks and through fields. Overnight accommodation possibilities are good, but in some areas the only available options are off-route. Aggregate ascent over the whole route is about 1600m, and the highest point the route reaches is just below the summit of the wooded hill of Ben Dash, west of the River Fergus estuary, at 267 metres. The amount of tarmac to be followed is well made up for by the large number of holy wells, killeens, stone forts, castles and ancient churches passed along the way. Walkers may want to linger, in particular, to enjoy the treasury of rich heritage around Dysert O'Dea Castle, where there is a good history and archaeology centre open to the public, and the beautiful Quin Abbey, dating from 1350.
Before you go
96 kms or 65% of the Way follows local roads. Waymarking issues + Trail Surface issues + Trail Furniture issues. ***Dogs not permitted on the Mid Clare Way***
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Clare Walks Ltd
Clare Walks, Main Street, Tulla, Co. Clare, V95 C4E0. Email: [email protected] Web: www.clarewalks.ie Web: www.clarewalks.ie
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Kilkishen Bog Walk 10 km away · 0.8 km trail
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route 12 km away · 7.7 km trail
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Purple Route 12 km away · 11.7 km trail
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Red Route 12 km away · 4 km trail
- Cloondorney Loop 15 km away · 7.2 km trail
- Lissycasey Cascades Loop 17 km away · 2.1 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun?
143.9 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 1,620 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 6 days.
How hard is the Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun start?
Starts at Newmarket on Fergus - Public car park beside the Catholic Church, near Newmarket on Fergus. The trailhead is at 52.76089, -8.8942 (Irish Grid R 39705 68096).
Can you bring a dog on the Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun without a car?
Bus services available – Bus Eireann Local Link - https://www.locallinklc.ie/2020/01/25/route-c4-ennis-newmarket-on-fergus-shannon/ Clare Bus - http://www.clarebus.ie/mid-clare-south.html.
Who manages the Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun?
Clare Walks Ltd. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Clare
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.