National Famine Way
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Dublin, Roscommon and Westmeath
National Famine Way is a 168.6 km easy waymarked linear route in Dublin, Roscommon and Westmeath, starting near Strokestown.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Easy | Easy | 6 days |
Getting there
Starts at Strokestown House, near Strokestown.
Finishes at Dublin Docklands.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 53.77611, -8.09837
- Irish Grid reference
- M 935 807
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 33, 40, 41, 48* (*ca 1.3km on canal bank), 49 and 50
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.
About the trail
An adventurous 165 km cross country trail that mostly follows the Royal Canal as it weaves through country lanes, villages, towns and city - can be done in sections over time or all at once - as you choose. Follow the story of Strokestown's Famine Emigrants as our interactive bronze shoe sculptures creates a thought provoking experience, on this commemorative cross country walk. The trail is topped and tailed by two iconic museums - €œThe National Famine Museum€ at Strokestown Park and €œThe Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship€ / €œ EPIC - Irish Emigration Museum€ at the Dublin end.
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
Who manages it
National Famine Way Committee
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Rooskey Rambling Bog Walks Blue Loop 13 km away · 11.8 km trail
- Rooskey Rambling Bog Walks Orange Loop 13 km away · 15.7 km trail
- Rooskey Rambling Bog Walks Purple Loop 13 km away · 13.1 km trail
- Rooskey Rambling Bog Walks Red Loop 13 km away · 6 km trail
- Commons North - Woodland Walk 13 km away · 3 km trail
- Rathcroghan Looped Archaeological Trail 14 km away · 12.9 km trail
Common questions
How long is the National Famine Way?
168.6 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Sport Ireland estimates 6 days.
How hard is the National Famine Way?
Sport Ireland grades it Easy. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the National Famine Way start?
Starts at Strokestown House, near Strokestown. The trailhead is at 53.77611, -8.09837 (Irish Grid M 935 807).
Who manages the National Famine Way?
National Famine Way Committee. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Dublin, Roscommon and Westmeath
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.