Offaly Way
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Offaly
Offaly Way is a 38 km moderate waymarked linear route in Offaly, starting near Kinnity.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 2 days |
Getting there
Starts at Cadamstown, near Kinnity.
Finishes at Lemanaghan.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 53.12658, -7.65936
- Irish Grid reference
- N 228 085
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheets 48 and 54
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
At Start: On Dublin - Birr CIE Bus Route, 4 times a day. At End: Possible one bus a day service Check with Bus Eireann.
About the trail
The Offaly Way is a 38 kilometre linear walking route in the midlands of Ireland that links the Slieve Bloom Way at the old village of Cadamstown with the Grand Canal Way and ends a few kilometres north of the canal at the ancient monastic site of Lemanaghan. This short route takes in a rich collection of features that will ensure many walkers will want to linger along the way, including the scenic Silver River and an old bridge that Red Hugh O'Donnell's army is said to have crossed en route to the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, a rare Mesolithic site at Boora, and St Manchan's holy well and St Mella's Cell, a tiny early Christian church at Lemanaghan. The terrain consists of mainly quiet side roads and a couple of riverbank paths that are often wet and muddy in places. There is a shortage of overnight accommodation in the area, but Cadamstown is served by public transport. There are two or three loop walks in Boora Parkland including one which is wheelchair friendly. In this area there are a number of recreational projects and amenities, and experiments are being carried out on how to best use the landscape that has been stripped of its peat. For information follow external link to Shannon Region Trails
Before you go
17 kms or 46% of the Way follows local roads. ***Dogs not permitted on any section which crosses private farmland.***
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Slieve Bloom Outdoor Recreation Partnership
Tourism Office, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Tel: 0506-0506 Web: www.offaly.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.
- Cadamstown - Paul's Lane Loop 0 m away · 4.3 km trail
- Cadamstown Nature Trail Eco Loop 0 m away · 6.4 km trail
- Giant's Grave Loop 0 m away · 11 km trail
- Kinnitty - Glinsk Castle Loop 4.0 km away · 6.2 km trail
- Kinnitty - Kinnitty Castle Loop 4.0 km away · 4 km trail
- Glenregan Forest Recreation Area - Glenregan Loop 4.2 km away · 9.1 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Offaly Way?
38 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Sport Ireland estimates 2 days.
How hard is the Offaly Way?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Offaly Way start?
Starts at Cadamstown, near Kinnity. The trailhead is at 53.12658, -7.65936 (Irish Grid N 228 085).
Can you bring a dog on the Offaly Way?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Offaly Way without a car?
At Start: On Dublin - Birr CIE Bus Route, 4 times a day. At End: Possible one bus a day service Check with Bus Eireann.
Who manages the Offaly Way?
Slieve Bloom Outdoor Recreation Partnership. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Offaly
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.