Royal Canal Way
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Meath and Westmeath
Royal Canal Way is a 146.3 km easy waymarked linear route in Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Meath and Westmeath, starting near Dublin.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Easy | Easy | 6 days |
Getting there
Starts at First Lock, near Dublin.
Finishes at Cloondara.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 53.35712, -6.24501
- Irish Grid reference
- O 168 356
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 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.
Public transport
At Start: Rail Check with: Iarnrod Eireann. Bus Check With: Dublin Bus. At End: Good bus service; Check with Bus Eireann. . Rail Check with: Iarnrod Eireann.
About the trail
Work began on the construction of the 146 km long Royal Canal, to connect Ireland's capital city, Dublin, with the upper River Shannon in 1790, and the canal was completed in 1817. It operated in competition with the Grand Canal which ran an almost parallel route never more than 30 km to the south, and with the Grand, was made redundant by the advent of the railways in the mid-19th century. The canal was officially closed to all navigation in 1961, but like the Grand Canal, much of the Royal has been restored in recent decades, and the Royal Canal Way currently follows grassy towpaths, gravel and sometimes tarmac canal-side roads from the Dublin suburb of Ashtown 105 kilometres to the village of Abbeyshrule in County Longford. Some sections of tow path can be muddy. Further restoration will take the navigable canal and the walking route all the way to the Shannon. There is a good range of options for overnight accommodation along most of the route: it is, however, relatively easy to walk some sections and return to your starting point by public transport. Apart from the glorious, linear cordon of unspoilt countryside the route provides, there are a number of significant examples of late-eighteenth century industrial archaeology to admire along the way, including the Ryewater Aquaduct which takes the canal high over the Rye river, and which took six years to build.
Before you go
9 kms or 12% of the Way follows local roads. There may be some waymarking issues at some points along the trail. ***Dogs under effective control allowed. Please clean up after your dog***
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Waterways Ireland Royal
Waterways Ireland, Floor 2 Block C, Ashtowngate, Dublin 15 Tel 01-8680148 Email: [email protected]
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock 8.7 km away · 8.9 km trail
- Wicklow Way 9.0 km away · 128.1 km trail
- Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop 12 km away · 6 km trail
- Ticknock - Mountain Bike Trails 12 km away · 14.5 km trail
- Howth - Black Linn Loop 12 km away · 8.1 km trail
- Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop 12 km away · 12.1 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Royal Canal Way?
146.3 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Sport Ireland estimates 6 days.
How hard is the Royal Canal Way?
Sport Ireland grades it Easy. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Royal Canal Way start?
Starts at First Lock, near Dublin. The trailhead is at 53.35712, -6.24501 (Irish Grid O 168 356).
Can you bring a dog on the Royal Canal Way?
Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.
Can you get to the Royal Canal Way without a car?
At Start: Rail Check with: Iarnrod Eireann. Bus Check With: Dublin Bus. At End: Good bus service; Check with Bus Eireann. . Rail Check with: Iarnrod Eireann.
Who manages the Royal Canal Way?
Waterways Ireland Royal. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Meath 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.