Royal Canal Greenway

The Royal Canal Greenway is generally described as running from Maynooth in County Kildare to Longford Town or nearby Cloondara on the River Shannon corridor. The full greenway is about 130 km on the ground, while this mapped hike is 121.07 km through the County Kildare section and beyond on an easy, mostly flat canal towpath route.

The Royal Canal Greenway is a long-distance route of roughly 130 km from Maynooth to Longford Town, and this hike listing measures 121.07 km. Because elevation gain is only 179 m, it is one of the flatter multi-day walks in Ireland and can be covered in shorter day stages or as a full end-to-end trip.

The Royal Canal Greenway has been officially open since 2021 and Waterways Ireland describes it as a long-distance off-road walking and cycling trail. The main continuous greenway is open from Maynooth to the Longford side of the route, though short local access or maintenance issues can still affect individual sections from time to time.

Yes. The Royal Canal Greenway is rated easy, with just 179 m of total ascent over 121.07 km, so the route is far flatter than a typical upland trail. It follows the old canal towpath, making it a practical choice for beginner walkers, steady multi-day trips, and shorter out-and-back sections from canal towns.

The historic Royal Canal itself runs from Dublin toward the Shannon, but the main signed Royal Canal Greenway is usually promoted from Maynooth westward to Longford Town or Cloondara. Walkers starting in the Dublin area can still join canal-side sections, but the best-known continuous greenway section begins at Maynooth.

The Royal Canal Greenway links Maynooth with Longford Town and passes through well-known canal towns including Enfield and Mullingar along the way. It crosses four counties in total: Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, and Longford, following the line of the Royal Canal across the Irish midlands.