Discover County Longford

In County Longford, long canal paths, woodland landscapes and places steeped in history offer different ways to shape your trip. If you enjoy walking or cycling, you’ll find sections of the Royal Canal Greenway and the National Famine Way, among other routes. There are also woodland paths near Ballymahon, circular walks near Ballinamuck and cultural attractions in several towns. When choosing a holiday rental, your main interest can therefore be a helpful guide: would you like your trip to focus mainly on cycling and walking routes, nature or history?

A greenway and a route with a historical connection

The Royal Canal Greenway is a 130 km walking and cycling route from Maynooth in County Kildare to Clondra in County Longford. Along the route are 90 bridges, 33 locks, 17 harbours and four aqueducts. These structures give the route a distinctive character beyond its length and provide clear points of reference for anyone looking to explore a longer stretch by bike or on foot.

The National Famine Way also runs through County Longford, following the Royal Canal Greenway. This waymarked walking and cycling route follows the last known journey on Irish soil of 1,490 people who were forced to leave Strokestown in County Roscommon in 1847. Alongside outdoor activity, it brings a story connected to a specific place and year into focus. If this historical context interests you, you can make it a focus as you explore the route.

Woodland paths and landscapes

Newcastle Woodland is in Newcastle near Ballymahon. Managed by Coillte, this mixed woodland covers 325 hectares and extends along both sides of the River Inny, an important tributary of the River Shannon. The woodland has a total of 14 km of paths, with routes of varying lengths. The network also includes a 400 m Access for All path and a 1 km wheelchair-accessible path. These details specify the available paths and their lengths; you can use them to choose a route and type of path that suit your outing.

The Edenmore Bog Walk in Ballinamuck offers a different nature experience: it is a 4.5 km national loop walk. Corn Hill adds its own distinctive landscape feature. At 278 m, it is County Longford’s highest peak, and two ancient passage-grave cairns stand at its summit. Corn Hill is also known as Cairn Hill or Carn Clonhugh. Woodland paths, a loop walk and a summit with its cairns offer different reasons to consider a range of places and experiences when planning your trip.

History in exhibitions and along trails

In Ballinamuck, the Ballinamuck Visitor Centre presents interactive information and local guided commentary on the 1798 battle. The waymarked Ballinamuck Battle Trail passes through the battlefield landscape where the events took place. Visiting the Centre and following the trail are two different ways to explore the place and its history.

In Granard is the Knights & Conquests Heritage Centre, an interactive heritage site. The Maria Edgeworth Centre in Edgeworthstown includes a reconstruction of a traditional 19th-century classroom. A self-guided visit is available there in English, Irish, Spanish, German, Italian, French and Chinese. If you’d like to include cultural stops in your trip, you can compare these places as points of interest alongside the routes and landscapes.

Where to stay and how to get there

County Longford is served by the Dublin–Sligo railway line. Its stations include Longford Town and Edgeworthstown. If you plan to arrive by train, you can use these two towns as reference points when choosing where to look for a holiday rental. For boat trips, another departure point is Lanesborough: Lough Ree Boat Trips departs from Lanesborough Marina. It offers accessible boat trips and water-based experiences for all visitors, including wheelchair users, as well as sightseeing trips to Quaker Island and Barley Harbour. When choosing what to focus on during your trip, you can also compare walking and cycling experiences with a boat trip.

More town pages in County Longford: Killashee, Mosstown, Cloondara and Moyne.

For the broader travel overview: Leinster.