Important to know
Below are answers to some of the questions we get asked most frequently about walking the National Famine Way. We hope this will help you plan your journey, whether you’re walking a few kilometres or completing the full route.
It’s a 165 km heritage trail that follows the footsteps of 1,490 famine emigrants who walked from Strokestown, County Roscommon, to Dublin during the Great Famine in 1847. The route tells their story through sculptures, markers, free App and interpretation points.
The trail begins at the Glass Wall Strokestown Park House in County Roscommon and ends in Dublin’s City Centre at Dublin’s Docklands, near the River Liffey.
The route covers 165 kilometres (about 100 miles).
It depends on both fitness levels and how much exploration you would like to do along the way. Walkers usually take at least 7 – 13 days to complete the full route – check out our Trip Planner for various Itineraries.
The National Famine Way is graded as easy to moderate for shorter stretches as it is mostly flat, following canal towpaths and quiet rural roads.
If doing the entire 165 km Trail in one go, it is considered strenuous due to the repeated daily long distance walks.
We recommend a down day at the half way mark in Mullingar – where there is lots to see and do – to give your feet a rest.
Bins are not provided along the trail. Please take your rubbish with you and dispose of it properly. If you’re walking your dog, please clean up after them too. The Royal Canal towpath has been around for 225 years, with diverse birdlife and plants. Keep it clean and remember to #LeaveNoTrace.
Yes. You can choose shorter sections and complete the route in stages at your own pace. Some people choose to do half or quarter or others complete sections over the Summer months. Others do it in weekend or day stretches.
There are wonderful places to visit along or close to the Greenway, from quirky eateries and stunning visitor attractions to bike hire providers. Please plan ahead and contact businesses directly for further information prior to planning your trip and to avoid disappointment.
For further information on the visitor services in each county, their tourism websites are listed on our individual County pages;
It’s a souvenir and record of your journey, including a trail Passport Guide Booklet, Ship Ticket with details of one of our original 1,490 families, End of Trail Booklet, and a completion Certificate when you are finished along with your Famine Families Fate. In essence, the trail is wrapped around with a full interpretative suite in the Official Pack which really deepens the experience. You can get you Official Pack here.
The trail way markers of over thirty pairs of bronze children’s shoes are interspersed along the entire 165 km route, marking key locations and stories. Each is geolocated to the official National Famine Way App which brings the trail to life with stories, history, and immersive content on audio and video.
Yes. The way is very clearly marked with distinctive National Famine Way signs and direction arrows.
At the very beginning care needs to be taken to follow the way markers from Strokestown to Scramogue, in particular.
We strongly recommend checking this detailed OS map carefully before beginning your walk.
No booking or fee is required. The trail is free to access, open to everyone, year-round. The App is also free to download. For a complete experience getting the Official Pack is recommended.
Yes, the trail is open year-round, and the excellent surface makes it walkable in every season. It is an ideal winter trail.
Comfortable shoes, waterproof clothing, plus a rain poncho is essential, water, snacks, sunscreen, and a small first aid kit including compeed blister bandages are recommended – at the first sensation of a tingle put one on – don’t wait!
Download the App before you leave.
If you use the Official trail Passport, you can collect stamps along the route and receive a certificate when you arrive in the Irish Family History Centre at the rear of the shop at EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum.
It is an excellent and interactive curriculum-based Education Pack for primary schools which teachers can download and use free of charge.
Yes. It’s free to download and includes audio, video, story content and maps linked to the trail and geolocated to each of the Bronze Shoe sculptures.
It is not a difficult trail and suitable for walkers of all levels, taken in manageable blocks. Much of it is buggy friendly in parts but there are parts which won’t suit buggies.
From Strokestown to Maynooth is totally buggy friendly.
They are working on stretches from Maynooth Clonsilla – so it is partially buggy friendly.
Deep Sinking – Clonsilla – Castleknock is NOT buggy friendly
Castleknock to Trail End is again all buggy friendly
There is an occasional bridge that is a little tricky.
Just as the journey of our Missing 1,490 and all other famine emigrants did not end on the Quays in Dublin neither does the trail which has begun to naturally expand to follow their stories. In 2024 the National Famine Way extended beyond Ireland, following the journeys made by some of the original 1,490 Irish famine emigrants. The Bronze Shoe way markers on the Mother Trail will also mark each significant location on the Global Irish Famine Way. The UK (Liverpool) and Canada, the first countries the emigrants went to, are the pioneers with Bronze Shoes already in situ in numerous locations there and soon to be followed by the US, Australia, South Africa and others. At 40,000 km the Global Irish Famine Way looks set to becoming the largest heritage trail worldwide.
Express interest in becoming a Bronze Shoe location
Express your interest in becoming a Bronze Shoe location.
We aim to ensure safe and enjoyable experiences for all trail visitors. However, growing trail popularity has led to tensions, such as speeding cyclists and uncontrolled dogs. We offer guidance through our Greenway Code of Conduct and utilise signage and social media to promote safe and courteous behaviour.
Remember: Keep left, pass right, ring bells when passing, keep dogs on short leads, clean up after pets, and avoid littering: #LeaveNoTrace.
