South Leinster Way

Last updated

South Leinster Way
South Leinster Way - geograph.org.uk - 1254390.jpg
Trail near Croaghaun, Blackstairs Mountains
Length104 kilometres (65 miles) [1]
LocationSouth-east Ireland [1]
DesignationNational Waymarked Trail [1]
Trailheads Kildavin, County Carlow
Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary [1]
UseHiking
Elevation gain/loss+1,490 m (4,888 ft) [1]
DifficultyModerate [1]
SeasonAny
Website http://www.southleinsterway.com/

The South Leinster Way is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It is 104 kilometres (65 miles) long and begins in Kildavin, County Carlow and runs through County Kilkenny before ending in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. It is typically completed in five days. [1] It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is jointly managed by Carlow County Council, Kilkenny County Council, Tipperary County Council, Carlow Local Sports Partnership, Kilkenny Trails and Coillte. [2] It was opened on 30 November 1985 by Donal Creed, Minister of State for Sport. [3]

Contents

The initial stages run through the Blackstairs Mountains, crossing the flanks of Mount Leinster, the highest mountain in the range to reach the village of Borris. [4] From Borris, the Way follows the towpath of the River Barrow to the town of Graiguenamanagh where it enters County Kilkenny. [5] The route continues from Graiguenamanagh towards Inistioge via the northern slopes of Brandon Hill, the highest mountain in County Kilkenny. [6] A series of tracks through forest from Inistioge leads to Mullinavat. [7] The final stage follows the road from Mullinavat to Carrick-on-Suir. [8]

The South Leinster Way forms part of European walking route E8 which runs from Dursey Island in County Cork to Istanbul in Turkey. The Irish section incorporates the Wicklow Way, the South Leinster Way, the East Munster Way, the Blackwater Way and parts of the Kerry Way and the Beara Way. An unmarked road walk connects the end of the Wicklow Way in Clonegal, County Carlow with the start of the South Leinster Way at Kildavin. [9] The East Munster Way starts where the South Leinster Way ends in Carrick-on-Suir. [10] The South Leinster Way also connects with the Barrow Way at Graiguenamanagh and the Nore Valley Way at Inistioge. [11] [12]

A review of the National Waymarked Trails in 2010 found usage by multiday walkers to be low and usage by day walkers to be medium to high on some sections. [2] The review recommended that a Trail Management Committee be established, that short scenic looped walks be developed off the trail and that the proportion of road waling (currently 55%) be reduced. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Kilkenny</span> County in Ireland

County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the county. As of the 2022 census the population of the county was just over 100,000. The county was based on the historic Gaelic kingdom of Ossory (Osraighe), which was coterminous with the Diocese of Ossory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Carlow</span> County in Ireland

County Carlow is a county located in the South-East Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Carlow is the second smallest and the third least populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties. Carlow County Council is the governing local authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lists of long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland</span> Wikimedia list article

These are lists of long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland, and include recognised and maintained walking trails, pilgrim trails, cycling greenways, boardwalk-mountain trails, and interconnected national and international trail systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Barrow</span> Second-longest river in Ireland, one of the Three Sisters

The Barrow is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers, and at 192 km (120 mi), the second-longest river in Ireland, behind the River Shannon. The catchment area of the River Barrow is 3,067 km2 before River Nore joins it a little over 20 km before its mouth. The river's long term average flow rate, again before it is joined by River Nore, is 37.4 cubic metres per second. At the merger with the River Suir, its catchment area is ca. 5,500 km2 and its discharge over 80 m3/s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Three Sisters (Ireland)</span> Three substantial rivers in southern Ireland

The Three Sisters are three rivers in Ireland: the River Barrow, the River Nore and the River Suir. The Suir and Nore rise in the same mountainous area in County Tipperary, near the Devil's Bit, while the Barrow rises in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in County Laois. The Nore flows into the Barrow about 17 km before the Suir and Barrow join to form an estuary called Waterford Harbour east of the city of Waterford. The rivers fan out to drain a large portion of the southern part of the island, including Counties Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graiguenamanagh</span> Hamlet in County Kilkenny, Ireland

Graiguenamanagh or Graignamanagh is a town on the River Barrow in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Part of the settlement, known as Tinnahinch, is on the County Carlow side of the river, and Carlow County Council refers to the whole village as "Graiguenamanagh-Tinnahinch". Also combined for census purposes, as of the 2016 census, Graiguenamanagh-Tinnahinch had a population of 1,475 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Nore</span> River in southern Ireland, one of the Three Sisters

The River Nore is one of the principal rivers in the South-East Region of Ireland. The 140-kilometre-long (87 mi) river drains approximately 2,530 square kilometres (977 sq mi) of Leinster and Munster, that encompasses parts of three counties. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wicklow Way</span> 131 kilometre trail over the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland

The Wicklow Way is a 131-kilometre (81-mile) long-distance trail that crosses the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It runs from Marlay Park in the southern suburbs of Dublin through County Wicklow and ends in the village of Clonegal in County Carlow. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the Irish Sports Council and is waymarked by posts with a yellow "walking man" symbol and a directional arrow. Typically completed in 5–7 days, it is one of the busiest of Ireland's National Waymarked Trails, with up to 24,000 people a year walking the most popular sections. The Way is also used regularly by a number of mountain running competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional road (Ireland)</span> Class of road in Ireland

A regional road in the Republic of Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route, but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three-digit route numbers, prefixed by "R". The equivalent road category in Northern Ireland are B roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennettsbridge</span> Village in Leinster, Ireland

Bennettsbridge is a village in County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on the River Nore 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south of Kilkenny city, in the centre of the county. Bennettsbridge is a census town, and has population of 745 as of the 2016 census.

The Castlecomer Plateau, or 'South Leinster Coalfield', is an upland area in the North of County Kilkenny, Ireland, extending into County Laois and County Carlow at its northern edge. The plateau is bounded on the east and south by the R448 regional road, on the west by the N77. The River Nore flows southward past the plateau's western flank, the River Barrow past its eastern flank and it is dissected by the River Dinin, which flows through Castlecomer itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Hill</span> Mountain in Kilkenny, Ireland

Brandon Hill is the highest mountain in County Kilkenny, Ireland, with an elevation of 515 m (1,690 ft) and prominence at 448 m (1,470 ft). The South Leinster Way, a long-distance trail, meandering through the Barrow Valley and traverses Brandon Hill. The village of Graiguenamanagh and River Barrow are at the base of the hill. It is classified as a county high point, an Arderin, a Myrddyn Dewey, and a Marilyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrow Way</span> Long-distance trail in Ireland

The Barrow Way is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It is 100 kilometres long and begins in Robertstown, County Kildare and ends in St Mullin's, County Carlow, following the course of the River Barrow and the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal through counties Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny and Laois. It is typically completed in four days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Waterways Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackwater Way</span> Long-distance hiking trail in Ireland

The Blackwater Way is a long-distance trail that follows the valley of the River Blackwater in Ireland. It is 168 kilometres long and begins in Clogheen, County Tipperary and ends in Shrone, County Kerry. It is typically completed in ten days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Avondhu Tourism and IRD Duhallow. It consists of two trails – the Avondhu Way between Clogheen and Bweeng, County Cork and the Duhallow Way between Bween and Shrone – which have been combined to form the Blackwater Way.

The East Munster Way, formerly known as the Munster Way, is a long-distance trail in Ireland. It is 75 kilometres long and begins in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary and ends in Clogheen, County Tipperary. It is typically completed in three days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Tipperary County Council, Coillte and Waterford County Council. The trail was opened by Frank Fahey, Minister of State for Youth and Sport in July 1988.

The Nore Valley Way is a long-distance trail under development in County Kilkenny, Ireland. When completed it will be 34 kilometres long and begin in Kilkenny City and end in Inistioge. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Trail Kilkenny, a group made up of representatives of Kilkenny County Council, County Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, Kilkenny Sports Partnership and local landowners. Two stages are open at present: the first from Kilkenny to Bennettsbridge and the second from Thomastown to Inistioge. The final section – linking Bennettsbridge and Thomastown – is under construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mullin's Upper</span> Barony in County Carlow, Ireland

St. Mullin's Upper is a barony in County Carlow, Republic of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gowran (barony)</span> Barony in County Kilkenny, Ireland

Gowran is a barony in the east of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The size of the barony is 430.5 square kilometres (166.2 sq mi). There are 35 civil parishes in Gowran. The chief town today is Gowran. The barony contains the ecclesiastical sites of Kilfane and Duiske Abbey The barony of Gowran is situated in the east of the county between the baronies of Fassadinin to the north, the baronies of Kilkenny, Shillelogher and Knocktopher to the west, and the barony of Ida is to the south. It borders County Carlow to the east. The M9 motorway bisects the barony.

The 2018 Leinster Senior Football Championship was the 2018 installment of the annual Leinster Senior Football Championship organised by Leinster GAA.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "South Leinster Way". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council . Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 National Trails Office 2010, p. 44.
  3. Stanley, John (30 November 1985). "Minister to open walking route". The Irish Times . Dublin. p. 8.
  4. Fewer 1993, pp. 165–166.
  5. Fewer 1993, pp. 168–169.
  6. Fewer 1993, p. 171.
  7. Fewer 1993, p. 173.
  8. Fewer 1993, pp. 175–176.
  9. Dalby 2009, pp. 38–40.
  10. "East Munster Way". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council . Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  11. "Barrow Way". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council . Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  12. "Nore Valley Way". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council . Retrieved 31 July 2011.

Bibliography