Famine way Royal Canal Cycle Tour | Leisure Cycles

The Famine Way Cycle Tour (Royal Canal)

Overview

Tours start April 1 2024 - please contact us if you need to change Itinerary including walking part of the way.

In conjunction with Strokestown Park Famine Museum.

Overview – Spend 2 days exploring the Strokestown Park house, Garden & Famine museum. Cycle The Royal Canal to Dublin over Three days 55k (approx) per day

The National Famine Way Passport/Guide highlights local historical landmarks and allows cyclists to record their progress with stage stamps along the specially developed route. The Trail details the ill-fated journey of 1,490 famine emigrants who walked from Strokestown Park to ships in Dublin in 1847, at the height of the Irish Famine. Follow their journey with specially marked bronze shoe sculptures along the route. A completion certificate is awarded at the end of the Trail at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.

The National Famine Way is an accredited 165km Heritage and Arts Trail from Strokestown Park, Co. Roscommon through six counties to Dublin, mostly along the Royal Canal. Cycle Tours Ireland have hand picked beautiful accommodations for your stop offs along this iconic route.

Tour includes 5 nights Accommodation with Dinner bed & Breakfast, Rented bikes, Helmets, luggage transfers. 24 hour emergency contact & General enquiries.

Airport Transfer times to Strokestown - Dublin airport – 2.5 hrs / Shannon Airport - 2hrs / Knock - 50mts / Belfast International Airport - 2hrs 10mts. Please contact us for Airport transfer.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive in Strokestown, Co Roscommon

The Tour details the ill-fated journey of 1,490 famine emigrants who walked from Strokestown Park to ships in Dublin in 1847, at the height of the Irish Famine. Follow their journey with specially marked bronze shoe sculptures

Begin this unique tour in Strokestown in the Heart of the Irish midlands. We have selected local accommodations that will cater for all your needs.

DAY 2 - Visit Strokestown Park House & Famine Museum -

Before commencement of your Three day Cycle on the Royal Canal, we have planned a two day visit to the beautifully preserved Georgian Mansion that is Strokestown House & Famine Museum. Experience the life the 1490 tenants had before their ill-fated walk to their Emmigration ships in Dublin. The visit to the house and gardens is included in the cost.

Take the guided tour and experience Irish court life in the 19th-century as you wander through the rooms still decked out with the original furnishings and fabrics. A visit to the historic gardens and woodlands is also recommended. Visit the on site restaurant and sample produce from the original working gardens and grown by local volunteers. Visit the National Famine Museum. The Museum tells the story of the Great Irish Hunger of the 1840's including stories of Poverty, death and the assisted emigration scheme enacted by Major Denis Mahon of Strokestown Park and the story of his murder in November 1847.

Return to your accommodation and relax with an evening meal. After dinner you can explore Strokestown which boasts Irelands second widest street. Near by Is the local 18 hole golf course.

( Roscommon 5 Shoe stories )

Day 3 - Cycle from Strokestown to Abbeyshrule - 52kms ( Longford 6 Shoe stories)

https://strokestownpark.rezgo.com/details/276208/national-famine-way-passport

The previous link will direct you to details of the Passport/Guide highlighting the local historical landmarks and allows cyclists to record their progress with 27 stage stamps (shoe stories) along the specially developed route.

Depart your accommodation and cycle the first part of this Iconic tour to Clondra in Co Longford. The Royal canal starts here in Richmond harbour. After a stop off for lunch, continue on the traffic free Royal Canal for a further 33km to the picturesque town of Abbeyshrule. Voted Irelands tidiest town in 2012. The town boasts the beautiful waters of the river Inny & Royal Canal.

Westmeath, Meath, Kildare (15 Shoe Stories)

Day 4 - Cycle from Abbeyshrule to Enfield - 67kms

Depart Abbeyshrule and continue on the famine way greenway. A Stop off at Downs bridge at 35kms will bring you into Pewter Cafe for lunch. Continue on and enjoy the tranquil cycle through the heart of the Irish Midlands and experience the distances the famine walkers would have covered without proper food or clothing. Stop off in Enfield for your overnight stay.

Dublin - 6 Shoe Stories

Day 5 - Cycle from Enfield to Customs House Quay Dublin - 45kms.

Please note there are still some works to complete on the Royal Canal after Maynooth - customers are advised to take alternative routes off the canal, please contact us for exact directions.

Depart your accomodation and cycle the final 45kms to Custom house quay in Dublin City. At Clonsilla Bridge a few Kms after Leixlip please note the memorial plaque where sixteen people lost their lives at the onset of the Famine when the Dublin to Longford passenger boat capsized on 25 November. The trail ends near the Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship. We would strongly recommend a trip here and to the Irish Emigration museum (EPIC) paid locally.

Please contact us if you would like to extend your stay and we can accommodate you. If there are other areas you would like to explore outside this itinerary, please contact us and we can organise. Alternatively we can arrange taxi transfer or information for bus and rail if your plan is to depart.