What better way to see Offaly from a different perspective than to savour all the wonderful delights and surprises that the Grand Canal way has to offer.
Covering a distance of 132 kilometres and running all the way from Ringsend in the Dublin docklands to Shannon Harbour, the Grand Canal meanders through the Offaly countryside from Edenderry in the east to Shannon Harbour in the west of the county.
The Offaly section of the Grand Canal route is punctuated by historic sites, canal locks, lock houses and industrial architecture from bygone days. The route embraces landscape that has been untouched by modern agriculture and remains a linear oasis for the flora and fauna that was originally common throughout our countryside.
Dotted along the 64 kilometres route are the towns and villages of Daingean, Tullamore, Rahan, Pollagh and Belmont offering accommodation to walkers and cyclists. Offaly County Council are currently in partnership with Waterways Ireland and Bord na Mona working towards completing a full off-road Grand Canal Greenway west from Tullamore to Lough Boora Discovery Park and eastwards to Daingean.
