County Monaghan for Walkers: Best Trails, Looped Walks & Greenways
Discover the best walking routes in County Monaghan — from forest park trails and lakeside walks to looped routes and the Ulster Canal Greenway. Your complete guide to walking in the Drumlin County.
County Monaghan may not have the dramatic mountain scenery of Kerry or the coastal grandeur of Clare, but for walkers who appreciate variety, quietness, and a landscape that rewards careful attention, it's one of Ireland's most underrated counties. The rolling drumlin terrain, the network of small lakes, the mature forest parks, and the developing greenway infrastructure combine to offer a walking experience that is genuinely distinctive.
This guide covers the best walking routes in County Monaghan — from short forest trails suitable for families to longer looped walks and the developing Ulster Canal Greenway.
Walking in the Drumlin Landscape
County Monaghan's topography was shaped by glaciation — thousands of years ago, retreating glaciers deposited material in distinctive oval mounds known as drumlins. These small hills, rarely more than thirty or forty metres high, dot the landscape in their thousands, separated by hollows that filled with water to form the county's hundreds of small lakes.
For walkers, this creates a landscape that is constantly varied. Within a single kilometre you can move from the top of a drumlin with a wide view across the county to a quiet lakeside path fringed with reeds and willows. The scale is intimate rather than grand, and the pace it encourages is slow and attentive — which, for most walkers, is exactly right.
The county is primarily agricultural, so many walks move through a farmed landscape of fields, hedgerows, and woodland. This means walkers encounter working countryside — cattle, sheep, farm machinery — and should expect to use stiles and gates rather than open hillside.
Rossmore Forest Park, Monaghan Town
Distance: 4km main loop (shorter options available) Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Forest paths, some uneven ground Facilities: Car park, toilets, picnic areas
Rossmore Forest Park is the most accessible and popular walking destination in County Monaghan — and with good reason. Located just three kilometres from Monaghan Town on the Newbliss Road, it offers several hundred acres of mature mixed woodland with a well-maintained network of looped trails.
The main walking loop takes approximately one to one and a half hours at a relaxed pace. It passes through varied woodland — a mix of broadleaf and conifer — with several viewpoints and rest stops along the way. The highlight of the walk is the ruins of Rossmore Castle, the former seat of the Rossmore family, which sits in atmospheric decay in the heart of the forest. The castle ruins are a genuinely evocative spot, particularly in summer when the surrounding trees are in full leaf and in autumn when the colours are at their most vivid.
The park is managed by Coillte and is free to enter. It's ideal for families, dog walkers, and anyone who wants a pleasant hour or two outdoors without any significant challenge. Dogs are welcome on leads.
How to get there: Follow the Newbliss Road from Monaghan Town for approximately 3km. The car park is clearly signposted on the left.
Lough Muckno Leisure Park, Castleblayney
Distance: Various — from 2km to 7km loops Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Mixed — lakeside paths, woodland trails, open parkland Facilities: Car park, toilets, café, fishing facilities
The walking trails in and around the Lough Muckno Leisure Park are among the most scenic in the county. The park wraps around the northern and eastern shores of Lough Muckno — County Monaghan's largest lake — and offers a variety of trail options from a short lakeside stroll to a longer woodland loop.
The main lakeside trail follows the water's edge through mature woodland, offering regular views across the lake towards Hope Castle and the wooded southern shores. In calm conditions the reflections on the water are beautiful, and early morning walkers are often rewarded with mist on the lake and a corresponding stillness that feels genuinely remote despite being a short walk from the town.
The longer woodland loops take you deeper into the forest above the lake, with elevated views and a sense of genuine seclusion. The park is large enough that you can walk for two hours without retracing your steps.
The park is free to enter and is accessible year-round. It's popular with local dog walkers and families at weekends, but quiet enough on weekday mornings to feel like your own private forest.
How to get there: Follow signs for Lough Muckno Leisure Park from Castleblayney town centre. The main car park is off the Hope Castle Road.
The Ulster Canal Greenway
Distance: Currently open sections vary — check Monaghan County Council for latest Difficulty: Easy to moderate Terrain: Towpath, off-road trail, some road sections Facilities: Varies by section
The Ulster Canal Greenway is one of the most significant walking and cycling infrastructure projects in County Monaghan. It follows the route of the historic Ulster Canal, which once connected Lough Erne to the River Blackwater and the wider Irish waterway network before falling into disuse in the 20th century.
The Greenway is being developed in sections, and the completed sections in County Monaghan offer a genuinely enjoyable off-road walking and cycling experience through a landscape that few visitors to the county ever see. The towpath sections follow the line of the canal through quiet countryside — past old lock houses, stone bridges, and the occasional stretch of original canal water — in a state of quiet, overgrown beauty.
The route between Monaghan Town and Clones is one of the most developed sections, passing through open countryside with wide views across the drumlins. The Clones to Smithborough section passes through some particularly attractive countryside and is well worth exploring.
Plans for extending and completing the full Ulster Canal Greenway route are ongoing. When complete, it will be one of Ireland's premier greenway routes, linking County Monaghan to Lough Erne in Fermanagh and the wider Ulster Canal corridor.
Check Monaghan County Council's website and the Greenway Ireland website for the most up-to-date information on open sections before visiting.
Sliabh Beagh Walking Trail
Distance: Approximately 10km for the main trail Difficulty: Moderate to challenging Terrain: Upland moorland, some boggy sections, forest Facilities: Limited — bring your own supplies
Sliabh Beagh (sometimes written Slieve Beagh) is the most elevated and remote walking destination in County Monaghan. The Sliabh Beagh upland plateau straddles the borders of Monaghan, Tyrone, and Fermanagh, rising to approximately 380 metres above sea level — modest by national standards, but significant in the flat-to-rolling context of County Monaghan.
The Sliabh Beagh Way is a waymarked looped trail that takes walkers through upland moorland, commercial forestry, and open bog with expansive views across the three counties. On a clear day, the views from the higher sections are exceptional — stretching north into Tyrone and Fermanagh, south across Monaghan, and east towards Armagh.
This is the most challenging walk in the county and requires appropriate preparation — walking boots, waterproof clothing, and navigation aids are essential. The terrain is boggy in places and can be demanding after wet weather. However, for experienced walkers looking for something with real elevation and solitude, Sliabh Beagh is one of Ulster's most rewarding upland walks.
How to get there: The trail is accessed from Knockatallon in the north of the county. Follow directions from Monaghan Town via Emyvale. The trailhead car park is signposted from Knockatallon.
Clones Looped Walk
Distance: Approximately 5km Difficulty: Easy to moderate Terrain: Mixed — town paths, country roads, footpaths Facilities: Available in Clones town centre
Clones has a looped walk that takes in the town's key heritage sites and the surrounding countryside. Starting from the Diamond in the town centre, the route passes the Round Tower and High Cross at the old abbey grounds — two of the finest early Christian monuments in Ulster — before heading out into the drumlin countryside on the edge of town.
The walk is pleasant and accessible, with the added benefit of passing through a town with genuine historical character. Finishing the walk with a visit to one of the pubs around the Diamond is a very satisfying end to the outing.
Patrick Kavanagh Walking Trail, Inniskeen
Distance: Approximately 4km Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Country roads and paths Facilities: Patrick Kavanagh Centre, car park, limited facilities
The Patrick Kavanagh Country walking trail around Inniskeen is one of the most culturally resonant walks in County Monaghan. It takes walkers through the countryside that inspired some of Kavanagh's most celebrated poetry — the fields, roads, and farms of the Inniskeen landscape that he wrote about so vividly in The Great Hunger and Tarry Flynn.
The trail is waymarked and includes interpretive panels at key locations, placing relevant lines from Kavanagh's poetry in the context of the actual landscape that inspired them. For anyone with an interest in Irish literature, this is a deeply rewarding experience.
The walk begins and ends at the Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen, where a visit before or after the walk adds significant context and depth to the experience.
Tips for Walking in County Monaghan
Footwear: Even in summer, the county's terrain can be soft underfoot. Good walking boots are recommended for anything beyond the main forest park trails.
Weather: County Monaghan's climate is mild but damp. Rain can arrive quickly and leave just as quickly. Carrying a lightweight waterproof on any walk of more than an hour is strongly recommended.
Navigation: The main forest park and greenway trails are well waymarked. For more remote routes like Sliabh Beagh, carry a map and compass or download the relevant OS Discovery Series map to your phone.
Dogs: Most of the county's walking areas welcome dogs, but keep them on leads in farmland areas where livestock are present.
Leave no trace: County Monaghan's walking routes are largely maintained by Coillte, local authorities, and voluntary groups. Please take your litter home and leave gates as you find them.
Stay Over and Walk More
County Monaghan's walking routes are spread across the county, making it worthwhile to base yourself for a night or two rather than trying to cover everything in a single day trip. The county has a good range of B&Bs, guesthouses, and self-catering properties well placed for walkers.
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Last updated 2025.