Description
The Miner’s Way runs through three counties — Sligo, Leitrim, and Roscommon — tracing a landscape with a deep and centuries‑long connection to mining. In Arigna, shallow coal deposits were worked for over 400 years, until the mines finally closed in 1990. Today, the story of the miners is preserved at the excellent Arigna Miner’s Experience, a popular visitor attraction that brings the region’s industrial past to life.
Mining in this area stretches back even further. During the Middle Ages, iron ore was extracted from the hills east of Lough Allen. The mountain here is called Sliabh an Iarainn, meaning Iron Mountain, a name that reflects its long history of mineral wealth.
The route is rich in cultural and historical interest. At Knockvicar Bridge, you’ll find a connection to Hollywood: actress Maureen O’Sullivan, famous for playing Jane opposite Johnny Weissmuller in the Tarzan films, spent much of her youth in this area. Further along, the trail passes the impressive 12th‑century Boyle Abbey, and continues towards the remarkable Carrowkeel Neolithic passage tombs (3400–3100 BC). With 14 tombs, Carrowkeel is one of the largest and most significant passage‑tomb complexes in Ireland — yet remains surprisingly quiet and rarely crowded.
The Miner’s Way itself follows a varied mix of terrain: quiet country roads, paths across fields, stretches of open moorland, and forest tracks. Around 51% of the route is on tarmac roads, while the remainder offers more rugged and scenic off‑road walking. This blend of landscapes, combined with its rich heritage, makes the Miner’s Way one of the most fascinating long‑distance trails in the west of Ireland.
Distance: 118km
Track: tarmac countryside roads/mountain paths/...
Ascent: 2340m
Visitor facilities: Car Park
Mining in this area stretches back even further. During the Middle Ages, iron ore was extracted from the hills east of Lough Allen. The mountain here is called Sliabh an Iarainn, meaning Iron Mountain, a name that reflects its long history of mineral wealth.
The route is rich in cultural and historical interest. At Knockvicar Bridge, you’ll find a connection to Hollywood: actress Maureen O’Sullivan, famous for playing Jane opposite Johnny Weissmuller in the Tarzan films, spent much of her youth in this area. Further along, the trail passes the impressive 12th‑century Boyle Abbey, and continues towards the remarkable Carrowkeel Neolithic passage tombs (3400–3100 BC). With 14 tombs, Carrowkeel is one of the largest and most significant passage‑tomb complexes in Ireland — yet remains surprisingly quiet and rarely crowded.
The Miner’s Way itself follows a varied mix of terrain: quiet country roads, paths across fields, stretches of open moorland, and forest tracks. Around 51% of the route is on tarmac roads, while the remainder offers more rugged and scenic off‑road walking. This blend of landscapes, combined with its rich heritage, makes the Miner’s Way one of the most fascinating long‑distance trails in the west of Ireland.
Distance: 118km
Track: tarmac countryside roads/mountain paths/...
Ascent: 2340m
Visitor facilities: Car Park
Location
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