The Midlands is an area of Ireland that is seldom a destination in itself, usually it’s just a region to pass through on the way to somewhere more exciting. But the heart of Ireland has a lot to offer as we discovered when we visited the area and cycled the Old Rail Trail Greenway which links the River Shannon in Athlone to the Royal Canal in Mullingar this week.

This greenway is 43kms on a flat paved and wide path along a converted stretch of the Midlands Great Western Railway which makes for lovely leisurely cycling or walking and is suitable for everyone. We met a 95 year old local man who walks a couple of kilometres on the Greenway every day and credits this for his good health.  Although I hadn’t been on a bike for about two years, I was pleasantly surprised at how relaxed and easy it was.  

It was very quiet mid-week with just a few other cyclists and the occasional dog-walker.  Most of the time, the only sounds were birdsong, the whirr of our tyres and the infrequent hum of a tractor working in the fields. The verges were full of  perfumed wildflowers, banks of ox-eyed daisies, buttercups, hawksbeards and ferns while elder trees flowered overhead. We cycled under lots of arched stone bridges and along by frequent storyboards telling of the flora, fauna and the history of the area including some complex characters like Sara Kelly, a woman who went from being a destitute unmarried mother to the richest female landowner in the British Isles and who was murdered in Ballinderry, Moate in 1856 probably by some disgruntled tenants that she had evicted.  

We spent our first night in Athlone,  a town on the Shannon that is full of history. It even boasts the oldest pub in Ireland, Sean’s Bar, a low-ceilinged watering hole with lots of snugs and walls adorned with photographs, maps and memorabilia. It claims to be a thousand years old and the barman told us that some tourists visit Athlone solely to have a pint in Sean’s Bar or to drink one of their whiskey blends. Athlone Castle is certainly worth a visit with panoramic views from the top of the castle and interesting interactive displays with tales of bravery and bloodshed especially during the Siege of 1690/1. Across from the Castle is the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul, a colossal basilica with gorgeous stain glass windows from the Harry Clarke Studios.

There’s a lovely tranquil walkway by the Shannon under lots of Horse Chestnut, Sycamore and Oak trees– a great place to watch the action on the water from the riverboats to the birdlife – lots of moorhens, herons and swans. We slept soundly in our  small campervan to the lapping of water from the  narrow Athlone Canal ( and I swear that the visit to Sean’s bar was not responsible).

The first section of the Greenway is from Athlone to Moate (15.5kms) passing by the Crosswood Bog, a protected area because of its biodiversity and natural habitats. Moate is a lovely wide-streeted town with friendly people, especially the staff  in the Tuar Ard Coffee Shop where we stopped twice to refuel, once in either direction, with toasted sandwiches and scones. We also called to the Dun na Si Heritage Park, a large park on the edge of Moate with walkways, playgrounds,  dolmens, stone circles, sculptures and artwork.

The middle section runs from Moate to Castletown, (16.3kms) where the old historic railway station is preserved. The Hill of Uisneach is near here, a place that was once the seat of the High Kings of Ireland and which is reputed to be the burial place of the Earth Goddess Eriu and the Sun God Lugh. There are public tours of Uisneach at the weekends but during the week, they have to be arranged privately. We didn’t visit but it sounds like a fascinating place….we may have to return.

The last section of the Old Rail Greenway goes from Castletown to Mullingar (11.4kms), where it links up with the Royal Canal, so it’s possible to keep going and cycle west to Longford or east to Maynooth. The last few kilometres into Mullingar along by the canal are really gorgeous with swans and fishermen all enjoying the water.

We spent the second night in Mullingar, a really vibrant town that was looking well in the sunshine. We ate in the Wholefood Kitchen Restaurant, sitting outside under umbrellas eating exceptionally delicious food (great place to eat if you are in the area). We stayed in Kerrigan’s B&B which is close to the centre of town, it’s a B&B over a pub with clean modern rooms and a breakfast of bagels, croissants and fruit pots is included in the Coffee Shop downstairs.

The following morning, we cycled back to collect the cars, stopping at Jack’s Stop in Streamstown along the way, a popular spot with locals, walkers and cyclists and a great time to take some photos – The inscription in the stone circle above translates to ‘Wispy cloud, The wind carries a memory of the Old Railway. We drove home by Clonmacnoise, a monastic site founded by St Ciaran in the 6^th century in a beautiful location on the banks of the Shannon and once an important seat of learning and pilgramage. It’s a peaceful place now with beautiful Celtic crosses, two round towers soaring to the sky, numerous ruined churches, an interpretive centre and short guided tours.  Our guide told us that we were literally walking on bones as there were bodies everywhere under our feet.

The heart of Ireland is a wonderful place to visit with family or friends, with canals, rivers, lakes, a rich fascinating history and probably the friendliest people in the country