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Mid Clare Way


County: Clare Category: Walking/Hiking Trails Type: National Waymarked Trail
Length (Kms): 148.00 Climb (m): 1620 Grade: Moderate Format: Loop
Estimated time to complete entire trail: 6 days Quality: **
Start point: Newmarket on Fergus Start point grid ref: R 398 681
Finish point: Newmarket on Fergus Finish point grid ref: R 398 681
Nearest town to start: Newmarket on Fergus Ordnance Survey map: OSI Discovery Series Sheets 52, 57 and 58.
Description of Trail:

With the Burren Way to the north and the East Clare Way to the east, the Mid Clare Way, called in Gaelic Slí na Mearacan or the foxglove way, is a 130km long circular walking route around the centre of County Clare in the west of Ireland, with the county capital, the busy and picturesque town of Ennis, at its centre. The route touches on the Burren to the north and the broad Shannon Estuary to the south. Terrain on the route consists mainly of quiet tarmac side roads and farm roads with only brief sections on forestry tracks and through fields. Overnight accommodation possibilities are good, but in some areas the only available options are off-route. Aggregate ascent over the whole route is about 1600m, and the highest point the route reaches is just below the summit of the wooded hill of Ben Dash, west of the River Fergus estuary, at 267 metres. The amount of tarmac to be followed is well made up for by the large number of holy wells, killeens, stone forts, castles and ancient churches passed along the way. Walkers may want to linger, in particular, to enjoy the treasury of rich heritage around Dysert O’Dea Castle, where there is a good history and archaeology centre open to the public, and the beautiful Quin Abbey, dating from 1350. For more information follow link to Shannon Region Trails
Facilities:
Parking
At Start - on street or in car parks in Newmarket on Fergus
At End - on street or in car parks in Newmarket on Fergus
Public transport:
At Start: Good bus service Check with Bus Eireann.
At End: Good bus service Check with Bus Eireann.
Map guide available:
The Mid Clare Way Sli na Mearacan Walkers Map Guide and An illustrated guide to the Long Distance Walking Route - publushed by EastWest Mapping for Mid Clare Way Ltd
Trail management organisation contact details:
Clare Walks, Unit 1, Tulla Business Centre, Tulla, Co. Clare. Tel/Fax: 065-6835912 , Email: walks.ennis@eircom.net
Web: www.clarewalks.com/
Comments:

96 kms or 65% of the Way follows local roads. Waymarking issues + Trail Surface issues + Trail Furniture issues.
***Dogs not permitted on the Mid Clare Way***
Trail Reviews:

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Downloads:

MCW - Map 1 - New Market on Fergus to Quin
MCW - Map 2 - Quin to Derryhenna
MCW - Map 3 - Derryheena to Crusheen
MCW - Map 4 - Crusheen to Ruan
MCW - Map 5 - Ruan to Dysert
MCW - Map 6 - Dysert to Kilnamona
MCW - Map 7 - Kilnamona to Connolly
MCW - Map 8 - Connolly to Letteragh
MCW - Map 9 - Letteragh to Lismorris
MCW - Map 10 - Lismorris to Drumquin
MCW - Map 11 - Drumquin to Clarecastle
MCW - Map 12 - Clarecastle to Kilkieran
Live Map:

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