2019 is the year when the 104km long St. Declan’s Way Pilgrim Path from Cashel to Ardmore (or Ardmore to Cashel, depending on which way you choose to approach it) is fully waymarked. 2018 marked the official re-opening of the route – so things are really happening along the route. The route now also has its own website at www.stdeclansway.ie. If you know what it is all about and just wish to book you can do so now at www.StDeclansWay.ie/Walks. Read on if you wish to know more about the event.
To mark the occasion, and in association with Pilgrim Paths Week 2019, Knockmealdown Active is organising a five stage guided walk of the entire route. The quintet of walks starts on Saturday, April 27th. To facilitate those wishing to take part, the walk will not be over consecutive days but in 5 Stages on the last Saturday of April, May, June, July and August. For most people this will means no time off work for a historic chance to be part of the first group to fully walk this restored route.
Stages are approximately 20 km each and run on the last Saturday of the month and are as follows:
First Stage: April 27th – Cashel to Cahir (park in Cahir, bus to Cashel, walk to Cahir)
Second Stage: May 25th – Cahir to Goatenbridge (park in Goatenbridge, bus to Cahir, walk to Goatenbridge)
Third Stage: June 29th – Goatenbridge to Lismore (park in Lismore, bus to Goatenbridge, walk to Lismore)
Fourth Stage: July 27th – Lismore to Aglish (park in Aglish, bus to Lismore, walk to Aglish).
Fifth Stage: August 31st – Aglish to Ardmore (park in Ardmore, bus to Aglish, walk to Ardmore).
Participants must:
- Be over 16 years of age.
- Be in a fit physical condition.
- Have reasonable walking experience.
- Have wind and waterproof clothing & wear suitable footwear.
- Bring a fully charged mobile phone.
- Sign in at the start and finish check points on the day.
- Pay the entry fee in advance (booking is online only, see booking options below).
- No dogs allowed – unfortunately we are not in a position to cater for them.
The payment covers buses to take walkers from their cars to the walk start, team leaders and medics on hand during the event. It also includes food at the end of each stage. Walkers should make sure to bring snacks and drinks for the duration of the walk.
Accommodation
Any accommodation participants may need is not included in the event price. If you are booking accommodation be sure to book it at the destination for the day’s walk, otherwise you will have to organise transport to bring you back to where the walk began, e.g. for stage one on April 27th, book accommodation in Cahir, not Cashel (the buses will leave from Cahir Castle car park and the walk will return there in the afternoon).
You can find a list of available accommodation along the route on this link. Note, this accommodation list is not vetted or promoted by Knockmealdown Active in any way, it is simply provided for the convenience of those who may need the information.
*** For updates please Like and Share the St. Declan’s Way Facebook Page ***
Keep up to date with what has been happening along the various stages on Twitter and Instagram. You’ll find St. Declan’s Way at @StDeclansWay on both platforms using the hashtags #StDeclansWay and #PilgrimPaths.
Each stage costs €25 with an ‘early bird’ discount for the first 100 people to book 5 stages, which will cost €100.
Tickets are now available to purchase at www.StDeclansWay.ie/Walks.