Suck Valley Way

Trail Description

The Suck Valley Way is a circular route with a 5km spur into Castlerea town. The trail runs up the west side of the River Suck from Mount Talbot and into the town of Castlerea and returns, with one brief interruption, down the east side, taking in ‘The Nine Friendly Villages’, Ballygar, Creggs, Glinsk, Ballymoe, Ballintubber, Donamon, Castlecoote, Athleague and Mount Talbot. The landscape is a typical river valley one of bogs, callows, woods and unspoiled traditional farmland of many tiny fields, and makes for wonderful and varied low-land walking. The terrain consists of a pleasant mix of cross-country paths through fields and woods, quiet side roads and there are a number of stretches along the banks of the river itself. As is common with countryside that has not been agriculturally over-developed, there is a rich heritage of the remains of monuments and buildings of the past to be enjoyed along the route, including ringforts, castles, ancient churches; you can’t miss the unique La Tène Stone, an ovoid boulder of granite richly carved and dating from the Iron Age, close to the route at Castlestrange. To add to the pleasure of this route, the frequent villages provide plenty of opportunities for relaxing along the way. The route can be subject to flooding so please check locally.

The trail passes through working farmland and there is livestock on route. 

Livestock-Information for Trail Users

1. No dogs allowed on the Suck Valley Way with the exception of the Demesne Parkland in Castlerea and Aghrane Forest in Ballygar. 
2. When walking through a field with animals always keep them in view. Don’t turn your back on them.
3. Do not allow small children to run around while passing by livestock. Keep them by your side. Cattle can react to small children running around in the same way as dogs.
4. Carry a walking stick through fields with animals.
5. Be prepared for cattle to react, and, where possible, walk carefully and quietly around them - do not split up a clustered group and do not run.
6. Should a bull or cow approach you, turn round to face it. If necessary take a couple of steps towards it, waving your arms and shouting firmly.
7. Above all, do not put yourself at risk. If you feel threatened, if possible find another way round that is safe, returning to the original path as soon as is possible.
8. Remember to leave gates as you find them (open or closed) when walking through fields containing livestock.
9. If you are attacked or suffer a frightening incident, report this to the trail management committee - Roscommon LEADER Partnership, Tel: 090 6630252