Walking on the Grand Canal: Hazelhatch to Sallins

The 13km section of the Royal Canal between Hazelhatch and Sallins is a very accessible and enjoyable stretch for walkers, runners and cyclists alike. It can easily reached by taking the short train journey to Hazelhatch Railway Station from Heuston Station in Dublin and then it is possible to get the train back to either Hazelhatch or Heuston from Sallins, both stations only a few minutes walk off the canal. Both Hazelhatch and Sallins also have car parks at the stations if you are travelling by car.

Hazelhatch is located just a little bit outside Celbridge on the Dublin and Kildare border and the canal can be accessed at the narrow Hazelhatch Bridge.

McEvoys pub is also located beside the bridge and is a good place to have a pint to close out an evening or as a place to stop as you pass by on a longer trek.

Hazelhatch is home to a good number of boats, many of them live-aboard’s and includes some Heritage Boats like the former Grand Canal Company boats 36M, 42M, 56M and 58M as well as the older Horse Boat No. 1 now known as Misneach.

The canal path from Hazelhatch to Sallins is entirely traveled on the south bank of the canal and is of good surface quality for the majority of the route but it is necessary to be mindful of cars for a good part of it also.

About 1.5km west of Hazelhatch you come to Aylmer Bridge named for the Aylmer family of Donadea Demense. The bridge also marks the start of the boundary wall of the Lyons Estate in the area of Lyons Hill which runs alongside the canal for several kilometres.

1km on from Aylmer Bridge is the double chambered 13th Lock. The 13th Lock lies close to a cemetery just below it on the south leading to the suggestion that the 13th Lock is haunted. There are also stories that the 13th Lock on the Royal is haunted. I have never found out for certain to which one Arthur Griffith’s poem refers.

Above the 13th Lock lies the Lock Yard including the Pantry. Part of the Cliff at Lyons, it is an ideal place to stop for a snack or take away cake and coffee. The Lock Yard was originally the site of a mill which was built by Valentine Lawless, 2nd Baron Cloncurry who was noted as a canal enthusiast and also served as the Chairman of the Grand Canal Company. The mill was later run by the Shackleton family, related to Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton until it burned down in 1903. Botanical artist Lydia Shackleton, the Royal Botanical Garden Dublin’s first artist in residence lived here for several years. After the Cloncurry title became extinct in 1929 the Lyons Estate fell into disrepair and was bought and restored by Ryanair founder Tony Ryan from the mid 1990’s on.

Just a little over a kilometre on from the 14th Lock we come to Henry Bridge named for a family from nearby Straffan. Henry Bridge is located in the village of Ardclough, resting place of Arthur Guinness. A small shop is located just north of the bridge past Ardclough GAA club for anyone looking for supplies and the burial place of Arthur Guinness can be visited by travelling south of the bridge for a few minutes. A little further west of the bridge we pass the original Ardclough National School that was build in 1839.

We continue along the narrow road on the south bank for another 2.5km when we reach Ponsonby Bridge. When passing under the bridge you can see that it has been widened on both sides for the road traffic it carries and as a result the original faces of the bridge have been lost.

When we emerge on the other side of the bridge we have lost the smooth path and road we have enjoyed from Hazelhatch to this point and enter a more grassy section. Most of the remainder of the distance to Sallins is soft ground. The majority of it is fine for walking and cycling with a hybrid or a mountain bike but a few small sections tend to remain muddy throughout the year.

It is a further 2.5km to Devonshire Bridge. This stretch tends to be a lot quieter than the section around Hazelhatch and the Lyons Estate and offers a real rural feel even though we are still well within the commuter belt of Dublin. The railway is not far to the north of the canal and trains can often be heard but unlike the Royal Canal, they are rarely seen.

The 14th Lock follows shortly after passing under Devonshire Bridge. The original Lock Keeper’s Cottage has been restored and extended as a private residence.

It is just over half a kilometre then to the 15th Lock and the remains of it’s Lock Keeper’s Cottage.

Leaving Dublin, it is noticeable that the Grand Canal follows very long straight lines south west. Not long after passing the 15th Lock the canal takes an obvious turn to the west as it leads towards Sallins. 2km from the lock we are greeted by the Railway Bridge that passes over the canal bringing trains into Sallins from Dublin.

It is just over 1km from the railway bridge into Sallins. The canal path narrows here and as it is sheltered it can get quiet mucky for a few hundred metres along this stretch.

Like Hazelhatch, Sallins is the home to a good many boats and you can even see plenty of post boxes for each of the live aboard’s along the jetty on the east side of Sallins Bridge.

Sallins is where we finish today. The small town just outside Naas has a good selection of take-away’s just off the canal, a Supervalu and even though we are on the 15th level the 13th Lock Gastro and Brew Pub is a great spot to stop for a bite and a few drinks. For those who would like to see the canal as it should be seen it is possible to book a cruise on a barge in Sallins on the blue and white barge in the picture above.

For those who don’t fancy the walk back to Hazelhatch, Sallins Railway Station is only a 3 minute walk off the canal.

Walking on the Grand Canal: Sallins to Robertstown

Walking on the Grand Canal: Naas Branch

Walking on the Grand Canal: Naas Harbour to Corbally Harbour

A Guide to Staying on the Right Side of the Grand Canal: Grand Canal Dock to Edenderry

A Guide to Staying on the Right Side of the Grand Canal: Edenderry Branch to Tullamore