The Leitrim Way

You never quite know what you’ll stumble across in Leitrim!

Recently, Brinsley McNamara from Weird Ireland shared a glimpse of his walk along The Leitrim Way. Along the route near Drumshanbo he discovered two incredible pieces of our past:

- St Hugh's Sweathouse: once used as a traditional cure for ailments, where people would sit inside to “sweat out” sickness.
-St Hugh's Holy Well, tucked into the landscape, once visited for reflection, healing and prayer.

These aren’t big tourist attractions with ticket desks or signposts. They’re just… there. Waiting. Hidden along forest paths.

That’s what makes The Leitrim Way so special. It’s not just a hike, it’s a journey through layers of history, folklore and forgotten traditions.

If you’ve been thinking about walking a section of The Leitrim Way, take this as your sign. Pack a flask, slow down, and see what stories you can find along the way.

And if you do come across something unusual, tag The Leitrim Way. We’d love to share it!

You mightn’t feel like tackling the entire Leitrim Way (56km) in this weather and honestly, that’s fair enough 😅

But there’s something really special about getting outside for a shorter walk in the crisp, fresh air. Especially on a cold day.

One lovely stretch we recommend is the Leitrim Village to Drumshanbo trail (around 7km one way).

It follows the water and of course… the highlight has to be crossing the floating boardwalk just outside Drumshanbo 💙

With the clear, still water beneath you and the lake stretching out around you, it’s one of those moments where you'll want to stop and take it all in.

You don’t have to “do it all” to enjoy the Leitrim Way. Even a small section can be enough to blow the cobwebs away and remind you how gorgeous this part of the world is.

If you’ve walked this stretch before, you’ll know exactly what we mean!