Kildare Walking Festival: Grand Canal Challenge

Well, if some of you have been undertaking the relatively short walks during this last week of the Kildare Walking Festival, today’s the day you can start some more serious work, writes Brian Byrne.

It’s the first leg of the 2016 Grand Canal Challenge, under the auspices of the Kildare Sports Partnership, and the guided walk is the 13km route from Hazelhatch to Sallins.

It starts at 3pm, from a meeting point at Hazelhatch Canal Bridge. The first 50 people who have registered — 045 980546/7 or log on to kildaresp.ie — will get free transport back to the starting point.

The other legs of the Challenge are Sallins-Robertstown on Wednesday 20 July at 11am, from Sallins Canal Bridge and 11.5km long; Robertstown-Rathangan (3pm/24 July/12.5km); Rathangan-Monasterevin (11am/26 July/10.5km); Monasterevin-Vicarstown (11am/28 July/11.5km); and Vicarstown-Athy (3pm/31 July/11km.)

Start walking …

(Photo: The Leinster Aqueduct which carries the Grand Canal over the River Liffey. Courtesy Chris55 at English Wikipedia.)