Days Out NI
Greenway & cycle trail Newry

Great Northern Railway Trail

A planned greenway along the old Great Northern Railway from Newry into Co Monaghan.

4 photos
Open accessRide it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
NewryGreenway & cycle trail
Get directionsOfficial website
30kmDistance
An hourHow long
FreeCost
Open sections…Surface
Buggy okBest for

Great Northern Railway Trail — A planned greenway along the old Great Northern Railway from Newry into Co Monaghan.

  • Distance: Around 30km in total is proposed along the old line; only short sections such as the 4.5km Monaghan Town Greenway are open today.
  • Surface: Open sections are firm towpath / level path; the unbuilt corridor has no finished surface.
  • Gradient: Old railway lines are flat; the open Monaghan Town Greenway is generally flat with a few gentle slopes.
  • Traffic-free: Open sections are largely traffic-free with some road crossings; much of the wider route is not yet built.
  • Bike hire: Not available - bring your own.
  • Buggy / scooter: Yes on the open level towpath sections; mind canal edges and crossings.
Plan your visit

What is actually open today

Don't arrive expecting a continuous 30km railway path. The completed, walkable-rideable section near the Monaghan end is the Monaghan Town Greenway, about 4.5km following the restored Ulster Canal towpath past old locks, bridges and a canal house. It is graded easy and generally flat with a few gentle slopes, and it is largely traffic-free, though it has road crossings and open canal banks so younger children need supervising. Elsewhere along the old Great Northern Railway line from Newry southward, the route is proposed rather than built. If you want a long finished flat ride close to Newry, the Newry Canal Way runs about 20 miles to Portadown on a firm off-road towpath.

Free where open Old GNR line Mostly proposed Monaghan Town Greenway open Flat No bike hire
Good to know before you go:

Greenways across the border counties host seasonal sportives, family cycle days and ranger-led events through the year. Check listings for dates before you set off.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🚲Bikes (or hire on the day)Check whether you bring your own or can hire at the start.
  • 🪖Helmets for everyoneEspecially the kids — a comfy helmet makes the whole spin better.
  • 💧Water and snacksNot every route has a café on it, so pack a little something.
  • 🧥A light layerYou warm up cycling but cool down at stops — easy to peel on and off.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free on the open sections (Monaghan Town Greenway, Newry Canal Way)
Start / parking
Monaghan Town Greenway: park in Monaghan Town near the Coolshannagh Roundabout. The full Newry-to-Monaghan GNR route is largely proposed and has no continuous trailhead yet
Distance
Around 30km in total is proposed along the old line; only short sections such as the 4.5km Monaghan Town Greenway are open today
Surface
Open sections are firm towpath / level path; the unbuilt corridor has no finished surface
Gradient
Old railway lines are flat; the open Monaghan Town Greenway is generally flat with a few gentle slopes
Traffic-free?
Open sections are largely traffic-free with some road crossings; much of the wider route is not yet built
Bike hire
Not available - bring your own
Buggy / scooter friendly
Yes on the open level towpath sections; mind canal edges and crossings
Toilets / food
Cafes, shops and toilets in Monaghan Town beside the open greenway
How long to allow
About an hour for the Monaghan Town Greenway return; a half-day if you add the town
Address
Monaghan Town Greenway, Monaghan Town, Co Monaghan (open section); wider GNR route runs towards Newry, Co Down
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free on the open sections (Monaghan Town Greenway, Newry Canal Way)
How long is the route?
Around 30km in total is proposed along the old line; only short sections such as the 4.5km Monaghan Town Greenway are open today
Is it traffic-free?
Open sections are largely traffic-free with some road crossings; much of the wider route is not yet built
Can I hire a bike?
Not available - bring your own
Is it buggy and scooter friendly?
Yes on the open level towpath sections; mind canal edges and crossings
Getting there

Great Northern Railway Trail starts at Monaghan Town Greenway: park in Monaghan Town near the Coolshannagh Roundabout. The full Newry-to-Monaghan GNR route is largely proposed and has no continuous trailhead yet. Tap below for directions to the start.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around NewrySee what else is close by More greenways & trails across NITraffic-free routes to walk and cycle
The story

About this trail

The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) was formed in 1876 and grew into one of Ireland's largest railways, weaving the border country together with lines through Newry, Armagh, Monaghan and Clones. Goraghwood, north of Newry, was a key junction on the system before the routes were run down and closed through the 1950s and 1960s.

Since then there have been steady efforts to reuse the abandoned formation as a walking and cycling greenway, including studies along the GNR corridor between Newry, Armagh and the Monaghan towns, and a proposed intercity route that would pass through the mile-long Lissummon Tunnel. Funding has been secured for design and feasibility work, but much of the line remains unbuilt.

The most complete piece so far sits at the Monaghan end, where the Monaghan Town Greenway reopened a stretch of the old Ulster Canal towpath through the town. As more of the railway corridor is acquired and built, the long-held vision of a continuous Newry-to-Monaghan greenway moves a little closer.