Days Out NI
Greenway & cycle trail Aughnacloy

Sliabh Beagh Way

A free, long-distance cross-border hill walk for older kids and seasoned families.

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Open accessRide it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
AughnacloyGreenway & cycle trail
Get directions
49.5 milesDistance
A single section is a half-day; the full route is a two-day walkHow long
FreeCost
Mix of minor…Surface
Bikes bestBest for

Sliabh Beagh Way — A free, long-distance cross-border hill walk for older kids and seasoned families.

  • Distance: About 49.5 miles (roughly 80km) full route, in six sections to Lisnaskea.
  • Surface: Mix of minor roads, forest track and open moorland.
  • Gradient: Hilly and rated very strenuous, with steep climbs in places.
  • Traffic-free: No - partly on quiet country lanes as well as off-road track and moor.
  • Bike hire: None.
  • Buggy / scooter: No - it's a hill walking route.
Plan your visit

What the trail is actually like

The full Way is about 49.5 miles (roughly 80km), split into six numbered sections from Aughnacloy through to Lisnaskea. The going is a mix of minor roads, forest track and open moorland, so it is partly on quiet lanes rather than fully off-road. It is rated very strenuous, with steep climbs and rough ground in places, and the high moor around Sliabh Beagh is the wild centrepiece. Signage is good and the terrain is generally firm underfoot. For families this is a walking route, not a flat cycle path, and definitely not buggy or scooter friendly.

Free Cross-border route Hills & moorland Forest tracks ~80km full route Walking, not cycling
Good to know before you go:

Greenways and trails host seasonal sportives, family walking and cycle days and ranger events through the year; check listings for dates near you.

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
Start / parking
Aughnacloy, west along Ravella Road from the main street; park on the main street. St Patrick's Chair and Well (Glen of Altadaven) is another access point further along.
Distance
About 49.5 miles (roughly 80km) full route, in six sections to Lisnaskea
Surface
Mix of minor roads, forest track and open moorland
Gradient
Hilly and rated very strenuous, with steep climbs in places
Traffic-free?
No - partly on quiet country lanes as well as off-road track and moor
Bike hire
None
Buggy / scooter friendly
No - it's a hill walking route
Toilets / food
Not on the trail; use the towns you pass (e.g. Aughnacloy, Lisnaskea)
How long to allow
A single section is a half-day; the full route is a two-day walk
Address
Trailhead off the main street, Ravella Road, Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How long is the route?
About 49.5 miles (roughly 80km) full route, in six sections to Lisnaskea
Is it traffic-free?
No - partly on quiet country lanes as well as off-road track and moor
Can I hire a bike?
None
Is it buggy and scooter friendly?
No - it's a hill walking route
Getting there

Sliabh Beagh Way starts at Aughnacloy, west along Ravella Road from the main street; park on the main street. St Patrick's Chair and Well (Glen of Altadaven) is another access point further along.. Tap below for directions to the start.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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

About this trail

The Sliabh Beagh Way is a waymarked long-distance walking route that forms part of the wider Ulster Way network. It takes its name from the Sliabh Beagh hills, an upland of bog and moor sitting on the border where Tyrone, Monaghan and Fermanagh meet.

Running roughly 49.5 miles in six sections from Aughnacloy to Lisnaskea, the route deliberately weaves back and forth across the international border, taking in country lanes, forest tracks and remote open moorland. Along the way it passes the early Christian site of St Patrick's Chair and Well in the Glen of Altadaven, long a place of pilgrimage.