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Waterford Greenway; a guide to your family's next adventure

The Waterford Greenway opened in 2017, and is also known as the Deise Greenway. The Greenway is a traffic free 46 kilometre pathway perfect for cycling, running, walking and family adventures.

The Greenway runs from Dungarvan to Waterford City and is an amazing escape for families to enjoy nature and explore the beautiful landscapes and historical sites of Ireland's 'Sunny Southeast'.

Within the 46km Pathway you will encounter 11 bridges, 3 viaducts and a 400 metre tunnel. Families also have the opportunity to take a train ride on an old-fashioned steam engine through the Suir Valley, which will surely keep things interesting for even the smallest of adventurers.

The Greenway is broken up into 6 sections, each varying in distance with the longest section being 13.5km in length and the shortest being 3km. It is estimated that it should take around 5 hours to complete the entire 46km greenway for an adult if cycling.

SECTION 1: Dungarvan to Clonea Road (Distance 4km)

The Waterford Greenway begins in the coastal-harbour town of Dungarvan. This section from Dungarvan to Clonea Road is relatively flat and is one of the shorter sections of the greenway which is 4km in distance. This might suit families with younger kids or those looking for a shorter adventure.

Here you can check out Clonea Strand, an amazing 1.8km long 'Blue Flag' beach with gold coloured sand - the perfect place for a walk, picnic or coffee. Visitors will delight in the fact that the Greenway is located directly behind the beach so you can swap trails for sand if you fancy a change of scenery.

SECTION 2: Clonea Road to Durrow (Distance 6km)

This section of the Greenway showcases amazing costal views of Waterford’s ‘copper coast’ and visitors will enjoy passing through the 400m long Ballyholme tunnel which dates back to the 1870’s. This is a fun experience the whole family can enjoy and proves to be an exciting landmark with younger visitors. Be sure to have your camera or phone ready to capture the memories.

SECTION 3: Durrow to Kilmachthomas (Distance 12km)

The Comeragh Mountains views are widely compared with the backdrop of a movie set and are set beyond the picturesque Kilmacthomas, a village steeped in Irish history and well worth a visit. The Kilmacthomas Viaduct is an eight-arched curved railway viaduct, constructed in 1873. This impressive structure is sure to be another highlight of the Greenway experience for everyone to enjoy.

Reaching Kilmacthomas also significantly marks the halfway point of the Greenway.

SECTION 4: Kilmacthomas to Kilmeaden (Distance 13.5 km)

While the views of the Waterford countryside and the Comeragh Mountains are equally impressive on this section, the highlight is certainly Kilmeaden Station. A stop-point you definitly don't want to miss, the station gives the chance to watch the WSVR trains in operation. You can also catch the train here to Waterford & Suir Valley Heritage Train station, which we reference below.

Nearby is the historical Fairbrook House, which also boasts an art gallery and beautiful gardens.

SECTION 5: Kilmeaden to Kilternan (Distance 3km)

The River Suir offers the chance to appreciate wildlife in the form of heron, otters and kingfishers. Mount Congreve Gardens are a must-see attraction, with an impressive selection of flowers including azaleas, camellias and rhododendron. This section also marks the ruins of Kilmeaden Castle, a 17th century castle steeped in history.

At this section of the Greenway, we also have opportunity to visit Waterford & Suir Valley Heritage Train. Here you will enjoy breathtaking views of the valley, exclusively visible to those who take the train trip. You can get the train from Kilmeaden station.

It's also worth noting that this is the shortest of the six stages at a distance of 3km, this could be the perfect stage for families with small children or anyone who wants to try the Waterford greenway without having to commit to the full 46km distance.

SECTION 6: Kilternan to Waterford City (Distance 7.5km)

At this final stage of the Greenway, the path runs parallel to the WSVR railway line all the way to Waterford City. There are two bridges this route, the red iron bridge once was Irelands longest bridge -and at the time, a vital part of the transport system in Ireland.

Another point of interest along this section is the Thomas Meagher Bridge. Spreading right across over the River Suir, this is an impressive display of modern architecture by any measure. During the construction of the Thomas Meagher Bridge in 2003 archaeologists discovered Viking artefacts from the 9th century which predates Waterford City. This spectacular site where the discoveries were made is known as The Woodstown Site. Unfortunately the site is not open to the public however it can be viewed in passing, from the Killotteran Bridge. All of the Viking artefacts discovered on this site are displayed in the Reginald’s Tower Museum in Waterford City. An interesting write-up by The Irish Times on these findings can be found here

And of course no adventure is complete without a decent snack-stop and where would we be without giving a mention to our very own Greenway Brews?! We serve freshly brewed coffee, tea and hot drinks, tasty snacks daily from our coffee shop along the Greenway in Dungarvan. Before you set off on your journey why not stop off and pick up one of our brunch boxes? It takes the hassle out of you making, packaging and remembering to bring your own snacks. If you're not familiar with us, we recently did an informative blog post on our business, which you can read here

We hope you found this Waterford Greenway Guide useful - let us know if you make the journey and what your favourite part was!