Slí Liatroma

The Leitrim Way

A walk through a variety of landscape forms common to this beautiful but little known part of Ireland. Starting by following the east shore of Lough Allen, the walker travels through increasingly beautiful scenery until reaching the upland wilderness of Barlear. The route is made up of tracks old and new in its entirety, resulting in a fast pace. It is generally more attractive to walk from Drumshanbo to Manorhamilton.
The route also takes in Dowra, along its 30 miles length. The longest stage is that between Dowra and Manorhamilton (20 miles). Doo Lough is the highest point being 1140 ft. high.

View from Arigna Mountain

Slí Liatroma or The Leitrim Way has a dual character. The southern end is low level along Lough Allen, while the northern end is hilly towards Manorhamilton. links into The Miner's Way and The Cavan Way. Drumshanbo to Manorhamilton 48 kilometres.

Publications

The Leitrim Way by Leitrim County Council.
Map guide is a colour copy of Ordnance Survey 1/50000 map with route highlighted in red. Information on route finding on reverse side. Folded to A5 size.

The Arigna Miner's Way & Historical Trail Map Guide by EastWest Mapping.
Definitive map guide comprising of a 32 page guidebook with detailed full colour 1/50000 scale strip maps. Covers part of Slí Liatroma from Drumshanbo to Dowra. Information on routefinding, local & natural history and services. Full colour maps showing route in great detail. Available from Tourist office.

Note on the Waymarked Ways

Walking is a comparatively new sport in Ireland and Waymarked trails are even newer, though they are now developing rapidly. The first trail, the Wicklow Way, opened as recently as 1982; now, only 18 years later, there are 25 Ways in all covering a total of over 1,525 miles. The routes are still generally uncrowded, so that it is a pleasure to meet and chat to other walkers along the way.
The Ways themselves are very varied, ranging from towpath walks along the canals and rivers to circuits of the mountainous peninsulas of the South West. What they have in common is that they are designed, with very few exceptions, so that any reasonably fit person can walk them. They don't demand great stamina, difficult navigation or climbing techniques. They rarely rise above 1000 ft altitude, except on occasion to cross a well-marked pass above this height. This does not stop them winding through magnificent mountain scenery and the valleys and passes are quite low.

The Ways are signposted with standard waymarks - the familiar yellow arrow and "Walking Man" - and stiles and bridges have been erected where necessary. While it is possible to follow a Way simply by using the waymarks, we strongly recommended that walkers take a map guide or guidebook which will greatly increase their enjoyment by pointing out the very interesting historical, archaeological and natural features along the Way. The guides are also useful for the almost inevitable moment when a waymark has perhaps been hidden by summer foliage or has been uprooted.

Walking in the hills

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