The Arigna Mines in County Roscommon were exploited for over four hundred years to extract iron and coal.  The village of Arigna was the centre of the industry, and the Miner’s Way and Historical Trail is a 118km-long figure-of-eight walking route that starts and ends at Arigna.  The route is a varied one that manages to touch on three lakes, Lough Allen, Lough Arrow and Lough Key and crosses three low mountain ranges, Corry Mountain, the Curlew Mountains and the Bricklieve Mountains.

 

The Arigna Miner’s Way and Historical Trail walks are a network of walking paths which wind their way through adjoining parts of Counties Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo.  The Miners Way follows many of the paths which would historically have been used by the miners going to work in the Arigna coal mines.  This walk makes a circuit starting in Arigna, travelling via Keadue, Ballyfarnon and Corrie Mountain and returning to Arigna.  

 

The Historical Trail section runs in a great loop, leaving the Miners Way at Keadue and running to Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle, Carrowkeel, Castlebaldwin, Highwood and returning to the Miners Way at Ballyfarnon.  A third loop connects the Miners Way to Sli Liatroma and goes around Lough Allen by Drumkeeran, Dowra, Drumshanbo and back to Arigna.  The Arigna Miners Way, including all links is 62km (39 miles) in length and ascends some 1300 metres.  

 

The Historical Trail is 56km (35 miles) in length and ascends some 850 metres.  These walks offer exceptional panoramic views and are most suitable for a week’s walking as the visitor can pick and choose which sections to walk on any given day.  The terrain on the route consists mainly of a variety of quiet tarmac roads, paths across fields, open moorland and forestry paths.