11 Day Trips from Edenderry, All Within an Hour
Clonmacnoise, Tullamore D.E.W., the Slieve Blooms, the K Club and more — everything worth driving to from Edenderry, with distances.
Tullamore D.E.W. Distillery, Co. Offaly
One of the quieter advantages of Edenderry is where it sits. You are on the Offaly and Kildare border, an hour from Dublin, and within striking distance of a surprising spread of things — monastic ruins on the Shannon, a whiskey distillery, mountains, designer shopping and one of the best golf resorts in Europe. None of it requires an early start. Here is what is worth the drive, roughly in order of how far you have to go.
Carbury Castle — 8 km, 12 minutes
The closest ruin worth seeing, just over the Kildare border. Carbury Castle sits on a hill with commanding views back across the plain, and like Blundell in Edenderry it is an unmanaged site rather than a ticketed attraction. Bring decent shoes and go for the vantage point.
Killinthomas Wood — 12 km, 20 minutes
Waymarked trails through mature broadleaf woodland, and one of the better bluebell displays in the midlands if you hit it in late spring. Flat, family friendly, and busy enough at weekends that you will not feel isolated but quiet enough midweek to have long stretches to yourself.
Lullymore Heritage Park — 15 km, 20 minutes
The most straightforwardly kid-proof option on this list. Lullymore is set in the middle of the Bog of Allen and covers Irish history and the bog landscape with an outdoor playground, a road train and enough space to let children run themselves tired. If you are travelling with a family and the weather is uncertain, this is the safe bet.
Bog of Allen Nature Reserve — 15 km, 25 minutes
For the adult version of the same landscape. Boardwalks take you out over raised bog that has been accumulating for thousands of years, with the specialist plants and birdlife that go with it. It is subtle rather than spectacular, and it is the most distinctive piece of country in this part of Ireland.
The K Club — 30 km, 35 minutes
Straffan, Co. Kildare. A Ryder Cup venue, two championship courses and the kind of grounds that are worth seeing even if you never lift a club. You do not need to be playing to book lunch or afternoon tea, and it makes a good contrast to a week of canal walks.
Tullamore D.E.W. Distillery — 30 km, 35 minutes
The obvious Offaly day out and a genuinely good tour. The visitor centre in Tullamore covers the history of the town's whiskey and finishes with a tasting, and Tullamore itself is worth an afternoon on top of the distillery. Book ahead in summer.
Charleville Castle — 32 km, 40 minutes
A gothic revival castle in ancient oak woodland outside Tullamore, and one of the more atmospheric buildings in the midlands. Access varies with the season and what is on, so check before you set out, but the grounds and the surrounding woodland walk justify the trip on their own.
Kildare Village — 35 km, 40 minutes
Designer outlet shopping, and either exactly your thing or exactly not. It is well run, easy to park at, and a reliable rainy-day option if the walking plan falls apart. Combine it with the K Club if you want to make a full day of that side of Kildare.
Slieve Bloom Mountains — 35 km, 45 minutes
The nearest real hills, straddling the Offaly and Laois border. Waterfalls, forest trails and long views, with a range of walks from short loops to serious half-day hikes. If you have had enough of flat ground, this is the antidote.
Clonmacnoise — 45 km, 55 minutes
The one unmissable thing on this list. A sixth-century monastic city on the banks of the Shannon, with round towers, high crosses and one of the most important collections of early Christian remains in Europe. It is an hour each way and it is worth every minute. Go early or late in the day if you can.
Dublin — 65 km, about an hour
Worth remembering that the capital is a comfortable day trip. Drive in early, or park on the outskirts and take public transport for the last stretch to skip the city-centre traffic. Dublin Airport is roughly seventy kilometres, which is why a fair few of our guests use Edenderry as a first or last night stop.
Making a base of it
Every one of these is a there-and-back day from Edenderry, which is the argument for staying put rather than moving hotels every night. See more of what is nearby, or have a look at our rooms — ten en-suite rooms in the centre of town, with parking.
