8 km; 2 hrs; Start: Map 49 N892229  
On rural tow path with historic interest

This walk provides an interesting opportunity to sample the Grand Canal Way. The Leinster Aqueduct that carries the canal over the river Liffey is a highlight of the walk. The route passes through attractive rural scenes and by a number of items of the canal heritage of Ireland.

 

(Map not suitable for navigation)
Click on map for map from Sallins to Bonynge or Healy's Bridge
 

The quay wall on the far side of the canal was built specially for the mill. It incorporates a turning circle, necessary for turning the old sixty foot barges. The mooring is in good order.

Fishing Notes
The stretch from Sallins to Digby Bridge is popular for fishing. You will see several fishing stands along the route. Each one is numbered. The numbers are randomly allocated during fishing competitions, and are designed to be at the best fishing spots.

Once you pass the old mill on your left, and some buildings on your right, the walk becomes a green oasis.

0.3 miles
The canal turns sharply to the left here, originally it was planned to go straight on here. The remains of excavation work for a lock chamber can be seen in the field. This plan was later abandoned in favour of building an aqueduct. {The field is private property}

0.5 miles
On the left bank if you look carefully enough you will notice some stonework. This is all that is visible of a dry-dock. The dry-dock was filled in a number of years ago. Nowadays there is no vehicular access.

In front the Canal divides. The railway bridge to the left marks the start of the Naas line. This line goes to Naas Harbour, and then continues to Corbally

1.1 miles
You are now at the Leinster Aqueduct that carries the Grand Canal over the River Liffey below. You can see a pump house to your right (down the bank). This still pumps water from the River Liffey to the Canal during dry weather. The arches just after the aqueduct were built to provide access for farm animals.

2.2 miles
Further along there is an unusual structure. It is known as the Big Pot, the Little Pot, the Boolan and the Skillet. It is hidden behind a short stone wall on your right. It is a bit overgrown, (and not suitable for walking over), but you can still see the stone work and the rack at each end. It is thought that water was allowed to enter via the rack. This would fill the outer basin, and then flow over the top into the inner basin. The water could then flow through the tunnel linking the inner basin with the nearby stream.

If this structure was built simply as an overflow it was certainly made unnecessarily complex. There is no similar structure any where in Ireland.

2.5 miles
This mile stone is about 12 inches high, so you can miss it if you are not on the lookout for it. The number 16 is the number of miles from James Street Harbour in Dublin. James Street Harbour has since been filled in, but it was once the terminus of the canal.

2.6 miles
Digby Bridge, bears the date ‘1794’ there is a lock at this bridge also. Of note here are the side chambers. These are correctly being restored on a voluntary basis by the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

The side chambers were used to conserve water. When a boat wanted to descend in a lock some of the water could be diverted into the side chamber. This diverted water could then be reused when a boat wanted to ascend in the lock. When restored this will be the only working example of a sidechamber in this country.

For further information visit The Side Chambers at Digby Bridge.

Some interesting dates.....
There is a road bridge over the old disused railway line that used to serve Naas town. It is close to the first lock on the Naas branch line, it has the date ‘1883’ on it. The Leinster aqueduct was built exactly one hundred years prior to it, in ‘1783’ Finally the M4 Motorway bridge over the Naas Branch line was built in ‘1983’

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Maps:

Ordnance Survey of Ireland, Discovery Series 1:50,000
- Map 49, From west of Rhode bridge to 15th Lock
             Milltown Feeder from Lowtown to Hill of Allen

See also: Guide to the Grand Canal of Ireland
 

Acknowledgement:

This page was developed from a pamphlet compiled and published by the Kildare Branch of the I.W.A.I. Production of the pamphlet was supported by the Bank of Ireland, Naas Branch and by Kildare European Leader II.