Our plan was to purchase food along the route and we decided to cook over open fires to cut down the amount of equipment carried.  For fuel, there is an abundance of trimmings along the tow path.  We decided to use old fashioned cooking implements, skillet pots, griddles and a metal crane.  The canal was the main travel route in former times and all along it are the remains of 18-19th century industries, warehouses, mills and waterways so our menu and mode of cooking reflected this bye gone age.  The canal and the river which is navigable from Athy, abounds in bird life and wild flowers and some time spent beforehand reading up about these is time well spent.

Day 1 Our Start location was Athy and we headed to Knockbeg, a journey of about eight miles, not a great distance, but a chance to get to know the boats and get used to the paddling.  We kept to the flatter stretches of canal at first before venturing out onto the faster flowing River Barrow.  The Kayaks went over the weirs and often tried them several times, but the Canadian canoes had to portage around.
Lunch at Maganey's Bridge or, more pricey, 'The Three Counties Inn' which is a few minutes walk away.  At Knockbeg, our first campsite, there is a large weir and an opportunity for those in the Canadian canoes to use the Kayaks in the evening.  Carlow Town is only a two 'country mile' walk away, if you're interested.

Day 2 Knockbeg to Leighlinbridge (9 miles).  It's a two mile stretch to Carlow where we re-group at the boat club and head for the small rapids at Clogrennan and practice our white water techniques as we head for the larger stretch at Millford.  Great pond life along this stretch of river, swans, moorhens, etc.

Day 3 Leighlinbridge to Ballytiglan Bridge (10 miles) about a mile from Bagnealstown is a good weir where we spend a couple of hours practising our strokes.  Two miles further down stream is Rathellen, we paddled into the town and had a short break before leaving for Slyguff.  After shooting the upper and lower Ballyellen weirs, we call into Goresbridge for groceries as we intend camping at Ballytiglea Bridge

Day 4 Ballytiglea bridge to St. Mullins (9 miles).  There are plenty of weirs between here and Graig where we planned to stop for lunch and look forward to the lower Tinnehinch Weir and rapids before reaching St. Mullins, our campsite for the night.  We met a local, Don Coady, who talked to us about the river in the old days and the cot races that were held on the Barrow.

Day 5 St. Mullins to New Ross (11.5 miles) from St. Mullins, the river is tidal.  Our start time was determined by the tide which made the paddling easy as the river widens into New Ross.  The ebb tide runs for 7 hours and during the later stages, large mud flats are exposed making it hard to reach the bank

Preparing Activities - Canoe Repairs, Several pool sessions - RLSS Course, Video Night - Deliverance

Day 6 - Return to Celbridge

Weekend/Day Activities - Hike, Canoe polo, Liffey Descent, Visit to Pollardstown nature reserve.