Page 145 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

DRIVE 13: The Plains of Kildare 143

EAT AND DRINK
CELBRIDGE
Courtyard Cafe inexpensive
An excellent café based in the high-
ceilinged former kitchen of Castletown
House, serving lunches of soups, tarts
Below The impressive former Grand Canal Hotel in Robertstown, at the centre of lively canalside activity and salads; a good place in which to
start or finish a tour of the house.
Castletown House; 01 627 9498
oak saplings, a limestone replica Join the R415 and proceed along it
of the World Trade Center’s twin with the Hill of Allen on the right- CLANE
towers commemorates members of hand side, passing Milltown, on a Zest Cafe inexpensive
the American emergency services feeder line to the canal. There is paid A popular café which turns into a
who died in the attacks of 11 parking in and around Kildare’s restaurant at night. Imaginative menus
include home-made burgers, and
September 2001, including Sean Market Square. unusual pastas and desserts. A small
Tallon, a young firefighter whose but good wine list.
family was from Donadea. In the The Grand Canal Way Clane Shopping Centre; 045 893 222;
nearby St Peter’s Church (open for This waymarked canalside trail runs www.zestcafeandrestaurant.ie
services) is a fine 17th-century for 138 km (86 miles) from Dublin AROUND ROBERTSTOWN
canopied tomb with effigies of to Shannon Harbour. Robertstown Hanged Man’s inexpensive
Sir Gerald Aylmer and his wife is situated at the 45-km (28-mile) A traditional country pub and
Dame Julia Nugent. mark. The path is well-maintained restaurant on the canal at Milltown
along its entire route, making it safe
ª Leaving Donadea Forest Park, for walkers and cyclists of all ages. The restaurant specializes in fresh food,
turn left, left and left again, in the Visit the website of the Inland simply cooked. Live music sessions
direction of the small village of Waterways Association of Ireland every Monday.
Milltown (9 km/5.5 miles from
Prosperous. Turn right on the R403, (www.iwai.ie) for details of this Robertstown on the R415);
then take a left turn on to a smaller and other waymarked trails. 045 431 515
road for Robertstown. Alternatively, see Waterways Ireland
(www.waterwaysireland.org) for
information about day trips and
4 Robertstown boat hire on the canal. Below Imposing Donadea Castle,
Co Kildare set in its own forest park
The Grand Canal, which links Dublin
in the east to the River Shannon in
the west of Ireland, is now used only
for leisure purposes. The highest
point on its route is at picturesque
Robertstown at the Hill of Allen. In
1804, the Grand Canal Company
built one of its grand hotels here,
though today it sadly stands
derelict. There are also several good
pubs, often with live music sessions
in the evenings. A little further to
the west is Lowtown, whose marina
is one of the most popular mooring
spots in Kildare. Here the canal
divides, with an offshoot towards
Athy and the River Barrow.
ª From Robertstown follow signs for
the pleasant hamlet of Kilmeage.
Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €25; moderate, €25–€50; expensive, over €50

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