The River Barrow: Vicarstown to St Mullins and back

Barrowline hands over its boats between 15:00 and 18:00, so the first leg is a short evening run: south along the Barrow Line through two locks, about three hours, to Athy. Locks are worked in daylight only, so early or late in the season leave in good time, or spend the first night at the base. Athy has no visitor mooring that we have checked: the floating jetty at Barrow Quay is used by the trip boat, so ask Barrowline where to tie up. In town, the Shackleton Experience on Emily Square tells the story of the Kildare-born explorer, and White's Castle has guarded the river crossing since 1417.

The 28th Lock on the edge of town drops you from the canal onto the river, and the real Barrow begins. Ardreigh, Levitstown, Maganey and Bestfield locks follow; like most Barrow locks they lie in side cuts beside weirs, so keep to the cut, above all when the river is up. Levitstown's long cut ends under the burnt-out shell of a great malt mill, and the shop and fuel station by Maganey Bridge is the place to restock. In Carlow, William Marshal's castle, the County Museum and the VISUAL arts centre are all within walking distance of the river. We have no checked visitor mooring in Carlow either: agree the berth with Barrowline.

Right at the start comes Graiguecullen Bridge, the lowest on the navigation, with 2.58 m of headroom over a width of 2.4 m: take down anything you have put up on the roof. Below Carlow Lock the river runs through farmland to Clogrennan's long side channel and the old mills at Milford. Stop for lunch at Leighlinbridge, where Waterways Ireland invites boaters to moor at the public quay beside the old bridge and the Black Castle. Bagenalstown has a lock in the town centre, a fine Italianate railway station and, from June to August, a heated outdoor pool by the river. We have no checked mooring there: confirm one with Barrowline, or stay at Leighlinbridge, 3 km upstream.

Seven locks today, and with day 7 the longest leg of the trip at about four and a half hours. The valley deepens, with the Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Leinster to the east and Brandon Hill to the west. Pause at Goresbridge, by its nine-arch granite bridge of 1756, for the Goodly Barrow café and waterways museum in an old canal store, and stock up in the village: the towpath beyond has no services. Borris Lock lies in a side cut below the woods of Borris Demesne, with the granite estate village of Borris and its sixteen-arch railway viaduct up the hill. We have no checked mooring at Borris: confirm the berth with Barrowline.

The finest day of the trip. At Clashganny Lock the river pours over curved weirs in a wooded gorge; in summer there are swimmers and canoes, so go slowly and keep strictly to the lock cut. Ballykeenan, the deepest lock and the only double chamber on the Barrow, leads down to Graiguenamanagh, whose public harbour and Duiske Abbey make the best lunch stop. After Carriglead, the oldest lock on the river, comes St Mullins Lock, the last; below it the Barrow is tidal. Hire boats may not pass the red markers that set their limits, so ask Barrowline whether you may lock down to the quay at St Mullins, about a kilometre below, or where to stay above the lock.

Take the morning for St Mullins. St Moling founded a monastery here in the seventh century, and its graveyard keeps the ruins of several churches, the stump of a round tower and a carved high cross beside a Norman motte. The Mullicháin Café in the old grain store opens from spring to autumn. Then back upstream through the gorge: after rain the current runs harder against you, so allow extra time and keep well clear of the weirs. Break the day at Graiguenamanagh, perhaps for the steep climb up Brandon Hill, before the evening at Borris, where again you should confirm the berth with Barrowline.

Back through seven locks to Bagenalstown, with time for a long lunch at Goresbridge, where a carved granite memorial recalls the rout of the militia guarding the bridge in June 1798; the village is better known now for its sport-horse sales. If you did not swim on the way down, Bagenalstown's heated pool by the river opens from June to August. As on day 3, confirm the night's berth with Barrowline, or go on to the public quay at Leighlinbridge.

An easy morning to Leighlinbridge, one of the prettiest villages on the river, for lunch at the Lord Bagenal Inn on the bank and a look at the bridge, said to date from 1320 and one of the oldest still in use in Europe. The physicist John Tyndall was born here. In the afternoon, Milford's islands and the long Clogrennan cut bring you back to Carlow. If you have the energy, Brownshill Dolmen, whose capstone is said to be the heaviest in Europe, lies 3 km east of the town. Agree the night's berth in Carlow with Barrowline, as on day 2.

Back up the quiet upper river through five locks. At Maganey the river spreads out under a long road bridge, near the site of a battle fought in 1642. At Levitstown the OPW gauge in the lock cut shows how the river is running, worth a glance in a dry summer, when the Barrow can be shallow. The 28th Lock lifts you back onto the canal at Athy; if you missed the Shackleton Experience on the way out, this is your chance. As on day 1, ask Barrowline where to moor in Athy.

A last gentle run north along the Barrow Line, through two locks, back to Vicarstown in about three hours. The Vicarstown Inn is a few steps from the water for a final meal, and walkers can follow the Barrow Way along the towpath you have just cruised. Barrowline wants its boats back before 09:00 on the morning you leave, so spend the last night at the base.