Glaslough Guided Walking Heritage Trails

Glaslough is one of the best-preserved estate villages in Ulster, built up around the Leslie family’s demesne, and its Tidy Towns group runs a free guided walk through it twice a week across the summer. The tour covers roughly 2km of the village’s stone terraces and the approach to Castle Leslie, tying the buildings back to the families and trades that shaped them, rather than leaving visitors to work it out from a leaflet.

What to expect

Guides walk the group through the village’s history, covering the Leslie family, Glaslough’s life as a market and estate village, the railway’s role in connecting rural Monaghan to wider trade, and the social contrast between life upstairs and downstairs in a great house. A self-guided version of the same route also exists as a free downloadable app, built with Monaghan County Council, covering ten points of interest for anyone who wants to walk it outside the Friday and Saturday slots. The guided version adds local knowledge and stories the information panels do not carry, and it draws a steady mix of day visitors and walking groups through the summer months. Group bookings are available on other days of the week by arrangement with the organisers.

Getting there

Glaslough village is about 10km northeast of Monaghan town on the R185, with parking around the village centre. The walk is entirely on foot and finishes near the entrance to the Castle Leslie estate.

While you’re in Glaslough

Castle Leslie’s grounds are worth extending the visit for, and the village itself has cafes and shops within a short walk of the trail. There is more to see in Glaslough and across Co. Monaghan.

Good to know

• Date and time: Fridays and Saturdays at 4pm
• Venue: Glaslough village, Co. Monaghan
• Price: Free
• Recurrence: weekly, Fridays and Saturdays, June to August 2026; group tours other days by arrangement
• Booking: contact Glaslough Tidy Towns directly to arrange a group visit or check a specific date