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heritage · Wednesday 5 August 2026 · 10:00am 
Heritage Trail Walk - Naas Environs
At Starting point: Naas town center · Main Street, Naas, Co. Kildare
At Starting point: Naas town center · Main Street, Naas, Co. Kildare
Naas has a lot of history packed into a compact town, and this guided walk from the Naas Heritage Group is one of the better ways to get at it. The route covers roughly five kilometres on mostly flat ground around the town’s environs, taking in archaeological sites, remnants of historic settlements, and the natural features that shaped the area over centuries. It suits anyone with a passing interest in local history - you do not need to be a specialist, just prepared to walk at a gentle pace for a couple of hours and listen.
The walk departs from the town centre and heads out into the wider Naas landscape, where layers of Irish history sit close together. The area around Naas was, for centuries, the seat of the Kings of Leinster - the Moat of Naas, a raised earthwork from the early Celtic period, rivals the Hill of Tara in its importance as a royal assembly place. The Anglo-Normans later repurposed the mound as a motte-and-bailey fortification, so there is real depth to even a single site.
The guide draws on local knowledge to give context to what you are looking at - land use patterns, how settlements shifted, and the cultural significance of features that might otherwise pass without notice. The route can take in remnants of the medieval walled town, older ecclesiastical sites, and canal-side heritage reflecting Naas’s position as a market town on the edge of the Pale.
Naas is the county town of Kildare and easy to reach from Dublin - it sits on the N7/M7 corridor, about 30 kilometres south-west of the city. Bus Eireann and Dublin Coach both serve Naas regularly from Dublin city centre, with journey times of around 45 minutes depending on traffic. The meet point is Main Street, Naas town centre, which has public car parks within a short walk. Street parking is available on the outskirts.
The town has a good mix of independent cafes and pubs for a post-walk coffee or lunch. The Grand Canal towpath near the town makes for a calm stroll if you have extra time. There is more to see in Naas and across Co. Kildare.
Heading to Starting point: Naas town center in Naas? Kildare has plenty more to see. Read the Naas area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.