Navan – River Trails, Culture and Experiences

Navan lies at the confluence of the Rivers Boyne and Blackwater. The town offers a range of options for your trip: you can explore riverside paths, plan a historical town walk, enjoy culture at the Solstice Arts Centre, or choose cycling and walking routes.

River Trails and Outdoor Routes

The Boyne Ramparts Walk follows the old canal towpath along the river. Along the way, you can spot kingfishers, moorhens, otters and herons. If you’re interested in a waterside walk, this route offers a direct connection to Navan’s river landscape. The wildlife mentioned also gives the walk a distinctive nature-focused perspective, different from travelling along a longer route.

For walkers and cyclists, the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway follows the route of a former railway line from Navan in County Meath to Kingscourt in County Cavan. The route is 30 km long in total. A shorter section runs from Blackwater Park in Navan to Gibbstown Station and measures 3.7 km.

Blackwater Park also offers a distinct experience: a Story Trail has been set up there. The Blackwater Park Scéal Trail invites you to read a book, listen to songs and sing along. So, alongside the longer routes, the park offers activities centred on stories and music.

Just outside the town of Navan is Navan Adventure Centre, an outdoor adventure park with a wide range of activities in the Boyne Valley in County Meath. Along with the river trails and Greenway, it offers another reason to plan your stay around the activities you want to enjoy. If you’re travelling with other people, you can consider whether you’d like your days to focus mainly on exercise, wildlife watching or a mix of different experiences.

Culture and Special Events

The Solstice Arts Centre has a 320-seat theatre, a cinema with a digital 4K Sony projector and Dolby surround sound, and three gallery spaces. There is also a studio area, a foyer and a café. The centre hosts numerous arts and cultural events throughout the year and develops an international programme of performing and visual arts. For culture-minded travellers, Navan offers an alternative to days spent mainly outdoors.

The Navan Points of Pride Town Walk, a 4 km historical town walk, also starts at the Solstice Arts Centre. If you’re interested in Navan’s history, you can include this walk as a distinct part of your trip. Its set starting point and stated length make it a clearly defined option alongside the longer routes for walkers and cyclists.

Another recurring event is the Navan Racing Festival, held every November at Navan Racecourse. The festival includes the Troytown Chase, the Fortria Chase and the Lismullen Hurdle. If you’d like to plan a stay around this event, November is the relevant time; the other nature and culture offerings mentioned provide independent themes for your trip.

Bus Services and Suitable Accommodation

Navan’s local bus routes are NV1 and NV2. The NV1 runs between Gainstown and Dunville, and the NV2 between Gainstown and Blackcastle. The regional NX bus service also connects Navan to Dublin via Blanchardstown. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Navan, these services may help you decide which destinations you’d like to reach during your stay.

More local pages: Dunsany, Kilbride, Summerhill, Athboy, An Seanchaisleán, Dun Buinne, Donore and Stamullin.

For the broader travel overview: County Meath.