Belvedere House, Gardens and ParkA hunting lodge above Lough Ennell, with walled gardens and a large false ruin built in the grounds purely to block a view.
An Iarmhí
Westmeath
Four big lakes, a greenway across the middle, and Fore.
- Leinster
- 20 places
- 5 events in the next 30 days
- 9 more listings
The list
Top 10 things to do in Westmeath
Westmeath is four big lakes, a flat greenway straight across the middle of it and the abbey at Fore in its own narrow valley. Athlone sits on the Shannon at the western edge with the castle on the west bank. These are the ten we would start with, with ten more underneath them.
Belvedere House, Gardens and ParkA hunting lodge above Lough Ennell, with walled gardens and a large false ruin built in the grounds purely to block a view.
Athlone CastleA Norman castle sits on the west bank of the Shannon in the middle of Athlone, run as a museum.
Fore AbbeyA Benedictine abbey and church ruins fill a narrow valley, with local curiosities around them known as the seven wonders.
Tullynally Castle GardensHouse and gardens · CastlepollardThe Gothic revival house near Castlepollard is a large one, with woodland gardens and a walled garden open to walk.
Kilbeggan DistilleryDistillery or brewery · KilbegganKilbeggan's distillery is a small one on the river, and the tour takes in a working water wheel and pot stills.- Hill of UisneachViewpoint · BallymoreUisneach is taken as the symbolic centre of Ireland, with a large split boulder near the top.
Lough ReeLake · AthloneThe lake widens out on the Shannon north of Athlone, with islands, harbours and boats on it the whole summer.
Lough EnnellLake · MullingarLough Ennell sits south of Mullingar with a beach at Lilliput, and a shore walk comes down to it from Belvedere.
Lough DerravaraghLake · CastlepollardThe lake runs long and narrow under Knockeyon, and the story of the Children of Lir is set on it.
Lough OwelLake · MullingarClear limestone water just north of Mullingar, with a small island in it holding an early church site.
Show 10 more
Old Rail Trail GreenwayGreenway · Athlone to MullingarForty kilometres of path on the old Dublin to Galway railway line, flat the whole way across the county.
AthloneTown · AthloneThe Shannon splits the town in two, and the castle, the bridge and the old quarter are all on the west bank.- MullingarTown · MullingarMullingar sits between Lough Owel and Lough Ennell, with the Royal Canal running through it.
GlassonVillage · GlassonStone buildings north of Athlone, a short walk in from the Lough Ree shore.
Cathedral of Christ the KingCathedral · MullingarTwo square towers of 1930s cathedral standing over the middle of Mullingar.
Multyfarnham FriaryAbbey · MultyfarnhamThe Franciscan friary sits beside the river in the village, with outdoor Stations of the Cross through the grounds.
Mullaghmeen ForestForest · CastlepollardEurope's largest planted beech wood sits on the Meath border, with trails going up to the summit.
Luan GalleryMuseum · AthloneThe public gallery is built out over the Shannon beside the town bridge.
TyrrellspassVillage · TyrrellspassThe village was built as a crescent of houses around a green, with a castle at one end of it.- Dun na Si Amenity and Heritage ParkPark · MoateThe heritage park outside Moate has a reconstructed ringfort, a mass rock and walking trails.
Where they are
Tap a pin to open the place.
15 of the 20 places are on the map. The rest are listed above.
What’s on in Westmeath
Coming up, soonest first.
Saturday 10th October
Sunday 11th October
Thursday 22nd October
Saturday 24th October
- Sat24 OctAbbey Blooms After Dark - The Enchanted GardenAbbey Blooms Botanical Gardens & Café · Multyfarnham24 to 31 October
- Sat24 OctAndean Alpacas Pumpkin Carving & Halloween ExperienceAndean Alpacas24 to 31 October
- Sat24 OctBelvedere Day Time Halloween Trail & Samhain Circus SpectacleBelvedere House & Gardens · Mullingar24 to 25 October
- Sat24 OctSamhain - The Spooktacular SummoningDún Na Sí Amenity & Heritage Park · Moate24 to 25 October
- Sat24 OctSamhain After Dark at BelvedereBelvedere House Gardens & Park · Mullingar24 to 25 October
Towns
Towns with enough in and around them for a page of their own.
More to see in Westmeath
9 more places from Fáilte Ireland’s own listings, each linked to its official site.
- Carmel Rooney ArtGallery · AthloneCarmel Rooney is a professional artist who creates paintings of historical buildings in a working studio at the back of her shop.
- Devine Art StudiosGallery · CrookedwoodDevine Art Studios provide art and craft workshops, art retreats and wellness retreats.
- Dún na Sí Amenity & Heritage ParkMuseum · MoateDún na Sí Amenity & Heritage Park is a cultural and recreational site whose name means ‘fort of the fairies’.
- Áras an Mhuilinn Regional Comhaltas CentreLiterary site · MullingarÁras an Mhuilinn, situated on Mount Street in Mullingar, County Westmeath, is a cultural facility in which traditional music, dance and Irish language classes are run on a weekly basis.
- Mollie Moo’s Pet FarmVisitor farm · MullingarMollie Moo’s Pet Farm in County Westmeath, is a wonderful day out for families, groups and school tours.
- The Chimera GalleryGallery · MullingarA art gallery representing international, national and young up and coming artists.
- MullaghmeenForest park · OldcastleMullaghmeen in north Westmeath is the largest planted beech forest in Ireland.
- Fore DistilleryMuseum · Westmeath
- St Brigid's Well & ShrineAttraction · WestmeathSt Brigid's Well & Shrine is an historic well associated with St Brigid which is located in Mullingar, County Westmeath.
Getting to Westmeath
- By air
- Dublin Airport
- By rail
- Stations at Athlone and Mullingar, on the Dublin to Galway, Dublin to Sligo line.
- By road
- The M6, M4, N4 and N55.
Questions
What are the best things to do in Westmeath?
Our top three are Belvedere House, Gardens and Park, Athlone Castle and Fore Abbey. The full list of twenty is at the top of this page, and every place on it has a page of its own.
What can you do in Westmeath for free?
Walks, beaches and open ground cost nothing to visit. On our list that includes <a href="/things-to-do/westmeath/hill-of-uisneach/">Hill of Uisneach</a>, <a href="/things-to-do/westmeath/old-rail-trail-greenway/">Old Rail Trail Greenway</a>, <a href="/things-to-do/westmeath/mullaghmeen-forest/">Mullaghmeen Forest</a> and <a href="/things-to-do/westmeath/dun-na-si-amenity-and-heritage-park/">Dun na Si Amenity and Heritage Park</a>. Check parking and access with the place before you go.
What is on in Westmeath?
22 events are listed in Westmeath over the coming weeks, from festivals to markets and gigs. See them all.
