The Arigna Mines in County Roscommon in the north midlands of Ireland were exploited for over four hundred years to extract iron and coal. The village of Arigna was the centre of the industry, and the Miner’s Way and Historical Trail is a 118km-long figure-of-eight walking route that starts and ends at Arigna. The route is a varied one that manages to touch on three lakes, Lough Allen, Lough Arrow and Lough Key and crosses three low mountain ranges, Corry Mountain, the Curlew Mountains and the Bricklieve Mountains. Other attractions that may tempt walkers to linger along the way include the Arigna Mining Experience, an interpretative centre for the mines and their history, the 12th century Cistercian Boyle Abbey, and Carrowkeel Neolithic cemetery, which consists of fourteen passage graves topped by stone cairns dating from around 3,000 BC. The route is a complex one that requires constant vigilance for waymarks. Many of the entrances to the old network of underground mines remain open on the hillsides around: they are dangerous and should be avoided. The terrain on the route consists mainly of a variety of quiet tarmac roads, paths across fields, open (and often wet) moorland and forestry paths. The aggregate ascent over the entire route is about 2,600 metres. Overnight accommodation is good in the area.
Saothraíodh Mianaigh na hAirgní i gContae Ros Comáin i lár-réigiún thuaidh na hÉireann le breis agus ceithre chéad bliain chun iarann agus gual a thochailt. Ba í sráidbhaile na hAirgní lár an tionscail, agus is bealach siúlóide figiúr-a-hocht 118km ar fad é Bealach an Mhianadóra agus an Conair Stariúil a thosaíonn agus a chríochnaíonn ag an Airgnigh. Tá trí loch ar an mbealach, Loch Aillionn, Loch Arbhach agus Loch Cé agus a thrasnaíonn sé trí shliabhraon ísle, Sliabh an Choire, an Corrshliabh agus an Bricshliabh. I measc na nithe is díol spéise do shiúlóiri fanacht ar an mbealach tá Eispéireas Mianadóireachta na hAirgní, ionad léirmhíniúcháin maidir leis na mianaigh agus a stair, Mainistir Cistéirseach na Búille ón 12ú haois, agus reilig Neoiliteach na Ceathrún Caoile, ina bhfuil ceithre thuama pasáiste déag agus cairn chloiche ar a mbarr ó timpeall 3,000 R.Ch. Tá an bealach casta agus ní mór a bheith ag faire amach do mharcanna slí i gcónaí. Tá go leor de na bealaí isteach chuig an seanghréasán de mhianaigh faoi thalamh fós oscailte ar thaobh an chnoic: tá siad contúirteach agus ba chóir iad a sheachaint. Tá an tír-raon comhdhéanta go príomha de bhóithre tarmac ciúine, cosáin a thrasnaíonn páirceanna, móinteach oscailte (a bhíonn fliuch go minic) agus cosáin foraoiseachta. Is ionann an dreapadh iomlán agus thart ar 2,600 méadar. Tá lóistín maith thaor oíche le fáil sa cheantar.