Great places to go in Ireland
The Mountains of Mourne
This granite range in the north-eastern section of the island south of Belfast is not very large, but the scenery is especially lovely, with good views, sapphire lakes, and rugged gray rocks. The principal peak of the group, 2,796-foot Slieve Donard, stands out as a particularly good climb, both for its relative ease and its attractiveness, especially when approached from the town of Newcastle. On fine clear days, it's possible to see the Isle of Man, the peaks of the English Lake District, the mountains of Wales, and Scotland's islands.
Those with a full day to spare should walk along the ridge to 2,448-foot Slieve Binnian, to see the aptly named Silent Valley and its reservoir, the source of Belfast's water supply, and, beyond it, lonely little Lough Shannagh. Other good hikes include the ascents of 2,394-foot Slieve Bearnagh and of 2,512-foot Slieve Commedagh.
The big challenge in the Mournes is to walk the wall that delineates the Belfast Water Supply catchment area, which in fact takes in all the major summits.
The creation of a Round Ireland Trail, with a number of sections and spur paths, is a plank in the development platform of the Republic's National Sports Council, which has set up a Long Distance Walking Routes Committee (LDWRC) to promote development of long distance footpaths.
Hiking in Ireland
It is possible to take day hikes along any of these (though it may be difficult to get a bus back to the starting point), but the more ambitious can also plan a multi-day walk, with overnights in hostels, bed and breakfast establishments, and guesthouses not far from the trail or, having asked in advance, camp on local farms.
Note that many of the trails run for considerable distances through state forests, where camping and fires are strictly forbidden.The most interesting treks are listed below in the order they are encountered along the Round Ireland Trail.
Wicklow Way Dublin Ireland
This 80-mile trek contours the east side of the Wicklow Mountains, then wanders among the smaller hills in the south part of County Dublin, passing through many beautiful valleys, most notably Luggala; Powerscourt, known for its waterfall; and Glendalough, whose monastic ruins are described in Ancient Monuments and Ruins.
The route then proceeds through lush mature forests over the spurs of the mountains, with fine panoramas of hills and the Irish Sea. The Dublin Way, which crosses the Dublin mountains from east to west and joins the Wicklow Way, offers another diversion. Because both of these run close to Dublin, they are the most frequented of the Irish trails, and good accommodations, including several youth hostels, are within easy reach.
South Leinster Way
Beginning just 4 miles from the end of the Wicklow Way, thIs 58mile footpath climbs via forest tracks over the shoulder of Mount Leinster at the 1,500foot level, to expose vistas over Wexford to the east and the beautiful river Barrow Valley straight ahead.
To make the most of the beautiful hikes and trails around Ireland, it is worth hiring a car from the airport in Ireland and taking your time to follow the walking trails around the country.
The trail then descends to the river and follows the riverside towpath for a few miles to Graiguenamanagh, a picturesque market town that is the site of a 13th-century Cistercian abbey. At Graiguenamanagh, it begins climbing agam, over the shoulder of Brandon Hill, and thence proceeds over byroads and forest footpaths to the river Nore, at Inistioge, and on to Carrick-on-Suir.
Burren Way County Clare
Covering a distance of 14 miles around the rugged, almost lunar, landscape of County Clare, this is the newest of Ireland's sign-posted walking trails. The route starts near the Atlantic coast, north of Doolin and slightly west of Lisdoonvarna, and stretches by the valley of Oughtdarra and Ballyryan.
It then gently climbs to the uplands of Ballynahown, joining the Green Road through the highlands of the Burren, with its sheets of limestone and shale-covered hills. Next comes the contrasts of the Caher Valley, the Feenagh Valley, and the Rathborney River, ending at Ballyvaughan on the southern slopes of Galway Bay.
The path takes in many sights that are indigenous to the Burren: vast stretches of limestone, massive beds of granite, rock pavements, karst land, clints (horizontal slabs), grikes (vertical fissures), caverns and caves, ruined castles, and cliff forts, as well as wildlife, birds, and flora representing a mix of Arctic, Alpine, and Mediterranean species.
East Munster Trail
The towpath on the river Suir takes this 36-mile trail as far as Clonmel, where it continues via forest trails and byroads to the end of the Comeragh range and into the pleasant, peaceful Nier Valley.After crossing the Nier, the trail rambles through the woods on the northern side of the Knockmealdown Mountains, affording lovely views of the Galtee Mountains to the northwest, then climbs the aptly named Vee Gap, and finally descends through the woods.
Kerry Way Ireland
This 36-mile stretch of footpath cuts south through the Muckross National Park, past the celebrated lakes of Killarney, to Tore Mountain, an unrivaled viewpoint over the MacGillicuddy Reeks, and then follows the old Kenmare road, now unused, for a few miles before crossing into the remote Black Valley, immediately underneath the reeks. The trail is almost entirely on old Mass paths as it travels westward below the reeks to the rarely visited Bridia Valley and on to Glencar.
There it crosses the valley by road and forest path, supplying hikers with good views of Caragh Lake, and then climbs over Windy Gap to descend to Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry. Here the adventurous can pick up the trail of the disused railway line that goes almost to Cahirciveen; otherwise, the RoundIreland Trail has a big gap.
Western Way County Mayo
From its starting point, an angling center, this 58-mile walk follows the shores of giant Lough Corrib, past one of the few remaining virgin forests in the west of the country, with fine panoramas of the lake's wooded north shore, before plunging into the mountains of Connemara. Ascending only to about 800 feet, the trail does not attain any great altitude, but the feel is definitely alpine as it winds between the bare quartzite peaks of the Maumturks and Twelve Bens before descending to the narrow mountain-fringed Killary Harbour.
From Lenane, near the head of this inlet, the trail heads up the ErriffValley and then through the South Mayo mountains, over the shore of the Sheffry Hills toward Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain. Beyond the ridge to its east, island speckled Clew Bay is straight ahead. Then the route turns east and travels along side roads to reach another angling center, Westport.
Ulster Way County Donegal
Connecting to the Ulster Way at the border town and famous pilgrimage center of Pettigo, this 62-mile trail traverses countryside that is significantly more remote than that of other trails definitely not for the inexperienced. It begins by skirting holy Lough Derg, where anglers reel in bountiful creels and thousands of pilgrims fast and pray in a cavern on Station Island every summer, then passes beautiful Lough Eske, and steers a careful course over the eastern side of the Blue Stack Mountains. Passing through the Glendowan Mountains, it descends to Glenveagh, crosses by the Poisoned Glen to Dunlewy, and climbs over the shoulder of Errigal before descending past Altan Lough to Falcarragh on the north coast. Accommodations are not plentiful, so take a tent.
Slieve Bloom Way
This 32 mile long route makes a circuit of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, which rise out of the Central Plain between Portlaoise and Tullamore, on the border of County Laois.
The route can be followed in whole or in part through the beautiful wooded valleys and glens of this range, which seems quite grand, despite its rather insignificant height (about 1,700 feet), because of the flat terrain all around. It is also possible to link up with the Kildare Trails, which largely follow the towpaths of the Grand Canal and its branches.
The Ulster Way around Northern Ireland
The 500-mile circle of Northern Ireland takes in some of Ireland's finest scenery, including the coast and glens of County AntrIm, with the magnificent Atlantic coast cliffs and bays, the Giant's Causeway, the Spernn Mountains, the Fermanagh Lakeland, the Mourne Mountains, and St. Patrick Country, rich in legend and antiquities.
From Belfast, the route winds through the quiet wooded valley of the river Lagan. In addition, the trail connects with several in the Republic: the wild and remote 62 mile-Iong Ulster Way in Donegal (with a junction at Pettigo); the 16 mile-long Cavan Way, short but varied and beautiful (intersecting Blacklion, County Fermanagh); and the circular Tain Trail, a 19-mile circle through the historic Carlingford Peninsula (with an unwaymarked link to the Ulster Trail at Uewry, County Down).
Wherever you want to start your walking tour of Ireland, it is worth pre-booking a hire car from Dublin, Galway, Cork, Shannon or Knock Airport to pick up when you arrive in Ireland. Airport car hire can be picked up from the terminal building, and by pre-booking you will save time and money when you arrive.
This granite range in the north-eastern section of the island south of Belfast is not very large, but the scenery is especially lovely, with good views, sapphire lakes, and rugged gray rocks. The principal peak of the group, 2,796-foot Slieve Donard, stands out as a particularly good climb, both for its relative ease and its attractiveness, especially when approached from the town of Newcastle. On fine clear days, it's possible to see the Isle of Man, the peaks of the English Lake District, the mountains of Wales, and Scotland's islands.
Those with a full day to spare should walk along the ridge to 2,448-foot Slieve Binnian, to see the aptly named Silent Valley and its reservoir, the source of Belfast's water supply, and, beyond it, lonely little Lough Shannagh. Other good hikes include the ascents of 2,394-foot Slieve Bearnagh and of 2,512-foot Slieve Commedagh.
The big challenge in the Mournes is to walk the wall that delineates the Belfast Water Supply catchment area, which in fact takes in all the major summits.
The creation of a Round Ireland Trail, with a number of sections and spur paths, is a plank in the development platform of the Republic's National Sports Council, which has set up a Long Distance Walking Routes Committee (LDWRC) to promote development of long distance footpaths.
Hiking in Ireland
It is possible to take day hikes along any of these (though it may be difficult to get a bus back to the starting point), but the more ambitious can also plan a multi-day walk, with overnights in hostels, bed and breakfast establishments, and guesthouses not far from the trail or, having asked in advance, camp on local farms.
Note that many of the trails run for considerable distances through state forests, where camping and fires are strictly forbidden.The most interesting treks are listed below in the order they are encountered along the Round Ireland Trail.
Wicklow Way Dublin Ireland
This 80-mile trek contours the east side of the Wicklow Mountains, then wanders among the smaller hills in the south part of County Dublin, passing through many beautiful valleys, most notably Luggala; Powerscourt, known for its waterfall; and Glendalough, whose monastic ruins are described in Ancient Monuments and Ruins.
The route then proceeds through lush mature forests over the spurs of the mountains, with fine panoramas of hills and the Irish Sea. The Dublin Way, which crosses the Dublin mountains from east to west and joins the Wicklow Way, offers another diversion. Because both of these run close to Dublin, they are the most frequented of the Irish trails, and good accommodations, including several youth hostels, are within easy reach.
South Leinster Way
Beginning just 4 miles from the end of the Wicklow Way, thIs 58mile footpath climbs via forest tracks over the shoulder of Mount Leinster at the 1,500foot level, to expose vistas over Wexford to the east and the beautiful river Barrow Valley straight ahead.
To make the most of the beautiful hikes and trails around Ireland, it is worth hiring a car from the airport in Ireland and taking your time to follow the walking trails around the country.
The trail then descends to the river and follows the riverside towpath for a few miles to Graiguenamanagh, a picturesque market town that is the site of a 13th-century Cistercian abbey. At Graiguenamanagh, it begins climbing agam, over the shoulder of Brandon Hill, and thence proceeds over byroads and forest footpaths to the river Nore, at Inistioge, and on to Carrick-on-Suir.
Burren Way County Clare
Covering a distance of 14 miles around the rugged, almost lunar, landscape of County Clare, this is the newest of Ireland's sign-posted walking trails. The route starts near the Atlantic coast, north of Doolin and slightly west of Lisdoonvarna, and stretches by the valley of Oughtdarra and Ballyryan.
It then gently climbs to the uplands of Ballynahown, joining the Green Road through the highlands of the Burren, with its sheets of limestone and shale-covered hills. Next comes the contrasts of the Caher Valley, the Feenagh Valley, and the Rathborney River, ending at Ballyvaughan on the southern slopes of Galway Bay.
The path takes in many sights that are indigenous to the Burren: vast stretches of limestone, massive beds of granite, rock pavements, karst land, clints (horizontal slabs), grikes (vertical fissures), caverns and caves, ruined castles, and cliff forts, as well as wildlife, birds, and flora representing a mix of Arctic, Alpine, and Mediterranean species.
East Munster Trail
The towpath on the river Suir takes this 36-mile trail as far as Clonmel, where it continues via forest trails and byroads to the end of the Comeragh range and into the pleasant, peaceful Nier Valley.After crossing the Nier, the trail rambles through the woods on the northern side of the Knockmealdown Mountains, affording lovely views of the Galtee Mountains to the northwest, then climbs the aptly named Vee Gap, and finally descends through the woods.
Kerry Way Ireland
This 36-mile stretch of footpath cuts south through the Muckross National Park, past the celebrated lakes of Killarney, to Tore Mountain, an unrivaled viewpoint over the MacGillicuddy Reeks, and then follows the old Kenmare road, now unused, for a few miles before crossing into the remote Black Valley, immediately underneath the reeks. The trail is almost entirely on old Mass paths as it travels westward below the reeks to the rarely visited Bridia Valley and on to Glencar.
There it crosses the valley by road and forest path, supplying hikers with good views of Caragh Lake, and then climbs over Windy Gap to descend to Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry. Here the adventurous can pick up the trail of the disused railway line that goes almost to Cahirciveen; otherwise, the RoundIreland Trail has a big gap.
Western Way County Mayo
From its starting point, an angling center, this 58-mile walk follows the shores of giant Lough Corrib, past one of the few remaining virgin forests in the west of the country, with fine panoramas of the lake's wooded north shore, before plunging into the mountains of Connemara. Ascending only to about 800 feet, the trail does not attain any great altitude, but the feel is definitely alpine as it winds between the bare quartzite peaks of the Maumturks and Twelve Bens before descending to the narrow mountain-fringed Killary Harbour.
From Lenane, near the head of this inlet, the trail heads up the ErriffValley and then through the South Mayo mountains, over the shore of the Sheffry Hills toward Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain. Beyond the ridge to its east, island speckled Clew Bay is straight ahead. Then the route turns east and travels along side roads to reach another angling center, Westport.
Ulster Way County Donegal
Connecting to the Ulster Way at the border town and famous pilgrimage center of Pettigo, this 62-mile trail traverses countryside that is significantly more remote than that of other trails definitely not for the inexperienced. It begins by skirting holy Lough Derg, where anglers reel in bountiful creels and thousands of pilgrims fast and pray in a cavern on Station Island every summer, then passes beautiful Lough Eske, and steers a careful course over the eastern side of the Blue Stack Mountains. Passing through the Glendowan Mountains, it descends to Glenveagh, crosses by the Poisoned Glen to Dunlewy, and climbs over the shoulder of Errigal before descending past Altan Lough to Falcarragh on the north coast. Accommodations are not plentiful, so take a tent.
Slieve Bloom Way
This 32 mile long route makes a circuit of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, which rise out of the Central Plain between Portlaoise and Tullamore, on the border of County Laois.
The route can be followed in whole or in part through the beautiful wooded valleys and glens of this range, which seems quite grand, despite its rather insignificant height (about 1,700 feet), because of the flat terrain all around. It is also possible to link up with the Kildare Trails, which largely follow the towpaths of the Grand Canal and its branches.
The Ulster Way around Northern Ireland
The 500-mile circle of Northern Ireland takes in some of Ireland's finest scenery, including the coast and glens of County AntrIm, with the magnificent Atlantic coast cliffs and bays, the Giant's Causeway, the Spernn Mountains, the Fermanagh Lakeland, the Mourne Mountains, and St. Patrick Country, rich in legend and antiquities.
From Belfast, the route winds through the quiet wooded valley of the river Lagan. In addition, the trail connects with several in the Republic: the wild and remote 62 mile-Iong Ulster Way in Donegal (with a junction at Pettigo); the 16 mile-long Cavan Way, short but varied and beautiful (intersecting Blacklion, County Fermanagh); and the circular Tain Trail, a 19-mile circle through the historic Carlingford Peninsula (with an unwaymarked link to the Ulster Trail at Uewry, County Down).
Wherever you want to start your walking tour of Ireland, it is worth pre-booking a hire car from Dublin, Galway, Cork, Shannon or Knock Airport to pick up when you arrive in Ireland. Airport car hire can be picked up from the terminal building, and by pre-booking you will save time and money when you arrive.
Labels: Kerry Way Ireland, Ulster Way around Northern Ireland
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