The Ireland Walking Guide
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Walking holidays, vacations and staycations in Ireland

Home  »  Extra  »  General Information  »

Walking holidays in Ireland

​Ireland offers an abundance of walking opportunities and is an ideal activity holiday destination for recreational walkers of all abilities. Whether you're a local in need of a weekend break or a visitor from overseas planning a multi-week outdoor adventure, the pointers below will help you make the most of your Irish walking holiday / vacation / staycation.

Find places to walk in Ireland

The Ireland Walking Guide lists more than 1,000 different walking locations throughout the thirty-two counties. These include parkland, woodland, beaches, islands and upland locations. For each county, we have also created dedicated 'home' page to showcase all the local walking opportunities available. If you are planning to walk any of Ireland's long distance National Waymarked Trails, you can find the necessary links on our trails page.

  • Where to walk

Buy a walking guidebook

There is a good selection of Irish walking guidebooks available in bookshops, outdoor stores and from online retailers. Some of these guidebooks focus on specific walking regions while others provide all-Ireland coverage.

  • Irish Walking Guide books

Hire a local walking guide

While the services offered by a walking guide is considerably more expensive than buying a guidebook, hiring one of these local experts is probably the best way to gain a thorough understanding of your chosen holiday destination.

  • Irish Guided Walk Providers

Attend a walking festival

Walking festivals are a great low-cost way to explore the Irish countryside under the guidance of local walk leaders. These events, usually hosted by walking clubs and communities, offer a variety of walks and social activities.

  • Irish Walking Events

Bring the right gear

Pack everything you need so you can deal with whatever weather Ireland throws at you during your holiday. It is advisable to always be prepared for rain when walking in Ireland.

  • Clothing & Equipment

Consider Transport Options

Ireland's cities and towns are generally well connected by regular bus and train services. In the countryside, however, a car is usually the best mode of transport.

  • Rent a car in Ireland
  • Rent a campervan in Ireland

Find Accommodation

Make the most of your walking days by staying close to where you'll be walking. This will reduce the amount of travel needed to get to your walk start point, and also allows you to get some valuable local knowledge from the accommodation provider.

  • Accommodation Providers

Prepare yourself

Find out some background information about walking in Ireland.

  • Knowledge & Skills
  • Countryside Etiquette
  • Visitor facilities

Shortcuts & bookmarks

If you find yourself returning to any particular page on this website, we recommend creating a shortcut on your device and a bookmark in your internet browser. These will give you much quicker access to the Irish walk-related information you need. For full details, including step-by-step instructions, please visit our "Shortcuts & bookmarks" page.
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​The Ireland Walking Guide is a privately-funded non-commercial project originally created by hillwalker and map enthusiast Kieron Gribbon in 2012. The website is now part of Donard Media's expanding portfolio of online projects.

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Copyright © Donard Media 2012 – 2021

  • COVID-19
  • Where to walk
    • Browse counties
    • Walking areas >
      • Upland areas
      • Coastal areas
    • Walking locations >
      • Parks, gardens & estates
      • Forests & woodland >
        • Forest parks
      • Beaches
      • Islands
      • Mountain & hill summits >
        • All mountain summits
        • The Dillons
        • The Irish Hewitts
        • The Slievemores
      • High Points
    • Walking trails
  • Initiatives
    • Social media initiatives >
      • Ireland Walking Today
      • Ireland Walking Memories
      • Walk Every Day
    • Monthly themes >
      • January Beach Walk
      • February Group Walk
      • March First Walk
      • April Favourite Walk
      • May Parkland Walk
      • June Upland Walk
      • July Island Walk
      • August Way Walk
      • September Water Walk
      • October Woodland Walk
      • November Trig Walk
      • December Family Walk
    • All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships >
      • Individuals Championship
      • Clubs Championship
      • Counties Championship
      • Provinces Championship
    • All-Ireland Mountain Race
    • Highpointeering
    • Ireland Walking Awards >
      • Irish Upland Area of the Year
      • Irish Coastal Area of the Year
      • Irish Parkland of the Year
      • Irish Woodland of the Year
      • Irish Beach of the Year
      • Irish Island of the Year
      • Irish Mountain of the Year
      • Irish Walking Trail of the Year
      • Irish Walking Guide Book of the Year
      • Irish Map of the Year
    • Ireland Walking Survey >
      • Ireland Walking Award Winners
      • Ireland Walking Participation Report
    • Collaborative projects
  • Community
    • Irish walking clubs
    • Irish walking guides
    • Irish walking events >
      • Walking festivals
      • Challenge walks
      • Charity walks
    • Participation initiatives
    • Environmental initiatives
    • Local communities
    • Skills training services
    • Mountain Rescue Ireland
    • Charities
    • Local councils
    • Landowners
    • Outdoor sports shops
    • Events companies
    • Accommodation
    • Food & Drink
    • Transport
    • Authors, publishers & bookshops >
      • Guide book authors
      • Guide book publishers
      • Map publishers
      • Bookshops
    • Recommended websites
    • Recommended apps
    • High Point Ireland
    • Social media
    • Outdoor magazines
    • Outdoor sports brands
    • Backpack snacks >
      • Nüdest Foods
  • Publications
    • Guide books
    • Maps >
      • EastWest Mappping
      • OSNI 1:25,000 Activity
      • OSNI 1:50,000 Discoverer
      • OSi 1:25,000 Adventure
      • OSi 1:50,000 Discovery
      • Harvey Maps Superwalker
  • Extra
    • About >
      • Contact
      • Terms & conditions >
        • Terms & conditions for advertisers
    • Our news
    • General Information >
      • Clothing & equipment
      • Knowledge & skills
      • Countryside etiquette
      • Walking holidays in Ireland
      • Gift ideas for walkers
    • Shortcuts & bookmarks
    • Downloads >
      • Wall calendars
    • Our other websites >
      • The Ireland Travel Guide
      • The Ireland Sightseeing Guide
      • High Point Ireland