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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.
 

Places to walk


​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.
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Guide books & maps


There is a good selection of Irish walking guidebooks available in bookshops and outdoor stores. Some of these guidebooks focus on specific walking regions while others provide all-Ireland coverage. These retailers also stock general travel guide books and maps of Ireland and well as other non-fiction and fiction for you to read during your stay. Find out more about Irish guide books and maps by visiting the following pages.
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Local walking guides


​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. Those who are looking for clients are listed on the following page
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Walking festivals


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. Those which have been brought to our attention by their organisers are listed on the following page. Please note that open-invitation events will have limited numbers and may sell out fast.
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Clothing & equipment


​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. The following links will direct you to some useful advice on the clothing and equipment you will need for walking in Ireland and where you can buy it.
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Transport options


Overseas visitors generally arrive in Ireland via one of its nine airports or its six ferry ports. Ireland's cities and larger towns are generally well served and connected by regular public transport facilities. In the countryside, however, a car is usually the best mode of transport These can be hired at any airport and in some cities and towns. Local ferry services connect offshore islands to the mainland or provide shortcuts across sea inlets and river estuaries. Five domestic flights also operate in Ireland. Find out more via the following links.
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Places to stay


​Make the most of your walking days by staying close to where you'll be exploring. 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. We provide convenient county-based searches on our website. These can be accessed via the following link.
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Additional information


Find out some useful additional background information about walking in Ireland via the following links.
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Walking holidays in Ireland - Plan your Irish walking holiday / vacation / staycation / short break - The Ireland Walking Guide

Support us (at no cost)

Our website is a 100% free resource for all to view without having to pay any subscription fees or being asked for donations. We cover all the costs of running and maintaining the website ourselves on a voluntary basis. And we do all of this purely for our love of walking in Ireland. The long-term development strategy for The Ireland Walking Guide will continue to be implemented over the coming years and for as long as it takes until our strategic goals are achieved. Here are some zero-cost, zero-time ways in which you can support the ongoing development of The Ireland Walking Guide and its growing family of independent Irish information websites.
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Walking initiatives

We have developed the widest possible selection of meaningful initiatives to promote recreational walking in Ireland. These are delivered across The Ireland Walking Guide and High Point Ireland websites and range from monthly walking themes right through to the official All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships. We aim to deliver a consistent programme of initiatives every year on a recurring basis rather than a series of standalone one-off campaigns. Our "predictable" approach to participation initiatives means walkers always know what's coming up and have ample time to plan ahead. But why should you take part? Click here to find out...
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​The Ireland Walking Guide is the best and most user-friendly independently-owned Irish walking and hiking information website. If you are planning a day walk, a weekend of walking, a holiday or vacation in Ireland, make us the first stop resource for all your on-foot Irish adventures. 

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Disclaimer

Please be aware that recreational walking in the great outdoors can be a risk activity. The Ireland Walking Guide and Donard Media (the website's publisher) accept no responsibility for any injury, loss or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this website. Personal safety is entirely the participant's own responsibility.

The inclusion of walking routes, locations and geographical areas on this website is not an indication that access is permitted. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any specific piece of land in Ireland. Please note that upland areas and coastal areas indicated on this website are based purely on their geographical characteristics. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any of the upland areas and coastal areas illustrated on this website. Where local access restrictions exist (e.g. those indicated by "Private Property" signs, "No Trespassing" signs, etc), we strongly advise that you comply with the relevant landowner's wishes. The Ireland Walking Guide and Donard Media recommend that anyone planning to go walking in Ireland should check for potential access restrictions and to request permission from the relevant landowner(s) in advance.

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  • Where to walk
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  • Community
  • Walking Kit
  • Travel Guide
  • Extra
    • About >
      • Contact us
      • Follow us
      • Terms & conditions >
        • Terms & conditions for advertisers
    • Support us >
      • Bookmark us
      • Interact on social media
      • Use our affiliate links
      • Set up a link exchange
    • General Information >
      • Clothing & equipment
      • Knowledge & skills
      • Countryside etiquette
      • Walking holidays in Ireland
      • Gift ideas for walkers
    • Reasons to take part in our initiatives
    • Downloads >
      • Wall calendars
    • Our news
    • Our other websites >
      • The Ireland Travel Guide
      • High Point Ireland