With the weather brightening and a long winter coming to an end, it’s time to start planning your walks and hikes for the year ahead. Ireland is renowned for its scenic walks and hikes, with mountains, valleys, rivers, coastline and lakes to explore in your own time. After a long day of exploring the best of Ireland’s great outdoors. Here are our top five hikes in Ireland with something for all interests.
Cuilcagh Trail, Co. Fermanagh
If you google hiking routes in Ireland, one of the trails that always appears is the Cuilcagh Trail, also known as the Stairway to Heaven. Located in County Fermanagh, this moderately hard walking trail is 4.6 miles and starts and ends in the Cuilcagh Mountain Car Park. The trail includes a one mile boardwalk across Northern Ireland’s largest bogs with a steep stairway climb to reach the 2,185ft summit of Cuilcagh Mountain. On a good day, you’ll enjoy 360-degree views of the Sligo Mountains, Upper Lough Erne, the Atlantic Ocean as well as counties Cavan, Leitrim and Donegal. The hike starts and finishes near world-famous Marble Arch Caves, a series of beautiful natural limestone caves near the village of Florencecourt, classed as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
The Causeway Coast, Co Antrim
Widely regarded as one of Ireland’s best coastal walks, the Causeway Coast stretches an expansive 033 miles and takes 2/3 days to complete. The trail starts in Portstewart, passing Dunluce Castle and Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction, The Giant’s Causeway. Attractions along the way include the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, an experience not for the faint of heart! The most popular and more manageable section starts at the Giant’s Causeway, a place filled with legend and beauty and ends in Dunseverick Castle. don’t miss Port na Spaniagh, a cove containing the wreck of the Girona, one of the ships from the ill-fated Spanish Armada.
Bushmills Distillery is a short detour from the trail.
Glendalough and the Spinc Cliffs, Co. Wicklow
A route within easy reach of our Kildare Hotel is the beautiful Glendalough, one of the highlights of Irelands Ancient East. You can make what you like of the hike, from a casual boardwalk stroll around the lakes to exploring 20,000 hectares of mountainous paths and landscapes. The walk takes in Glendalough’s historic monastic site and the lower lake, before ascending steeply to Poulanass waterfall up to the towering Spinc cliffs. The views both on the way up and from the top are some of the most beautiful in Ireland, so bring your camera. This is a fairly strenuous mountain walk ranging around 9kms that will take 3 to 4 hours and require a level of fitness and experience. The hike starts and ends in Glendalough Visitor Centre that has free parking for guests.]
The Wicklow Way, Co. Wicklow
The Wicklow Way walk begins in Dublin, just 40 minutes drive from our Kildare Hotel and is said to be the oldest waymarked trail in Ireland. It’s a popular route with many attractions and historic or natural sights to enjoy along the way. The walk in its entirety is 79 miles long and finishes in the village of Clonegal in Carlow. It’s estimated this can take about 10 days but you can, do as little or as much of this as you wish. Take an easier, quicker route taking in highlights such as the Powerscourt waterfall — Ireland’s highest — and Lough Tay before ending up in the village of Tinahely, in Wicklow. You’ll pass plenty of beaches too, if you fancy a (very cold) dip to cool off.
Carrauntoohil Hike, Co Kerry
The ultimate test of endurance, strength, and perseverance in hiking comes with a trip to County Kerry to take on the highest mountain in Ireland, Carrauntoohil. Standing at 3,407ft, Carrauntoohil is the central peak of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Ireland's highest mountain range. Getting to the top is a huge effort and will take between four and six hours of steep ascent. Once you reach the summit, you’ll be rewarded with views of the rugged terrain over Killarney Lakes and of course, bragging rights forevermore! The Devil’s most common route as it is the shortest and most direct but loose rock and challenging terrain make it a difficult climb.