The Best Hiking Trails in Ireland — Handpicked by People Who Walk Them

Ireland's longest signposted trail winds 215km around the Iveragh Peninsula through Killarney National Park's glacial valleys, over Atlantic headlands, and past 2,000-year-old stone forts. The trail balances challenge with reward — dramatic peaks give way to quiet forests, and each evening brings fresh seafood and traditional music to celebrate another day on the trail.

The westernmost loop in Ireland takes you around the Dingle Peninsula where ancient stone churches cling to clifftops, the Blasket Islands float in the Atlantic, and colourful Dingle town awaits with the kind of evening conversation that lingers for years. This 179km trail captures the raw romance of the Wild Atlantic Way at its most dramatic.

Ireland's original long-distance trail follows 127km through granite mountains, glacier-carved valleys, and ancient monastic sites. You'll cross Wicklow Mountains National Park—one of Europe's largest upland reserves—and finish in Dublin. It's the trail that started Irish hiking as we know it, and it remains one of our most rewarding.

Walk through Europe's most unusual karst landscape—340 million-year-old limestone sculpted into a terrain that feels almost lunar. Wildflowers bloom impossibly here: Arctic-Alpine species grow alongside Mediterranean flowers, creating a garden unique to this single region. The Burren Way delivers 114km of pure ecological wonder.

Walk a volcanic landscape like nowhere else in Europe—53km of black basalt cliffs, ancient Celtic legend, and whiskey-making tradition along one of the world's most dramatic coastlines. From the UNESCO-listed Giant's Causeway to the remote seabird colonies at Carrick-a-Rede, this is hiking on a geologically otherworldly stage.

Ireland's gentlest long-distance trail follows 114km of riverside towpaths and quiet roads along the Barrow Valley. Medieval abbeys, Georgian canal towns, and monastic sites punctuate an easy, contemplative walk through the island's lush heartland. Perfect for a first long-distance walk or when you want landscape without drama.

Two granite mountain ranges separated by Carlingford Lough meet in this extraordinary cross-border hiking adventure. The Cooley Mountains of County Louth rise above a landscape steeped in Celtic legend, while the Mourne Mountains of County Down deliver dramatic granite peaks and panoramic views. A ferry crossing connects the ranges into one unforgettable journey.

Cork's hidden gem winds 196km around the Beara Peninsula in southwest Ireland, threading between mountains and sea through a landscape fewer hikers discover. The Beara demands respect—steep climbs reward with panoramic views, remote villages welcome weary walkers, and the trail's relative solitude makes it feel like an Irish wilderness all your own.

The Connemara region in west Galway offers flexibility—link shorter trails through bogs, mountains, and valleys for a multi-day walk, or pick individual peaks for day hikes. Ben Lettery and the Twelve Bens provide alpine challenge, while bogland and coastal paths deliver quieter rewards. Connemara is where Irish hiking meets raw Atlantic landscape.

Nine glacial glens carve through the Antrim landscape in County Antrim—steep-sided valleys offering forest walks, river trails, and waterfall encounters. The glens are less famous than the coastal Causeway but equally rewarding, with easier terrain perfect for mixed-ability groups and genuinely few other walkers to meet along the way.