How many hard hikes are there in Ireland?

Our directory currently lists 63 matching routes in Ireland, each with distance, elevation gain and a mapped route line drawn from OpenStreetMap data.

What is the average length of these trails?

The average is 78.5 km with roughly 1,700 m (5,577 ft) of climbing. The longest on this list is 606 km.

Which is the best one to start with?

Miners' Way ranks highest here on our popularity score, which weighs route quality, scenery and how well documented it is.

Are these routes suitable for beginners?

Most routes on this list are rated moderate or harder. If you are just starting out, filter by easy difficulty or by distance under 5 km.

Hard Hiking Trails in Ireland

There are 63 hikes in Ireland in our database that fit. They average 78.5 km and 1,700 m (5,577 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 606 km.

That is 13 percent of the 469 routes we map in Ireland. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 78.5 km against 15.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,700 m (5,577 ft) on average versus 326 m (1,070 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Hard

Miners' Way

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance: 17.2 km
Elevation gain: 378 m
Typical duration: 4 hr 12 min

Mountain
Wildlife watching
Waymarked route

Expert

Lough Derg Way

County Clare · Ireland

Distance: 68.8 km
Elevation gain: 1,513 m
Typical duration: 18 hr

Lake
Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Beara Way

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 205 km
Elevation gain: 4,499 m
Typical duration: 55 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Blackwater (Avondhu) Way

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 103 km
Elevation gain: 2,259 m
Typical duration: 27 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Blackwater (Duhallow) Way

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 66.3 km
Elevation gain: 1,459 m
Typical duration: 17 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Burren Way

County Clare · Ireland

Distance: 86.6 km
Elevation gain: 540 m
Typical duration: 21 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Colmcille's Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance: 66.8 km
Elevation gain: 1,469 m
Typical duration: 17 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

East Clare Way

County Clare · Ireland

Distance: 156 km
Elevation gain: 3,427 m
Typical duration: 41 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

East Munster Way

County Tipperary · Ireland

Distance: 69.0 km
Elevation gain: 1,518 m
Typical duration: 18 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Errigal Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance: 76.0 km
Elevation gain: 1,673 m
Typical duration: 20 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Grand Canal Way

County Dublin · Ireland

Distance: 116 km
Elevation gain: 2,562 m
Typical duration: 31 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Mid Clare Way

County Clare · Ireland

Distance: 150 km
Elevation gain: 3,289 m
Typical duration: 40 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Miners Way & Historical Trail

County Cavan · Ireland

Distance: 143 km
Elevation gain: 3,153 m
Typical duration: 38 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

National Famine Way

County Dublin · Ireland

Distance: 169 km
Elevation gain: 3,724 m
Typical duration: 45 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

North Kerry Way

County Kerry · Ireland

Distance: 71.8 km
Elevation gain: 1,579 m
Typical duration: 19 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Rosses Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance: 64.5 km
Elevation gain: 1,418 m
Typical duration: 17 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Sheep's Head Way

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 92.8 km
Elevation gain: 2,042 m
Typical duration: 24 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Sli Gaeltacht Muscrai

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 71.0 km
Elevation gain: 1,563 m
Typical duration: 18 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Slieve Bloom Way

County Laois · Ireland

Distance: 70.1 km
Elevation gain: 1,542 m
Typical duration: 18 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Sligo Way

County Leitrim · Ireland

Distance: 80.1 km
Elevation gain: 1,763 m
Typical duration: 21 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

South Leinster Way

County Carlow · Ireland

Distance: 103 km
Elevation gain: 2,267 m
Typical duration: 27 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Suck Valley Way

County Galway · Ireland

Distance: 102 km
Elevation gain: 2,251 m
Typical duration: 27 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

The Barrow Way

County Carlow · Ireland

Distance: 116 km
Elevation gain: 2,558 m
Typical duration: 31 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

The Dingle Way

County Kerry · Ireland

Distance: 181 km
Elevation gain: 3,988 m
Typical duration: 48 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

The Kerry Way

County Kerry · Ireland

Distance: 213 km
Elevation gain: 4,681 m
Typical duration: 57 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

The Royal Canal Way

County Dublin · Ireland

Distance: 148 km
Elevation gain: 3,252 m
Typical duration: 39 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Western Way - Mayo

County Mayo · Ireland

Distance: 182 km
Elevation gain: 4,008 m
Typical duration: 48 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

Wicklow Way

County Carlow · Ireland

Distance: 128 km
Elevation gain: 2,820 m
Typical duration: 34 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route
Long-distance path

Expert

European long distance path E8 - part Ireland

County Carlow · Ireland

Distance: 606 km
Elevation gain: 13,327 m
Typical duration: 163 hr

Mountain
Long-distance path

Expert

Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail

County Mayo · Ireland

Distance: 59.9 km
Elevation gain: 1,318 m
Typical duration: 15 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Dublin Mountains Way

County Dublin · Ireland

Distance: 41.1 km
Elevation gain: 904 m
Typical duration: 10 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Finn's Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance: 49.9 km
Elevation gain: 1,097 m
Typical duration: 13 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Slieve Felim Way

County Limerick · Ireland

Distance: 44.5 km
Elevation gain: 978 m
Typical duration: 11 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

The Offaly Way

County Laois · Ireland

Distance: 39.4 km
Elevation gain: 867 m
Typical duration: 10 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Tipperary Heritage Way

County Tipperary · Ireland

Distance: 59.5 km
Elevation gain: 1,310 m
Typical duration: 15 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Táin Way

County Louth · Ireland

Distance: 40.1 km
Elevation gain: 882 m
Typical duration: 10 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Western Way - Galway

County Galway · Ireland

Distance: 59.3 km
Elevation gain: 1,304 m
Typical duration: 15 hr

Mountain
Waymarked route

Expert

Ballyhoura Way

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 93.0 km
Elevation gain: 2,047 m
Typical duration: 24 hr

Mountain
Long-distance path

Hard

The Columban Way

County Carlow · Ireland

Distance: 19.3 km
Elevation gain: 424 m
Typical duration: 4 hr 47 min

Expert

Bluestack Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance: 50.6 km
Elevation gain: 1,114 m
Typical duration: 13 hr

Mountain

Expert

Limerick Greenway

County Kerry · Ireland

Distance: 37.8 km
Elevation gain: 832 m
Typical duration: 9 hr 49 min

Mountain

Expert

Multeen Way

County Tipperary · Ireland

Distance: 35.6 km
Elevation gain: 784 m
Typical duration: 9 hr 13 min

Mountain

Hard

Arranmore Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance: 20.0 km
Elevation gain: 440 m
Typical duration: 4 hr 59 min

Waymarked route

Hard

The Leitrim Way

County Leitrim · Ireland

Distance: 27.2 km
Elevation gain: 598 m
Typical duration: 6 hr 56 min

Waymarked route

Hard

Westmeath Way

County Westmeath · Ireland

Distance: 28.3 km
Elevation gain: 623 m
Typical duration: 7 hr 14 min

Waymarked route

Hard

Boyne Valley Camino

County Meath · Ireland

Distance: 22.7 km
Elevation gain: 500 m
Typical duration: 5 hr 43 min

Castle and ruins
Pilgrimage route
Waymarked route

Expert

St Finbarr's Pilgrim Route

County Cork · Ireland

Distance: 38.6 km
Elevation gain: 850 m
Typical duration: 10 hr

Mountain
Pilgrimage route

Hard

Bangor Trail

Wild Nephin National Park · County Mayo

Distance: 24.8 km
Elevation gain: 546 m
Typical duration: 6 hr 17 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
Route	Distance	Ascent	Time	Difficulty	Best season
Miners' WayWicklow Mountains National Park	17.2 km	378 m	4 hr 12 min	Hard	April to October
Lough Derg WayCounty Clare	68.8 km	1,513 m	18 hr	Expert	April to October
Beara WayCounty Cork	205 km	4,499 m	55 hr	Expert	April to October
Blackwater (Avondhu) WayCounty Cork	103 km	2,259 m	27 hr	Expert	April to October
Blackwater (Duhallow) WayCounty Cork	66.3 km	1,459 m	17 hr	Expert	April to October
Burren WayCounty Clare	86.6 km	540 m	21 hr	Expert	April to October
Colmcille's Way - Donegal WayCounty Donegal	66.8 km	1,469 m	17 hr	Expert	April to October
East Clare WayCounty Clare	156 km	3,427 m	41 hr	Expert	April to October
East Munster WayCounty Tipperary	69.0 km	1,518 m	18 hr	Expert	April to October
Errigal Way - Donegal WayCounty Donegal	76.0 km	1,673 m	20 hr	Expert	April to October

If you only have time for one, start with Miners' Way, Lough Derg Way, North Kerry Way. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

Trails

The shortlist, side by side

Frequently asked questions

How many hard hikes are there in Ireland?

What is the average length of these trails?

Which is the best one to start with?

Are these routes suitable for beginners?

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