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Hiking Trails Under 10 km in Ireland

We track 233 routes that match this search in Ireland. They average 4.7 km and 104 m (341 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 10.0 km.

That is 74 percent of the 315 routes we map in Ireland. They are shorter than the local average, 4.7 km against 19.5 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 104 m (341 ft) against 424 m (1,391 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Half-day routes: long enough to feel like a proper walk, short enough to leave the afternoon free. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Easy

Muckross Lake Walk

Killarney National Park · County Kerry

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
49 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Easy

Glendalough Grey Route

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Glendalough Orange Route

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
160 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Glendalough Blue Route

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
300 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Glendalough Green Route

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Glendalough Pink Route

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
100 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Glendalough White Route

Wicklow Mountains National Park · County Wicklow

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
380 m
Typical duration
2 hr 29 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mullaghmore Loop Blue

Burren National Park · County Clare

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mullaghmore Red Path

Burren National Park · County Clare

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
133 m
Typical duration
1 hr 27 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Lough Aroher Loop

Wild Nephin National Park · County Mayo

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
204 m
Typical duration
2 hr 14 min
  • Lake
Easy

Gola Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Ellis Wood

Connemara National Park · County Galway

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • Forest
Easy

Botky Teep

Wild Nephin National Park · County Mayo

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
142 m
Typical duration
1 hr 34 min
Moderate

Letterkeen Loop

Wild Nephin National Park · County Mayo

Distance
10.0 km
/ 6.2 mi
Elevation gain
220 m
Typical duration
2 hr 25 min
Easy

Lower Diamond Hill walk

Connemara National Park · County Galway

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
63 m
Typical duration
42 min
Easy

Mullaghmore loop orange

Burren National Park · County Clare

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
27 m
Typical duration
18 min
Easy

Mullaghmore loop white

Burren National Park · County Clare

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
34 m
Typical duration
22 min
Moderate

Binnianea Loop

County Kilkenny · Ireland

Distance
8.0 km
/ 5.0 mi
Elevation gain
176 m
Typical duration
1 hr 56 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Dooagh Trail

County Mayo · Ireland

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Killamuck Bog Loop

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
8.1 km
/ 5.0 mi
Elevation gain
178 m
Typical duration
1 hr 57 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Murrisk Loop

County Mayo · Ireland

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
72 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Tory Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
2 hr 7 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Waterfall Loop

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Lord Carbery's Cross Trail

County Cork · Ireland

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kinnitty Castle Loop

County Offaly · Ireland

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mardyke walk

County Cork · Ireland

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
11 min
Easy

Callan Abbey Meadow Walk

County Kilkenny · Ireland

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Castle and ruins
Easy

Glen Beach Cliff Walk

County Wicklow · Ireland

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
110 m
Typical duration
55 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Howth Cliff Path Loop

County Dublin · Ireland

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.9 mi
Elevation gain
130 m
Typical duration
1 hr 50 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Clogher Bog Loop

County Mayo · Ireland

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
182 m
Typical duration
2 hr
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Glenbarrow Ecoloop

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
183 m
Typical duration
2 hr 1 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Heathy Way Loop

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
109 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Cobbler's Castle Walk

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
122 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Bann River Trail

County Wicklow · Ireland

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
103 m
Typical duration
1 hr 8 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Ballyvaughan Wood loop

County Clare · Ireland

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
1 hr 53 min
  • Forest
Easy

Dromore Wood Loop

County Clare · Ireland

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
143 m
Typical duration
1 hr 34 min
  • Forest
Easy

Delish Cascade Walk

County Cork · Ireland

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waterfall
Easy

Ardgroom Pulleen Loop

County Cork · Ireland

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
79 m
Typical duration
52 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
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Muckross Lake WalkKillarney National Park2.2 km49 m32 minEasyApril to October
Glendalough Grey RouteWicklow Mountains National Park4.5 km90 m1 hr 5 minEasyApril to October
Glendalough Orange RouteWicklow Mountains National Park7.3 km160 m1 hr 45 minModerateApril to October
Glendalough Blue RouteWicklow Mountains National Park3.8 km300 m1 hr 15 minModerateApril to October
Glendalough Green RouteWicklow Mountains National Park2.7 km20 m35 minEasyApril to October
Glendalough Pink RouteWicklow Mountains National Park1.7 km100 m30 minEasyApril to October
Glendalough White RouteWicklow Mountains National Park9.2 km380 m2 hr 29 minModerateApril to October
Mullaghmore Loop BlueBurren National Park5.2 km115 m1 hr 15 minEasyApril to October
Mullaghmore Red PathBurren National Park6.0 km133 m1 hr 27 minEasyApril to October
Lough Aroher LoopWild Nephin National Park9.3 km204 m2 hr 14 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Muckross Lake Walk, Glendalough Grey Route, Glendalough Orange Route. 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

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