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Loop Trails in Ireland

We track 165 routes that match this search in Ireland. They average 12.2 km and 270 m (886 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 181 km.

That is 52 percent of the 315 routes we map in Ireland. They are shorter than the local average, 12.2 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, 270 m (886 ft) against 424 m (1,391 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Circular routes: park once, finish where you started, and never walk the same section twice. The mix is broad: 89 are rated easy and 16 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

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 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
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
Expert

Colmcille's Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
66.8 km
/ 41.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,469 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

East Clare Way

County Clare · Ireland

Distance
156 km
/ 96.8 mi
Elevation gain
3,427 m
Typical duration
41 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Errigal Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
76.0 km
/ 47.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,673 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Mid Clare Way

County Clare · Ireland

Distance
150 km
/ 92.9 mi
Elevation gain
3,289 m
Typical duration
40 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

North Kerry Way

County Kerry · Ireland

Distance
71.8 km
/ 44.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,579 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rosses Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
64.5 km
/ 40.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,418 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Sheep's Head Way

County Cork · Ireland

Distance
92.8 km
/ 57.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,042 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Slieve Bloom Way

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
70.1 km
/ 43.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,542 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

The Dingle Way

County Kerry · Ireland

Distance
181 km
/ 113 mi
Elevation gain
3,988 m
Typical duration
48 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
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
Hard

Arranmore Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
20.0 km
/ 12.4 mi
Elevation gain
440 m
Typical duration
4 hr 59 min
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Finn's Way - Donegal Way

County Donegal · Ireland

Distance
49.9 km
/ 31.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,097 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • 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
Expert

Táin Way

County Louth · Ireland

Distance
40.1 km
/ 24.9 mi
Elevation gain
882 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Boyne Valley Camino

County Meath · Ireland

Distance
22.7 km
/ 14.1 mi
Elevation gain
500 m
Typical duration
5 hr 43 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Pilgrimage route
  • 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

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
Moderate

Glore River Valley

County Mayo · Ireland

Distance
14.3 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
315 m
Typical duration
3 hr 27 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Leafy Loop

County Laois · Ireland

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.8 mi
Elevation gain
420 m
Typical duration
4 hr 44 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

Liam Lynch Loop walk

County Tipperary · Ireland

Distance
11.1 km
/ 6.9 mi
Elevation gain
244 m
Typical duration
2 hr 40 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
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

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
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 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
Lough Aroher LoopWild Nephin National Park9.3 km204 m2 hr 14 minModerateApril to October
Gola WayCounty Donegal3.4 km75 m50 minEasyApril to October
Ellis WoodConnemara National Park0.5 km11 m7 minEasyApril to October
Colmcille's Way - Donegal WayCounty Donegal66.8 km1,469 m17 hrExpertApril to October
East Clare WayCounty Clare156 km3,427 m41 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Glendalough Orange Route, Glendalough Grey Route, Glendalough White 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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