Walking in Ireland

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Planning your Walks

When arriving in Ireland it is wise to have the first nights accommodation booked, best if it is somewhere that you can find easily. Don't make the mistake of getting off the plane thinking that 100 miles is just a short trip, it can be a long trip here. If you get off your plane late in the evening it would be best to stay nearby.

Experience

All the walks in this guide can be completed by just about anyone. You however should be the best judge of your own fitness. All these walks and cycles are route marked, though it will help if you can use a compass and map - just in case.

If you can walk a Sunday walk of between 10 and 25km you should be fine with the break down of the walks in this guide. There are very few challenging hills in Ireland, however on many of the walks you are going up or down most of the day - the first few days on the Wicklow Way are like this.

If you don’t have basic outdoor walking experience or knowledge, consider joining one of the many groups that are organized. Unfortunately I do not know of any companies that will carry your rucksack on to your next stop, something that is well supported on the West Highland Way in Scotland.

It is a good idea to let someone know when you will arrive at you next stop, even just a call to the Bed and Breakfast to let them know when to expect you for food, also take your mobile phone, (though the networks are patchy, but getting better very quickly).

Most of the walking trails in Ireland are very well marked making it almost impossible to get lost, the way marks are generally brown wooden posts with a yellow arrow (yellow arrows are also used on the Camino de Santiago, Spain, a 750km walk). Also, you will meet many other walkers who will normally help if you are experiencing any trouble.

Money

Carry some cash and don't expect your Bed and Breakfast to accept your credit card without confirming first - though most of them will. If you are walking the long trails you will sometimes have one or two days without access to banks machines, please bear this in mind.