There are 42 National Waymarked Trails in Ireland, covering a total of 4,000km. You probably already know their waymarkers; the black posts with the yellow man. These trails are maintained by local groups, but funded by Sport Ireland. One of my long-term goals is to hike them all, which has only ever been done by two people.
It began when I hiked a 40km section of the Wicklow Way in July 2018. That opened my eyes to the trails that weave around us every day. They’ve helped me a lot, whether I’m fastpacking with increasingly ultralight gear, or just needing time in the wild to reset. I love the places they take me, and the people you meet along the way.
Below are the trails I’ve hiked and my thoughts on each. I’ve currently done 8 of the 42.
1. Lough Derg Way
69km | 1,230m Gain | Linear | 2 Days
Completed: 15 August 2020
I hiked 25km out of Limerick on a Friday evening, and camped on the beautiful Ardnacrusha headrace. I hoped to split the rest over two days, but a storm changed that plan. The Saturday became the longest day of hiking I’d ever done, and near the end I saw trees falling over from wind. The route is nice, though you see surprisingly little of the lake. It’s hilly on the second half, especially over Tountinna which I had to climb twice due to a wrong turn.
8/10
2. Slieve Felim Way
45km | 1,130m Gain | Linear | 2 Days
Completed: 13 September 2020
This is a nice route across the hills of Limerick, from Silvermines to Murroe. I got great weather crossing Keeper Hill, and there’s a perfect place to camp at the halfway point in Toor, beside a stream and picnic table. My feet hurt from big rocks on the newly resurfaced Coillte forest roads, but the last stretch along the Clare Glens river made up for it. Like many linear trails these are small towns with almost no public transport options, so luckily a friend was able to drop me back to my car after.
7/10
3. Wicklow Way
129km | 3,980m Gain | Linear | 5 Days
Completed: 06 July 2022
I love this trail and could talk about it for hours. I’ve hiked it twice from Carlow to Dublin, which is better as it saves the best for last. It has Ireland’s only three huts for wild campers, and you can resupply halfway in Laragh with a shop and pub food. Lots of tourists fly in to hike it, but you see almost no Irish which is a shame. It’s not easy, but it’s so worth it. The sections around Glendalough are the highlight for me. It was also the first long-distance trail to be developed in the country.
Read my full article with all the history here.
10/10
4. Kerry Way
190km | 3,990m Gain | Looped | 6 Days
Completed: 22 March 2023
Another one tourists love, but Irish rarely use. I hiked this during a yellow rain warning and had a wild time. I went from having to swim one section, to getting sunburned within 24hrs. I saw weather that tried to break me, and kindness from strangers that I’ll never forget. These hikes aren’t supposed to be easy, but this one really tested me. As beautiful as it is, you do have to work for it. Constant hills and tough terrain, made worth it by spectacular and constantly changing views.
Read my full article here.
9/10
5. Multeen Way
23km | 620m Gain | Linear | 2 Days
Completed: 02 July 2023
This is a short hike through the countryside of Tipperary that could have been done in a day. I had just gotten my new Durston X-Mid tent though, so I wanted an excuse to try it out and found a lovely camp spot to do so. The hike is mostly through farmland, with a few forest loops to break it up. There was a lot of giant hogweed which should have signs as it’s genuinely very dangerous. It’s clear this trail doesn’t get as much traffic or attention, but it was nice all the same.
6/10
6. Offaly Way
38km | 80m Gain | Linear | 2 Days
Completed: 02 July 2023
Mairéad & I hiked this after a late start on a Friday evening. We found a nice camp spot along the grand canal about 8km in, then finished the rest the next day. It’s exceptionally flat, through old Bord na Móna bogland beside small train tracks and lakes. A sculpture park was the highlight, but had some confusing rerouting. They need to provide better parking on the north end, but this was all in all, a lovely hike.
7/10
7. Táin Way
40km | 1,200m Gain | Looped | 2 Days
Completed: 10 May 2026
This is steep and has a lot of road walking, but it is stunning. We had strong winds and clear skies through our climbs. We camped behind Lumpers pub around halfway, which had a sauna and cold plunge that Mairéad’s brother and his fiancée joined us for. The luxury of pizza and pints on a trail can’t be overstated! On our return we detoured to summit Slieve Foye, the highest point in Louth. We were very happy with the two days when arriving back in Carlingford, even if I was a little sunburnt.
8/10
8. Dublin Mountains Way
42km | 1,030m Gain | Linear | 3 Days
Completed: 23 Aug 2026
Seán, Laure, Mairéad & I hiked the route from Shankill to Tallaght. This is probably the best managed trail in the country, with signposts every 100 meters and minimal road walking. Our first camp overlooked the city which stayed bright and loud through the night, but our second was a world apart in a quiet and rural field. The route seems to showcase south Dublin as it passes the ski slopes in Kilternan, the bike trails and saunas in Glencullen, and Zipit in Tibradden. Highlights were the remote forests trails, lunch in Johnnie Fox’s pub, and the long descent along the Dodder River and its reservoirs. This is a surprisingly rural and mountainous trail, considering its close proximity to the city. They just need a nice sign at the end!
9/10
What’s Left
- Cavan Way (22km)
- Leitrim Way (27km)
- Westmeath Way (33km)
- Nore Valley Way (34km)
- North Kerry Way (45km)
- Slí na Finne, Donegal (51km)
- Hymany Way (55km)
- Tipperary Heritage Way (56km)
- Lough Gara Way (58km)
- Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail (61km)
- Slí Cholmcille, Donegal (65km)
- Slí na Rosann, Donegal (65 km)
- Bluestack Way (65km)
- Monaghan Way (65km)
- Slí Gaeltacht Mhuscraí (70km)
- East Munster Way (75km)
- Slí an Earagail, Donegal (77km)
- Sligo Way (78km)
- Royal Canal Way (79km)
- Slieve Bloom Way (84km)
- Ballyhoura Way (89km)
- Sheep’s Head Way, Cork (90km)
- Barrow Way (100km)
- South Leinster Way (104km)
- Suck Valley Way (105km)
- Burren Way (114km)
- Grand Canal Way (117km)
- Miners Way and Historical Trail (118km)
- Mid Clare Way (148 km)
- Blackwater Way (161km)
- Dingle Way (162km)
- Western Way (179km)
- East Clare Way (180km)
- Beara Way (206km)