Walking

Record numbers of visitors to Ireland now partake in outdoor activities, with walking the most popular activity for overseas and domestic tourists. In 2018, 28% of all overseas tourists engaged in some level of hiking or cross-country walking — this equates to 2.6 million tourists, spending an estimated €1.4 bn during their stay in Ireland.

There is a large variety of walking trails available for people to use and enjoy in Ireland. They range in length from longer multi-day trails (National Waymarked Ways) to shorter trails that can be completed in less than an hour.

The type and character of every trail is determined by the landscape through which it passes and locality where it is developed. This varies from coastal to upland areas, from river bank to forest and from semi-urban environments to some of the more remote parts of Ireland including our off-shore islands. Find out more about Ireland's incredible walking products and their appeal to tourists at home and around the world.