Walking

Please do not bring dogs on any section of the Way which crosses private land. If walking from Donegal Town the first section of private farmland is at Owenboy.

Notice of Temporary Closure of Sections of the Cliffs of Moher Trail/Burren Way from August 22nd, 2024
The following sections of the Cliffs of Moher/Burren Way trail will be closed to the general public on a temporary basis from Thursday August 22nd, 2024 for trail safety works.
• Access to the trail will be closed for a 5km section, from Hags Head up to 1km south of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre.
• Access to the trail will be closed for a short 500m section, 1km north of the Visitor Centre.
Please note that there will be no access to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre from Doolin.

Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking Festival 2025
This year’s Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking Festival, which will be raising funds for Mayo Roscommon Hospice, will take place on Saturday May 10th.
The festival will include a one day guided or self-guided walk along the final section of the Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail, from Aghagower to Murrisk, a distance of approximately 20 kilometres.
Please see the downloads section below for more details

Please Note: March 2025 - The Balla Woods area of the Croagh Patrick Heritage trail has been badly hit by the latest stormy weather.
Clearing the trail will require specialist machinery. For the present, this part of the is inaccessible and is closed.
Please adhere to all signage.

Annual Closure Notice:
Some of the property traversed by the Dingle Way is private property. Access is available by kind permission of all the landowners/holders on the route. It is understood that persons entering do so by permission with the consent of the landowner and no matter how often they enter, or in what numbers, they do not do so as of right. As further evidence of the permissive nature of the access, the route will be closed for one day on the 28th February each year in agreement with the landowners. Nothing in this notice shall impact or address any pre-existing public rights of way.

Fógra:
Is maoin phríobháideach é cuid den mhaoin a thrasnaíonn Slí Chorca Dhuibhne. Tá rochtain ar fáil de réir cead dea-mhéine ó na húinéirí/sealbhóirí talún go léir ar an mbealach. Tuigtear go ndéanann daoine a théann isteach amhlaidh trí chead le toiliú an úinéara talún agus is cuma cé chomh minic a théann siad isteach, nó cén líon daoine, nach ndéanann siad amhlaidh ó cheart. Mar fhianaise bhreise ar chineál ceadaitheach na rochtana, dúnfar an bealach ar feadh lá amháin ar an 28ú Feabhra gach bliain i gcomhaontú leis na húinéirí talún. Ní dhéanfaidh aon ní san fhógra seo tionchar ná aghaidh a thabhairt ar aon chearta slí poiblí atá ann cheana.

Please note: This trail is currently being upgraded at the Mushera section of the trail ( 52.011803, -8.993739, grid ref: W319 851) and the Paps section of the trail at the Clonkeen side (52.012440, -9.248627, grid ref: W144 853) , walkers can still pass through both sections but please take care. If you require any further information, please contact the Rural Recreation Officer in IRD on 029-60633

It is vitally important that dogs must not be brought on The Shrone/The Paps, Mustera and the Mount Leader Fields areas of this trail (from 52.05075, -9.06831 to 52.04670, -9.06163).
Bringing dogs to these areas is putting the trail at risk of closure as landowners are concerned about the impact on their livestock.
The ongoing presence of dogs will lead to the closure of the trail.
To keep the hills open to walkers, it is imperative that landowners and their livestock are respected.

Please Note: The section of the Hymany Way trail at Lonnaghton bog is closed until further notice.
Please follow diversions in place. The closure is between the following two coordinates at Loonaghton bog:
Point 1: 53.449273, -8.352054 and Point 2: 53.453055, -8.345445 or contact the Rural Recreation Officer for further details on 0862622306.

Please Note: The section of the Hymany Way trail at Lonnaghton bog is closed until further notice.
Please follow diversions in place. The closure is between the following two coordinates at Loonaghton bog:
Point 1: 53.449273, -8.352054 and Point 2: 53.453055, -8.345445 or contact the Rural Recreation Officer for further details on 0862622306.

PLEASE NOTE: A footbridge has been installed over the Yellow River south of Ballinagleragh which means the Leitrim Way no longer descends to the R207 regional road to cross the river. It now continues along the line of the old road.
 

Incorporates the link from Knockvicar to the Leitrim Way
PLEASE NOTE:
Tree felling is taking place along the Curlews section – please follow diversions and avoid walking sections where trees are being, or have very recently been, felled.

Due to the condition of the trail surface on the Red Earl's Road please follow the temporary signed reroute in place on the minor road/old N4 to the East of the section of the Miner's Way & Historical Trail along the Red Earl's Road between leaving the road at Derrypark/Garrow above Boyle and where the minor road/old N4 begins to run parallel to the trail (at the foot of the Red Earl's Pass and just at the tree line). We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

From 8th July, due to tree harvesting on the route of the Sheep's Head Way at Barnagowlanes, the section over Mullaghmesha has been temporarily re-routed via the Mealagh Valley Community Centre and Ards, re-joining the route at Kealkil, and the same route will be in place for those travelling in the opposite direction. Please follow the diversion signs. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
***No dogs are allowed on the Sheep's Head Way***

Please note this trail can be started and finished at the Monicknew, Kinnitty, Cadamstown and Clonaslee trailheads as well as Glenbarrow. There is car parking available at all of these, however the car park at Glenbarrow is heavily used and it can be difficult to find a space here.

Annual Closure Notice: St. Declan’s Way
Some of the property traversed by St. Declan's Way is private property. Access is available by kind permission of all the landowners/holders on the route. Persons entering do so by permission with the consent of the landowner. No matter how often they enter, or in what numbers, they do not do so as of right.
As further evidence of the permissive nature of the access, the route will be closed for one day on the third Thursday of December each year in agreement with the landowners. Nothing in this notice shall impact or address any pre-existing public rights of way.

The majority (85%) of this trail is graded Moderate, however the section over the Knockmealdown Mountains (the remaining 15% of the total route) is graded Strenuous.
PLEASE NOTE: There is currently a diversion in place along St Declan’s Way diverting walkers away from the Licky River. Update 19/10/23 - Please note, the footbridge over the Licky River has been washed away by the recent strom. Please follow the diversion signs provided.
Please NOTE: There is a diversion in place along the Coillte Knocknafallia/Dyrick section on the trail to avoid an eroded pathway. The diversion will need to be in place until repairs can be completed in 2024.

Please note the following temporary re-routes are in place on the Suck Valley Way:
Mount Mary to Creggs section - Follow signed alternative road route as land section is temporarily closed for enhancement works.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

There is an additional 3km between Leenaun and the County Mayo border for those walking both the Galway and Mayo Sections of the Western Way.
Closure Notices:
- Due to the dangerous condition of the boardwalk and an unsafe wooden bridge, the section of the Western Way between Curran Beag (53.4748896, -9.4858508) and Maam Cross (53.4718073, -9.5363816) is impassable and will be closed until further notice - do not walk this section under any circumstances.
- The footbridge at Tullyconor (close to Killary Adventure centre), in the Lettershanbally Coillte forest, is currently closed until further notice due to safety issues. GPS Location: 53.580863, -9.766917

Please Note: The Western Way will be closed between Asshleagh and Houstons Bridge Section due to damage caused by severe flooding.
Remedial works will take place as soon as possible but, unfortunately, this section of the trail is not expected to reopen until May 2025.

NOTICE re Wicklow Way
Please be advised a reroute of the Wicklow Way is in place until further notice due to forestry works near the midway point of the route at Drumgoff. It follows the Clohernagh brook if you are heading North or South.
Signage is in place and is easy to follow. The terrain under foot here is uneven so please take extra care.
Please see downloadable map below for more details.