Leinster
5 Best for autumn leaves
Where Oak Park Forest Park, Co Carlow
What Once part of an old estate, the mature woodland at Oak Park Forest Park is a haven for ferns and mosses, and offers a lovely collection of short wheelchairand buggy-accessible walks. There are also lovely spots to have a picnic. You’ll usually see swans, ducks and game birds on the lake and, if you visit in autumn, you’re sure to be wowed by the leaves as they change colour and carpet the forest floor. The woodland is home to deciduous beech, oak, sycamore and larch, as well as evergreen Scots pine and silver fir. Running along boardwalks and wooded paths, there are four walks in total: the Butlers Wood Loop (0.7km), the Lake Path (0.8km), the Fox Covert Track (1.1km) and the Sally Island Trail (1.7km). Or connect them all together for the gorgeous 4km Oak Park loop walk.
Start/Finish at the map board at the car park.
Getting there Take Exit 4 on the M9 motorway. Follow the signs for Carlow, take the first right after Toughers Steakhouse (toughersrestaurant.ie) and then turn left at the next junction.
Level Easy Length/Time 4km /1 hour Pack A picnic and a downloadable map from IrishTrails.ie
REFUEL BeaNice Cafe (059 913 1921) in Carlow town centre serves hearty salads, homemade soups and loads of treats, even gluten-free brownies.
6 Best for riverside strolls
Where Nore Valley Walk, Co Kilkenny
What Without doubt one of the country’s finest river walks, the 12km stretch from Kilkenny City to Bennettsbridge is a feast of peace, fine castle views, old mills, trees bowing gracefully into the water, meadows and abundant wildlife. Aside from one 2km stretch where you’ll use a quiet laneway, the entire walk traces the banks of the River Nore as it meanders through the tranquil countryside. In autumn, the trees along the way add great splashes of colour and there are blackberries to be foraged in the hedgerows. Keep your eyes peeled for squirrels, kingfishers, otters or foxes. And if you want to add the romance of dusk to your outing, bats are sure to keep you company.
Start/Finish The river walk leaves Kilkenny City under Ossory footbridge. It ends at the bridge in Bennettsbridge. Public transport from Bennettsbridge is negligible so leave a car here for your return trip or pre-arrange a taxi.
Getting there You’ll get to the start from the Lacken Walk in the city (via Maudlin Street, or from the Carlow Road near the HSE headquarters).
Level Moderate — you’ll cover a variety of terrains from grassy riverbanks, trail and grasslands. Length/Time 12km /3 hours Pack A bucket to pick blackberries and a map from trailkilkenny.ie/activity-trail/ walking-trails/kilkenny-tobennettsbridge/
REFUEL Nicholas Mosse’s Country Shop and Cafe (nicholasmosse.com) in Bennettsbridge is a perfect spot for afternoon tea with homemade quiches and scones — the flour is ground in the mill across the river.
7 Best for amateur geologists
Where Knockbarron Wood, Kinnitty, Co Offaly
What It’s always a great time to visit Knockbarron Wood and exploring the 5km Eco Walk is the ideal way to understand all there is to see here. The most dramatic features are the two eskers that were deposited here when the glaciers that once covered Ireland melted. These ridgelike mounds are made of sand, gravel and rock that the glaciers picked up as they moved across the landscape. The best time of year to view these eskers is winter when the vegetation is least abundant. If you visit in spring however, you’ll be treated to woodland carpeted in a blaze of bluebells. In summer, the rare smooth newt, Ireland’s only tailed amphibian, breeds in The Marsh. And, in autumn, there are all manner of fungi and mushrooms to marvel at. Start/Finish From Knockbarron Wood car park Getting there Follow the Rath/ Kilcormack road from Kinnitty for 2.2km. At the crossroads, turn right and you’ll see a sign indicating the start of the walk. Continue a further 1km to the car park. Level Moderate — while relatively quick, this walk has some short but punchy climbs and descents so is more suited to older kids. Length/Time 5km /2 hours Pack The map from slievebloom. ie/perch/resources/knockbarrondownloadable-map.pdf
REFUEL at Giltraps in Kinnitty (giltrapspub.com), the spot to carb up on steak and kidney pie, pizzas and home-grown sausage and bacon — and if you’re too tired to make it home, book into a yurt on the glamping site and visit the farm’s pigs and chickens.
8 Best for views
Where Forth Mountain Trail, Co Wexford What Just southwest of Wexford town, at 235m, Forth Mountain may be relatively small but it still packs a punch, particularly at the start. It’s an ideal walk to challenge kids or teens, and it is also a great introduction to the experience of scaling a mountain, complete with the reward of panoramic views at the end. As you follow the red waymarkers, make sure you visit Skeator Rock where on a clear day you’ll be able to see the Wexford coastline, Our Lady’s Island, Saltee Islands, Hook Head lighthouse and across to Dunmore East and the Waterford estuary. And when you reach the gentler Tincurra section, you’ll be able to see the Blackstairs Mountains. Start/Finish The car park below Getting there From Wexford town, Enniscorthy or New Ross, take the N25 to the Duncannon roundabout at Whitford House Hotel. Take the R733 exit for Duncannon. After about 6.5km, the car park is on your right. Level Moderate Length/Time 10km /3.5 hours Pack OSI Discovery Map Series 77 and visit wexfordwalkingtrail.ie/ forth-mountain for more details. Also, bring your binoculars to see if you can spot the Tuskar Rock, with its lighthouse. This treacherous feature has claimed 176 ships over the years.
REFUEL Bring hot soup in a Thermos and enjoy those views! Then drive to Wexford, 10km away, to Button & Spoon for a vintage afternoon tea (buttonandspoon.ie).
9 Best for former grandeur
Where Djouce Woods, Co Wicklow
What Formerly part of the Powerscourt Estate, Djouce Woods would once have boasted numerous drives built to please the owners. These had names like Lady’s Drive and Earl’s Drive and are now part of a trail network. The 9km Deerpark Walk is a looped trail on forest road and track. Look out for the now-dry Paddock Ponds, which once fed the estate fountains. There are also remnants of a boathouse in the bank on the western side of the ponds. After this, you will follow a road to a stretch along the edge of the forest before you gradually start to climb. The reward for your efforts will be views of the Sugarloaf, Bray, Glensoulan Valley and Maulin in Wicklow, as well as out over Dublin Bay to Howth Head. Start/Finish Either of the two Long Hill car parks. Getting there Take the N11 to Kilmacanogue, then the R755. Turn right onto the R760 until you reach Ballybawn. Turn left here onto the old Long Hill Road for Roundwood and the car park will be on your right. Level Moderate Length/Time 9km /3 hours Pack A downloadable map from coillte.ie/media/2017/01/WicklowDjouce_Wood.pdf or bring OSI Discover Series Sheet 56.
REFUEL Delicious soups, salads and hot food, and a zillion sweet treats at the Avoca Terrace Cafe at Powerscourt House and Gardens (Powerscourt.com).
10 Best for history lovers
Where Grange, Co Louth What If the 7km Rooskey Loop at Grange could talk it would tell you that you’re treading old laneways that were once used by farmers and their horses and carts. These days, the laneways offer a tranquil way to explore what was once an outlying farm for the Cistercian Order located in Newry during medieval times. Following the purple arrows, walk along forest tracks, grassy roads and trails to arrive at an abandoned village with an old limekiln and the ruin of the Rooskey Priory — an early Christian site. Keep your eyes peeled for the grinding stone at the end of Billy’s Lane that was once used to crush gorse plants for horse fodder. Start/Finish John Long’s Pub, Grange Village, Co Louth Getting there Take Exit 18 off the M1, then take the R173 towards Carlingford. Follow the R173 for 15km passing the village of The Bush. After approximately 1km, watch for a crossroads and signs for the village of Grange on your
left, at an old railway bridge. Turn left here and follow the road for approximately 1km to reach St James’s Church on your right.
Level Moderate — there’s some ascent and descent but nothing too hectic. Length/Time 7km /2.5 hours Pack OSI Sheet 36 or a downloadable map from IrishTrails.ie. REFUEL Thatched old-style John Long’s Pub ( johnlongsbar.com) offers everything from steaks to curry, with a fine pint. Be sure to leave room for the killer puds.
11 Best for learning to navigate
Where Donadea Forest Park, Co Kildare
What The home of the Aylmer family until 1935, Donadea Forest Park is now a haven for those looking to escape to a world of nature. The park features three lovely looped walks, including the 5.7km Aylmer Loop, the 0.8km wheelchair- and buggy-friendly Lake Walk and the 1.6km Nature Trail. And if you’re keen to get your kids started with navigation, check out the three permanent orienteering courses (1.8km, 3.4km and 4.6km). As you explore, you’ll see the ruins of the castle and walled gardens, an icehouse, boathouse and St Peter’s church. The small lake will delight youngster with its ducks and waterhens. You may also come across a scaled replica of New York’s Twin Towers. It is a 9/11 Memorial in memory of Sean Tallon, a firefighter with the New York Fire Department who died during the attack. His father was born in Donadea. Start/Finish Forest park car park Getting there Take the M4 to Kilcock, then the R407 towards Clane/Naas. After about 5km, take a left at Baltracey crossroads to Donadea Forest Park.
Level Easy
Length/Time Aylmer Loop — 5.7km/1.5 hours, Lake Walk — 0.8km/30 minutes, Nature Trail — 1.6km/45 minutes
Pack €5 in coins for the car park and a map from coillte.ie/site/ donadea-forest-park. REFUEL The cute Donadea Forest Cafe ((087 672 5320) is open on weekends for snacks and coffees. Bring a picnic for mid-week.
12 Best for exploring the bog
Where Killamuck Bog Loop, Co Laois
What This is a remarkable walk for many reasons. The first is that it came about when a group of local volunteers leased 500 acres from Bord na Mona and set out to protect it. Now a once-degraded raised bog is recovering, together with woodland and meadows, and a wonderland of flora and fauna is emerging. The 8km Killamuck Bog loop, which follows purple arrows, travels along everything from riverbank to old railway line but the highlight is the High Bog Walkway. This 600m boardwalk brings people into the heart of the bog that would otherwise be too wet and boggy to reach. It was assembled by hand by the volunteers. Depending on the time of year, expect to see an abundance of birdlife, butterflies and dragonflies, and a huge array of unusual wild plants and flowers. Start/Finish at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel, Abbeyleix Getting there The hotel is the last building on the left as you leave Abbeyleix Town on the N8 heading towards Cork. Level Easy but it’s wet in places Length/Time 8km /2 hours Pack Wellie and OSI Discovery Series Sheet 60 or a downloadable map from IrishTrails.ie REFUEL You’ll be well fed and watered at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel (abbeyleixmanorhotel.com).
13 Best for peace and quiet
Where Royal Canal Greenway from Longford town to Clondra, Co Longford
What This flat 16.5km multiactivity path for cyclists, walkers and runners leaves Longford town on an old canal spur before joining the Royal Canal proper. Travelling along on old towpath, expect a route lined with green rushes, quaint lock cottages and limestone bridges, as well as verges abundant with wild flowers. Look out for creamy meadowsweet, orange-red poppies, purple tufted vetch, red clover and common spotted orchids. Most of the route is off road, although you will have six road crossings so take care at these and keep an eye on kids near the open water. This route is also buggy friendly, if rough in spots. It ends as the canal approaches the Shannon at lovely Clondra, a beautiful waterside village.
Start/Finish Start at Farranyoogan Bridge in Longford Town and finish at Richmond Harbour in Clondra. The 22 bus travels back to Longford several times a day. Getting there Make your way to Longford bus and train station and follow the brown Royal Canal Greenway signs from there. Level Moderate because of length Length 16km /4 hours Pack Snacks — 16km with kids is a long enough jaunt. Take a downloadable map from IrishTrails.ie REFUEL The Purple Onion Kitchen (purpleonion.ie) serves a side portion of art alongside good bar and restaurant fare