Walking Festivals in Ireland

Ardara’s Walking Festival, which takes place over two days in March (St. Patrick’s Day Weekend), includes easy, moderate and strenous routes, taking in the Maghera and Loughros Bays, the banks of the Owenrea River and an ascent by Easaranka Water fall on Glengesh Hill. The easy walks are will take around three hours, while the strenous walks take about six hours. The Festival includes evening entertainment.

We are delighted to welcome you  to our  two day hill walking festival in the Leitrim hills. The stunning scenery in Leitrim and surrounding counties make it an ideal location for dedicated hill walkers and ramblers and those who come to the festival get smitten by the Leitrim bug and come back time and time again. Lovely Laid Back Leitrim grabs a lot of hearts! At the heart of our events is good old fashioned hospitality. Leitrim, with low population density and small tourist traffic gives visitors a genuine experience and the pristine landscape leads to wonderful wild walking and fantastic local food.

The Slieve Bloom Walking Festival takes place in spring every year as the bluebells come into full bloom and the hills are alive with birdsong.

In Sperrins & Killeter Walking Festival walkers of all ages and abilities have the chance to get outside and explore the beauty, history and heritage of the Sperrins and Killeter regions. Walks are available at a variety of levels including easy strolls (perfect for families and budding nature photographers), moderate treks and challenging hill walks across some of the country's most dazzling landscapes.

If you’re a serious rambler or just like to stretch your legs and enjoy the view, then the Carlow Autumn Walking Festival is for you! The magnificent Blackstairs Mountains and the picturesque River Barrow form the perfect backdrop for a range of superb walks to suit all levels. Explore on foot the lush green landscape associated with Ireland’s Ancient East, immerse yourself in thousands of years of history and heritage found in abundance in County Carlow. The Carlow Autumn Walking Festival is a great opportunity for the beginner, experienced or advanced walker to enjoy the challenges of Carlow’s mountain treks or the peace of its woodland walks.

Co. Wicklow ‘The Garden of Ireland’, is renowned worldwide for its scenic beauty, offering a variety of walking challenges – from woodlands and rolling hills to wild craggy mountain climbs. The county lies just south of Dublin on the East Coast of Ireland. It is home to the largest area of unbroken high raised ground in Ireland, covering almost the same area as that of Mont Blanc, approximately 50 km long by 40 km wide. The Festival is based in the Brockagh Resource Centre with many of the walks taking us through Wicklow Mountains National Park. The Centre is situated in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, on the road between the village of Laragh and Glendalough. Eircode, A98 D3H1

What happens when you wander off the beaten track? ….. You swim at sunrise in a lake…. You climb Carrauntoohil to see Ireland from its peak…. You bike, you run, you horse ride, you stroll, you kayak…. You refuel with a food trail and you recharge with a wellness session …. You experience Killarney’s National Park, its lakes and its mountains – like never before! Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or like to slide into the weekend with some mindfulness there is something to suit all our wanderers. Experience Killarney like never before at Wander Wild Festival this March.

The Bantry Walking Festival is an annual event held over the June Bank Holiday weekend.  It involves organised guided walks in stunning parts of Bantry and the surrounding area. Take a walk on The Sheep’s Head or a short ferry over to Whiddy Island for a guided walk to learn about the fascinating history of the island.  Suitable for walkers and hikers, there is a walk to suit everyone of different abilities with walks of different durations..

The Castlebar International Four Days walks were established in 1967 and since that time have attracted walkers from all over the world.  Our walks offer a wide choice of routes to suit all levels of fitness.  on each of the four days of the festival, we have a 10km, 20 km, and 40km, road walk and a ramble of approximately six hour duration.

Reek Sunday or Garland Sunday is an annual day of pilgrimage in Ireland. On the last Sunday in July, thousands of pilgrims climb Ireland's holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. It is held in honour of Saint Patrick who is said to have spent forty days fasting on the mountain in the 5th century. The Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail is a 63 kilometre national way-marked way which begins in the village of Balla in east Mayo and ends at the village of Murrisk adjacent to Croagh Patrick on the shores of Clew Bay. While walking the trail one can experience an unspoilt landscape while passing many heritage sites of archaeological significance.

Enjoy a unique combination of mountain and sea as Leenane is situated on the edge of Killary Harbour and surrounded by mountains in all directions. This May bank holiday will see the resumption of the Connemara Mountain Walking Festival in its full form again, which has become a major event on the calendar for Connemara and the region.