Pathways Through Time: Ireland’s 10 Best Walks

Ireland doesn’t require speed. It requires stillness, quiet footsteps along sheep-worn paths, and the soft hush of wind through the trees. To walk here is to trace stories older than time, to feel the land move beneath you in peat, stone, and sea air.

The best walks in Ireland aren’t always the longest or the most famous. They’re the ones that draw you in like a long-lost lover who wishes you’d stay.

We’ve gathered up ten of the most beautiful, soul-stirring walks across the island, from ancient pilgrim routes to cliffside rambles and forested trails. Ready to get lost?

Doolin Cliff Walk | County Clare

Stretching from the musical village of Doolin to the mighty Cliffs of Moher, this walk is raw, windswept, and unforgettable. Along the way, you’ll learn that the cliffs rise to over 700 feet, the seabirds wheel below in a dance party, and the Atlantic waves crash in an endless rhythm.

Local guide Pat Sweeney loves to lead walkers along this route, telling stories of geology, folklore, and family. It’s a walk that takes you to the edge of the earth, but always offers a gentle return home.

The Burren Way | County Clare

Further inland in Clare, this strange, lunar landscape is made for walking slowly. The Burren is all limestone and silence, with wild orchids in the cracks and dolmens standing crooked in the fields.

You can take the route between Ballyvaughan and Carran, or wander out from the village of Fanore (our personal favorite). The hills roll in soft stretches of grays and purples, with views that extend out toward Galway Bay.

Here, everything feels ancient, including the thoughts and revelations that will come upon you as you stand in this enchanted land.

Croagh Patrick | County Mayo

This holy mountain has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Saint Patrick is said to have fasted on its summit in the 5th century, and thousands still climb it barefoot on Reek Sunday.

You’ll find it to be a steep, scree-covered ascent, but the view from the top, across Clew Bay and its 365 islands, is one of the finest in Ireland.

Upon completion, stop in nearby Westport for a warm bowl of chowder at The Tavern, a welcome end to a reverent climb.

Slieve League | County Donegal

Towering even higher than the Cliffs of Moher, the cliffs at Slieve League rise in wild defiance above Donegal’s ragged coast. The Pilgrim’s Path trails from a car park near Bunglass up through bog and heath to a view that silences everything.

This pathway once guided barefoot pilgrims toward a sacred summit. Today, it offers solitude and sea air to clear the soul. On a cloudless day, you may even see all the way to Mayo.