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The Avonmore Way is one of the newer additions to the Wicklow Trails Network, linking the villages of Laragh and Rathdrum through the beautiful Clara Vale Nature Reserve. This 12km linear trail is stunning when coming into spring bloom, right through to the colourful autumn changes. Overview: County: WicklowDistances: There are two different trail heads at either end of the trail, resulting in four possible distances:Trooperstown to Stump of the Castle: 13kmTrooperstown to Hidden Valley Resort: 14kmLaragh to Stump of the Castle: 11km Laragh to Hidden Valley Resort: 12kmElevation Gain: 200m - 350mFormat: Linear TrailTime: 2 - 4 HoursStart / End / Parking:Northern Trail Heads: Laragh Village or Trooperstown Car ParkJust outside of Laragh Village there is the Laragh free car park, or there is some very limited on-street parking at the triangle around the Glendalough Cafe. The Trooperstown Car Park is large and free, with amble parking.Southern Trail Heads: Stump of the Castle or Rathdrum (Hidden Valley Resort)Theres a small free car park at Stump of the Castle. At the Rathdrum end, there is on-street parking around The Mill Store.Public Transport: Rathdrum train Station, with trains from Dublin/Rosslare and Commuter Dart RoutesTheres a pre-bookable bus organised by WicklowWay.comThe Local Link connects Laragh / Trooperstown and Rathdrum (ad-hoc scheduling, planning required)The Glendalough Bus / St. Kevins Bus links Dublin city centre and Laragh village.Trail difficulty: EasySticking to mostly small roads and forest tracks and trails, this is a quintessential Irish trail. Its waymarked using Irelands official National Waymarked Trails yellow walking man way-marker (affectionately known to us as Elvis). Read about trail grading in Ireland here.Trail quality: 3.5/5Depending on your choice of route, the northerly section to Troopertowns Car Park can feel a little long on the road. When I walked there was some missing way-marking, which I think should be amended in the near future. Views: 4/5A mostly forest-focused trail, with some views at the Trooperstown end. Lovely native woodland paths for the southerly section. Buggy/Wheelchair friendly: Not quite buggy friendly (maybe if youre very determined). Not wheelchair friendly. When did I walk this route: August 2025Dogs allowed: No External Links: Sport Ireland TrailsThe Avonmore Way on HiiKERWicklow Uplands Council Starting off from the Northern end at Trooperstown, there is an info board tucked away in the back of the car park. From here, the trail brings you straight over to the Avonmore River that its named for, and which Ill be following southwards all day. The wide bridge (labelled Nolans Bridge on East West mapping), takes me across to the eastern bank, where the trail will stay until reaching the Samuel Hayes Bridge down in Rathdrum. The way-markers follows a wide forestry road on a pretty consistent uphill (100m elevation gain) for close to 2km. Its then another 2.4km along country lanes as the route skirts around the side of Trooperstown Hill summit. From this road section there are views towards Glenmacanass, Glendassan, and Derrybawn. Something I noted on the day, and has been seconded by others, was how quite this road section seems to be. Wicklow, being as mountainous as it is, doesnt have space for all that many roads. So in past experience Id found that all the roads that do exist are used quite a bit. The morning I walked this I met one or two locals who were pottering about, and otherwise had the road to myself. At the end of this section we come to the junction with the Laragh village off-shoot. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Starting from the free carpark in Laragh, its a shorter walk south. At the time of writing, this off-shoot is slightly trickier as the way-marking is patchy. Leaving the car park head south, away from the village centre. After a hundred metres or so, take the lefthand turn. Follow the lane for about 400m, and then head into the car park of Ballard Woods. Keep heading south, away from Ballard Woof loop and take the forest track to the right - after about 600 - 700m, the trail joins with the Trooperstown route. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Now that were all joined up - its a pretty quite walk for maybe the next 3km. Theres an extremely straight forest road, some more winding lane, and then the trail begins to approach the Clara Vale. Descending off the road, theres a lovely forest trail that brings us back along the Avonmore river once more. In the late summer sunshine, the water shone through the beach leaves, making the forest sparkle. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Unexpectedly, I found myself coming out at the back of a small church. The narrow pathway continues through the church grounds to the road, which the trail only follows for a couple minutes uphill to arrive to the main gates into the Clara Vale.The Vale of Clara is the highlight of this trail. This nature reserve and the surrounding area is beautiful, filled with a variety of native flora and a true mixture of paths and trails. This nature reserve contains the largest area of semi-natural woodland in Co. Wicklow, and is potentially one of the largest stands of native hardwood in the country. As the NPWS website so dryly states, the oak-woods are of high scenic value. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize When the opportunity to walk this trail arose last winter, I chose not to - because I knew of this area. Walking and documenting these woods in winter would have felt like such a criminal move against the beauty of this place. Theres at least 3.5km of walking in this forest, before we come to our southerly trail junction. Taking the turn for the Stump of the Castle is the shorter of the two options. Heading left and uphill, its roughly 800m to the car park. This was the original finish point for the trail, until the Samuel Hayes bridge could be built. Its still a fine finish point now, but I think misses out on some lovely trails. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Keeping right and heading towards Rathdrum, theres probably a mile left to the walk, but with lots of highlights. The first being - the suspension bridge. Samuel Hayes was an 18th century member of parliament, commissioner of Avondale House, and lover of trees. At a time when native forests were fast disappearing, he believed the future lay in reforestation and managed woodlands. He wrote Irelands first book on trees - a practical guide on planting, managing timber, and the estates around Ireland that were home to trees of note. According to Wicklow Heritage, all of the oldest trees surviving on the Avondale estate were planted by Hayes. Not to mention, he also designed a pedestrian single-span bridge for this very river! View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize After the bridge, the way-marking again becomes a bit patchy, so here are my directions until the way-marking is updated. After the bridge, turn sharp right and head back upstream. At the next Y-junction, turn hard left and slightly uphill. Keep left at the next junction, and follow the trail around until you reach a bench with a Jubilee Loop way-marker. Follow this left through the next lovely little section of raised boardwalk, along the edge of the rugby club, and to the entrance to the Hidden Valley resort. Here youll find the Rathdrum info board, and the end of the trail! My personal favourite configuration for this trail is to walk from Rathdrum to Laragh (or the reverse). Thanks to Bryan for all the work he did years ago to get the Samuel Hayes bridge into production - Im imagining it was a huge project to connect the trail directly to the village with a bespoke footbridge. It not only makes the trail far more accessible to walkers who dont drive (or dont have two cars to leave at either end), but it also brings the walkers into the local community, meaning that the community is more likely to benefit from the walking tourism. I know from my own experience, and having watched other walkers for many years now -when youre travelling on foot, youre highly unlikely to make a detour thats going to add more than a couple of hundred meters to your route. So if you want a community to benefit from walkers, you have to make a really appealing route into the village. This trail ends outside of the main village centre, but it brings you to within the visual bounds of the town (eg. footpath, built up surroundings), meaning that you already feel connected and will continue onto a shop or coffee shop. More Irish trails need this thought and consideration. As Ive highlighted before, the fact that this trail is connected to the train line (Rathdrum) is a huge boon. An alternative Wicklow Way adventure could be to take the train to Rathdrum and walk the Avonmore Way up to Laragh or Trooperstown, joining onto the Wicklow Way easily from either northern trailhead. What Im imagining is: Day 1: Rathdrum Train Station Brushers Gap Hut18km | 520m elevation gain | via Laragh VillageStrava linkDay 2: Brushers Gap Glencree River23km | 770m elevation gain Strava LinkDay 3: Glencree River Marlay Park 20km | 625m elevation gainStrava Link Watch the youtube video here. Further exploringOther day hikes in the area: Glendalough White Loop (The Spinc)The Dublin Mountains LoopSt. Kevins Way, WicklowNearby National Waymarked Trails: The Wicklow WayThe Dublin Mountains WayMountain Hikes: Kippure: Dublin County High PointCoffee/food options: Glendalough Green Cafe, Laragh: a Wicklow institution, Ive been going here since before I could walk! this is the perfect cafe for a cosy mocha on a winters day, or a coffee and sweet treat to take out into the sunshine of a summers day.N11 Avondale - Restaurant in RathdrumPitstop Coffee - takeaway coffee in Rathdrum

Connemara National Park covers some 2,000 hectares of scenic mountains, expanses of bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands in County Galway. Some of the National Parks mountains, namely Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack and Muckanaght, are part of the famous Twelve Bens or Beanna Beola range.Opened to the public in 1980, the National Park includes lands that once formed part of the Kylemore Abbey Estate, the Letterfrack Industrial School, and the private property of Richard Humanity Dick Martin, who helped to form the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Learn more about our walking trails, unique habitats and our beautiful flora and fauna. - Connemara National Park Overview: Distance: 7kmLocation: GalwayElevation gain: 500mFormat: Looped TrailTime: 1 - 3 hrsStart / End / Parking:The trail starts and ends at the Connemara National Park Visitor Centre, just outside of the village of Letterfrack. There is ample parking at the visitor centre, plus toilets, cafe, and exhibition space. Trail difficulty: EasyThis is an accessible trail in Connemara, offering great views of the surrounding mountains and coastline. Its a great way to experience the ruggedness of the surrounding mountains without needing a lot of outdoor experience. If you are not used to hiking, this is steep in sections. Read about trail grading in Ireland here.Trail quality: 4/5Very well built trails, mixture of gravel paths, stone paving, and wooden boardwalk. Views: 5/5For a small hill, you get lovely views. Buggy/Wheelchair friendly: Lower loops are somewhat accessible, summit is not. Dogs allowed: Yes When did I walk this route: March 2024External resources: Connemara National Parks Info PageDiamond Hill on HiiKERSport Ireland info page View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Its an extremely windy March morning as I arrive to the Connemara National Parks Centre. But the strong breeze means the clouds are hurried on quickly, and the sun is shining through. The visitor centre here has some lovely short walks around the immediate grounds, through forests and along ponds. There are officially four trails from here: Ellis Wood Nature Trail: 0.5kmSruffaunboy Walk: 1.5kmLower Diamond Hill Walk: 3kmUpper Diamond Hill Walk: 3.7km Today Im doing what Id call the full Diamond Hill Loop, which is combining the Lower and Upper walk into something of a figure-eight shape. Note: the national park have waymarked this trail in a specific direction. Follow the way-marking. There is one section on the climb to the summit that is exposed rock and uneven. This meant to only be the way up, and is far more difficult to descend. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize The bottom loop is lots of wide open gravel paths and some stretches of boardwalk. At the split to the higher loop, there is very clear signage. It is on the upwards climb here that there is one small section of larger rock to navigate. As I said before - this is much easier to go up than down. Because of the strong winds blowing when I was there, many people were turning around at the top of this section, and deciding to come back down. However, the trail across the summit and down the back is a much easier path, designed to be easy to walk downwards on. I ended up being the only person walking around and down the far side while I was there. I stopped and munched on some late lunch, appreciating the wide valley view between me and the Bens. I finished the walk back around on more wide gravel paths to the visitor centre. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize On immediately finishing the walk, I was somewhat underwhelmed. This is a hike Ive heard raved about by so many people. However, as time has passed, my opinion has eased on this trail. The four paths I listed at the top are the only waymarked trails in the Connemara National Park. While there might be plenty of other routes listed in hiking apps, this is the only one that is and actual trail underfoot, and is waymarked. Thousands of tourists (national and international alike) have heard the songs and read about the romanticisation of Connemara for decades. If you are someone with limited walking experience, this walk is going to give you a taste of the wildness of the surrounding mountains in an accessible way. And if youre someone with walking experience, save this for a speedy sunrise or sunset hike, appreciate the views, and then carry on to your next adventure. Find this walk on YouTube Further exploringOther trails in the area: The Western Way - GalwayPine Island Viewpoint (google maps)This isnt a trail, but a very popular viewpoint from the general area (photo above). Favourite Local Coffee / Food Options:Cottage Coffee - RoundstoneThe Misunderstoon Heron

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Thailand?As someone who writes about getting outdoors nearly exclusively in Ireland, primarily through walking trails, this might feel like a strange blog post to come across. Let me give you some context.Back in October of 2024 I won an instagram competition to go on a trail running holiday with Trails & Roots in Thailand. Yes, that sentence is real - and yes, I was head over heels excited. Fast forward a couple of months, and over 24hrs of travelling between three flights, I land in the city of Chiang Mai in north Thailand. The city is surrounded by several mountain ranges, and while far more densely populated and urban than what Im now used to, being in a city full of green with constant views of lush mountains left me feeling quite at home in the hustle and bustle. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Trails & Roots was created by Heather, an Irish Adventurer who, after travelling the world for her own endurance races, decided to establish Trails & Roots to combine her passions of adventure, being immersed in new cultures and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds.This is a running camp - but not a boot camp. It straddles the fine line of lots of running, but also lots of relaxation and recovery. Were based in the city of Chiang Mai for the full week, and every day we drive out to a new incredible trail in the surrounding mountains. The Thanon Thong Chai mountain range to the west of the city is where we spend most of our time, tackling the dense contours and incredible trails. Through pure chance, this trail camp was all women - except for two very important men: Zandy, our chef for the week; and Lek, or local guide. LEK: Part of the Trails and Roots experience is that they hire local guides to show us the truly off the beaten track trials. For this outing, our local guide was Lek, a true mountain goat, easily moving through the group as needed. He was a quiet man, happy to let us get excited over things that are just everyday life to him. He answered all my curious questions, explaining about nomadic tribes, the innumerable layers of culture throughout these mountains and the people living there. He laughed as he reassured locals that yes, we tourists were truly excited to run up the dirt tracks for hours on end. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Our first run of the camp was 17km, with over 570m of elevation gain and 1,200 metres of descent. The route was called Tribal Trails to Waterfalls and Temples, and it could not have been more spectacular. We climbed narrow single track and steep ascents that required three points of contact.However, all the running was balanced by getting to stop at one of the highest coffee shops in the region. Coffee with a view barely covers it. This was our most full on day. After our run we returned to our townhouse, quickly washed up and ate lunch before learning how to fold lilies for when you wanted to bring them as an offering to a Buddhist temple. And then we did just that - visiting two temples that evening. The first, Wat Pha Lat, was tucked into the mountainside. Surrounded by trees and bamboo, the gentle rustling of leaves set the hushed tone for the place. Here we sat down with a monk and learnt what we could about buddhism and a monks life in the hour long window we had with him. Ive never met someone so peaceful. At the end he gave us each a blesslet, wishing us all health, happiness and success in whatever we were looking for. A few days later one of the other runners asked if there was a way to take off the blesslet without harming the blessing - she didnt want it to accidentally be torn off and lost while we were out running. As long as we untied the knots, or left it on until it naturally untied, then we were fine. Just dont cut it off.Months later, it hangs beside my desk to remind me the feelings I had that day. Our second temple was Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (or the golden temple). I watched monks live-streaming their prayers, and hawkers offering to take your photo in front of all the gilded spires. There were true worshipers here, but also a lot of everything else. Standing on the edges, it was a cacophony of excitement, joy, and reverence.As we all slowly descended the stairs outside of the temple, Heather mentioned how excited she was for the dinner that Zandy was preparing back at the house. Have I mentioned the food yet? Because if its not the running that will sell you on a Trails and Roots camp, its the food.From the fresh coconuts our driver would slice open at the end of every run, to the incredible works of art that Zandy would concoct for us during our hours on trail, I dont think Ive ever eaten so well in my life. Every night was three courses; every breakfast a delicate balance of just how much banana bread can you eat without feeling queasy on the trail; and every picnic was a pinch me moment, sitting on the edge of river canyons or finding shade in floating huts. Id always seen the food talked about a lot in reviews and stories of Trails & Root camps, but didnt quite understand how freeing having someone else cook every meal for you was. Thanks again to Zandy for doing such a wonderful job that week. Day 2 saw us take on The Buffalo Run: Thirsty Ridge to Cool Canyons, another 17km trail epic through gritty climbs and our most technical trails for the week. This is where I won the Top Tumbler Award for the trip - thankfully a very minor slip on some loose stone. Finishing at the gorgeous river canyons, we picnicked and swam in the baking sunshine.That evening, we had a yoga session that had my calves screaming and the instructor laughing at just how stiff all our legs were. Day 3 was a looped 17k run through the mountain fruit farms. Named Fruits of the White Pagoda, this route had us passing through some of the most stunning scenery, as well as a tiny bit of bush-whacking. It was on this run that I saw my first Oriental/Crested Honey Buzzards. Their call was so distinctly buzzard that I almost took my second tumble as my head whipped up to find them. Circling on the higher air currents, there were at least five criss-crossing the skies above us. There was something wonderful in meeting the asian cousins to my usual avian companions at home. Every day, at the end of our runs, our driver is waiting with an ice box filled with coke cans and the aforementioned coconuts. As I sat on the ground in the sun, I smiled as I realised how strange it was for something that so foreign three days before (drinking a coconut), suddenly felt like part of the natural routine.That afternoon we swung by a new temple that had just opened, Loha Prasat Sri Mueang Pong (White Temple). The baking hot flagstones almost scorched your feet outside, the white paint blinding in the midday sunshine. Being a new temple, there were fewer visitors, but I could imagine the busy streams of people that would soon flow around the building, the noise rising to twirl through the spires and wind chimes high above. This was our one official free evening of the trip. Some of us went for a delicious dinner together, and afterwards I wandered street markets by myself, enjoying the cool night air. Something I hadnt expected was the vibrant coffee culture in Thailand. A local told me that while Thailand is a big coffee producer, the speciality coffee they produce is mostly used by the internal market. The variety I experienced in Chiang Mai was gorgeous. The weight that I was regaining from the used running gels and snacks was being filled even faster by the bags of coffee I kept buying. A particular favourite cafe that was walking distance from our townhouse was Roast8ry Coffee Lab - I liked it so much, I bought the t-shirt. For Day 4, we had a well earned rest day - where we all went on a Thai cooking course! Exploring everything from large local markets, to the farm where the cooking school grew everything in-house, we all learnt more about the cornerstones to Thai cuisine, and cooked our own five course meal. That evening I still went out for a short shakeout, and to find some local bookshops. There are a few things I will always track down no matter where I go - the kinds of spaces that always feel somewhat the same. For me, bookshops are those spaces, and I will happily wander, admiring books in languages I will never understand, until tired legs or other plans call. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Day 5 was the Doi Suthep Lake Loop. 16km of more gorgeous trails and river crossings. I remember reaching the first river, and wondering if I wanted to get my feet wet. Wet feet at home is both to be expected, and something that I typically delay until the last possible moment, as it means I wont have dry (or warm) feet until I am back at the car changing. However, in balmy Thailand I quickly realised that wet feet really meant incredibly little to me - almost nice! When we finished our run that day, we stayed by the lake and ate our lunch in lake-side huts. Sitting there, munching on sushi as the water lapped below, my mind suddenly registered how insane this whole moment was - a literal pinch-me moment. Our final evening activity was a full body Thai massage. After so much travel and trails, this was one of the absolute highlights of an impossibly high trip. Just like during the yoga, I was lovingly scolded for how inflexible and stiff all my muscles were. Our final day was 10km called Monks Sacred Steps to Coffee. Starting in the university, we ran up the Monks trail, which took us the whole way back to the very first temple we visited. We then descended down to a runners cafe just outside the city, before it was time to pack our bags and head back to reality. Putting the video together months later, and this blog post even later still, it all feels like an incredible dream. Thailand is so far from my everyday, that sometimes its hard to remember that this was real, and not all that long ago.And there were so many other moments I havent mentioned - sound baths and pedicures, post dinner conversations and individual revelations. A big thank you to Heather once more for organising, to Lek for being a wonderful guide (and taking all of these wonderful running photos on the final day), and to the fantastic women whom I shared the camp with! Watch the video of the adventure here As I mentioned at the top - I won this trip as a giveaway. Heather didnt expect me to write, photograph, or film any of it, this was all shared purely because I had such a wonderful time. To learn more about Trails & Roots, check out their website: trailsandroots.com

Ive seen the Galtymore Loop hike described online as character building. I definitely would agree with this assessment. Especially if like me, the rain blows sideways at you as you cross the valley between Cush and Galtybeg. Despite this, I really enjoyed the 13km looped walk in the Galty Mountains. Galtymore Loop Hike Details Map []The post Galtymore Loop Hike appeared first on Wild Irish Walks.