If you’re just starting out hiking, it’s easy to fall into a rut — doing the same few trails again and again. They’re familiar, safe, and convenient. But after the fifth lap of the same loop, let’s be honest… it gets boring.
So how do you find new hiking trails? The good news: Ireland is packed with incredible routes, from forest tracks to coastal walks and mountain hikes. The tricky part is knowing where to look. Here are five practical ways (plus a bonus tip!) to discover your next adventure.
1. Online Resources
The internet is a treasure trove of trail info if you know where to dig.
- Coillte Outdoors – Coillte manages over 11% of Ireland’s land, and their website has a recreation map full of marked trails. Perfect for beginners: well-maintained, clearly waymarked, and free to download.
- Discover Ireland & Sport Ireland – Both list walking and hiking activities across the country.
- Local tourism sites – County-based websites (like Visit Waterford or Tipperary.ie) often have hidden gems the bigger platforms miss.
- Tuatha.ie – If you love a bit of history with your hikes, Tuatha has guides to monuments and historical sites, many with walking routes attached.
💡 Tip: Bookmark your county’s tourism site — you’ll be surprised how many “secret” trails are hiding in plain sight.
2. Guidebooks
Sometimes offline really is best. A good hiking guidebook gives you photos, trail descriptions, difficulty ratings, distance, and even post-hike coffee spots.
- Irish Peaks by Mountaineering Ireland – fantastic county-by-county routes.
- The Hike Life by Roz Purcell – beginner-friendly hikes with gorgeous photography and local recommendations.
- Local bookshops often carry county-specific guidebooks that highlight smaller, lesser-known trails.
3. Hiking Apps
Apps make finding (and following) new trails simple.
- Hiiker is my go-to. It has trail maps, elevation profiles, route info, and EastWest mapping built in (excellent for Ireland). Use code AOB50 for 50% off your first annual subscription.
- Crowdsourced apps like AllTrails also exist, but be cautious — routes aren’t always verified. Always cross-check before heading out.
4. Maps (for the Old-School Adventurers)
Maps are still one of the best ways to discover routes.
- EastWest Maps – Beautifully detailed, marking both national and local trails.
- OS Maps – Show national walks and are great for planning.
The benefit? You can spot landmarks (like castle ruins or standing stones) and build your own routes around them. The challenge? You’ll need some map-reading skills — but that’s part of the fun.
5. Join a Hiking Group
If route planning feels overwhelming, let someone else do the work!
- Groups like Galz Gone Wild or Sliabh Hiking organise regular walks on new trails.
- You’ll discover routes you’d never find on your own.
- Bonus: you get the social side of hiking too — meeting people who love the outdoors as much as you do.
Bonus Tip: Just Go Exploring
Sometimes the best hikes aren’t online at all.
- Keep an eye out for forest signs (many Coillte woods aren’t listed online but have maintained tracks).
- Watch for roadside signs pointing to local trails or monuments.
- Explore around rivers, lakes, or coastlines — they often lead to fantastic routes.
- And don’t be shy: locals in cafés or petrol stations are often happy to share recommendations.
Wrapping Up
Finding new hiking trails in Ireland doesn’t need to be complicated. Between online resources, apps, guidebooks, and good old-fashioned exploring, you’ll never run out of routes to try.
So next time you’re tempted to do your “usual loop,” try one of these methods instead. Who knows — you might just discover your new favourite trail.
🌲 Have a go-to way of finding new routes? Share it in the comments — I’m always on the lookout for new ideas!
Happy hiking, agus slán go fóill.
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