Éire · Ireland outdoors

Ireland's wild places,
and the best day to go.

Trails, beaches, forests and heritage in all 26 counties — gathered from Ireland's open data, joined up, and read against this week's Met Éireann forecast.

Kindest weather this week: County Cavan on Sun, 11 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C

Choose a county This week's outdoor forecast

Trails & walks: 1,194
Beaches & bathing waters: 243
Forests & woodlands: 155
Heritage sites: 104
Parks, gardens & islands: 229

Choose a county

Where to go, and when

Each county is shaded by its best day outdoors this week. Pick one for its forecast and the trails, beaches, woods and heritage we'd try first.

Great
Good
Mixed
Wet or wild
Warning

Contae an Chabháin

County Cavan

Best day outdoors: Sun, 11 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C

Fri, 9 Oct12°Medium rain showers
Sat, 10 Oct11°Drizzle
Sun, 11 Oct13°Grey cloud
Mon, 12 Oct15°Medium rain showers

Trails 28

Forests 5

Heritage 2

Parks, gardens & islands 1

Cuilcagh Lakelands GeoparkPark

Everything outdoors in County Cavan →

Outdoor forecast

Where the weather is kindest this week

All 26 counties, day by day →

Trails & walks

Every waymarked route on Sport Ireland's register — loops, greenways, long-distance ways — with length, climb, time and dogs.

Trail · Co. GalwayAghrane Castlekelly Loop4.1 km1 hr 45 minEasyLoopThis trail follows forest road and forest track through mixed commercial forest and beautiful parkland trees planted by the old estate with a wide diversity of species throughout the forest. You pass by the old estate…

Trail · Co. GalwayÁrann – Lúb Dún Eochla10 km3 hr 30 minModerateLoopThis walk follows roads and grass tracks from Kilronan pier to Eochaill and crosses the island, close to the highest point, returning by the 'coast' road on the other side and passing sites like Teampall Chiarain…

Trail · Co. DonegalArds Forest Park - Yellow trail2.5 km1 hr 30 minEasyLoopThis trail takes the walker on forest road through mixed age coniferous plantations past Rinnalack Hill and on to the shores of Lough Lilly. A small fen has developed here allowing white and yellow water lilies to…

Trail · Co. TipperaryArra Mountains Loop12.4 km6 hrChallengingLoopThis fine walk on tarmac roads, bog roads, farm tracks, purpose built gravel walking paths and through fields at the northern edge of the Sliabh Arra hills offers the opportunity for some realtively stenuous exercise…

All 1,194 trails & walks →

Beaches & bathing waters

Every bathing water the EPA monitors, with its water-quality record, warnings and the facilities that matter.

Beach · Co. ClareFánóirFanoreWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsFanore is a sandy beach underlain by gently sloping stepped limestone, which is exposed in parts at low tide. Fanore beach contains a dune area to the northeast which supports a variety of vegetation. Activities include…

Beach · Co. KerryInseInchWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsInch Strand is an exposed sandy beach, facing due west into Dingle Bay and to the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The sand dune system supports a variety of plant species. There are areas of salt marsh and mudflats which support…

Beach · Co. WexfordBaile na hEiscríBallineskerWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsBallinesker is a rural peaceful fine-sand beach with a relatively gentle slope. The sand type is soft and windblown and often covers the wooden walkway. Deposition offshore into a series of sand-banks offers protection…

Beach · Co. GalwayBathing Place at PortumnaWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsPortumna bathing water is a pleasant well maintained facility used throughout the year. It is situated in a shallow area of Lough Derg near the town of Portumna. This is an important lake in Ireland for waterfowl. Lough…

All 243 beaches & bathing waters →

Forests & woodlands

Coillte's forest parks and recreation woods: the trails inside them, where to park, and where to ride.

Forest · Co. CorkGougane Barra Forest ParkForest park · 137 ha7 trailsParking

Forest · Co. CorkFarran Forest ParkForest park · 45 ha3 trailsParking

Forest · Co. DublinBarnaslingan Wood5 trailsParking

Forest · Co. TipperaryGortavoher / Glen of Aherlow5 trailsParking

All 155 forests & woodlands →

Parks, gardens & islands

Island crossings, walled gardens, town parks and quieter beaches — Fáilte Ireland's nature places, without the tour operators.

Nature spot · Co. KerryCoomanaspicIslandVisit Coomanaspic Pass in County Kerry for spectacular panoramic views of the Iveragh peninsula.

Nature spot · Co. GalwayDroichead Charraig an Logáin (Carrickalegaun Bridge)IslandLettermoreThis causeway links two of the islands of Kilkieran Bay, Gorumna and Lettermore.

Nature spot · Co. MayoAn Ceann Ramhar (Doohoma Head)BeachThe long sandy beach of An Ceann Ramhar is one of the hidden gems of Erris in north-western Mayo.

Nature spot · Co. DublinBarnageara BeachBeachBarnageera Beach can be found half way between Skerries and Balbriggan in County Dublin. It is a great place for a casual and scenic walk.

All 229 parks, gardens & islands →

Heritage in the landscape

UNESCO sites and the National Monuments Service's monuments to visit — abbeys, dolmens, ring forts, round towers.

Heritage site · Co. LimerickAskeaton FriaryReligious houseMoig SouthAskeaton Friary is situated on the banks of the River Deel and was probably founded by the fourth Earl of Desmond, who was known as Gerald ‘the poet’, sometime around 1400. The friary was originally founded for the…

Heritage site · Co. MeathMainistir BheigthíBective AbbeyReligious houseBectiveBective Abbey overlooking the legendary River Boyne is the oldest Cistercian foundation in Meath and the second oldest in Ireland. It was founded in 1147 with an endowment from Murchad Ua Máel Sechnaill, who ruled over…

Heritage site · Co. SligoCarrowmore Megalithic CemeteryMegalithic tombCarrowmore (Carbury By.)This is the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland and is also among the country's oldest, with monuments ranging from five and a half thousand to six and a half thousand years old. Archaeologists have recorded…

Heritage site · Co. OffalyCluain Mhic NóisClonmacnoiseGraveyardClonmacnoiseAn Early Christian site founded by St. Ciarán in the mid-6th century on the eastern bank of the River Shannon. The site includes the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches (10th - 13th century), two round towers, three…

All 104 heritage sites →

From the journal

Stories from the field

Racing the Tide at Omey: Connemara's Beach Horse RacesOnce a year the Atlantic pulls back at Claddaghduff and a racecourse appears on the seabed. A field report from the 2026 Omey Races, the 1,500 years of history under the sand, and what it takes to run a meeting on a beach.

Read the journal →

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Tell Winsome AI where and when, and it drafts a slow, nature-first itinerary you can refine — built around the places on this site.

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Ireland's wild places,and the best day to go.