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 Carlow on Sat, 17 Oct — dry by day, light winds, up to 11°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 Cheatharlach

County Carlow

Best day outdoors: Sat, 17 Oct — dry by day, light winds, up to 11°C

Fri, 16 Oct12°Clear weather sun
Sat, 17 Oct11°Sun with light cloud
Sun, 18 Oct11°Sun with grey cloud
Mon, 19 Oct12°Sun with grey cloud

Trails 17

Forests 2

Heritage 2

Parks, gardens & islands 7

Everything outdoors in County Carlow →

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. RoscommonBallaghderreen Looped Walk3.3 km45 minModerateLoopThis short looped walk, located just outside Ballaghaderreen, follows quiet local roads and passes through a bog rich in diverse flora and fauna.

Trail · Co. CorkBallingeary Loops – Cahir Loop9.8 km2 hrModerateLoopFrom the village, travel north on the L3402 road towards Ballyvourney and turn left at Cahir cross. Travel down Cahir, Carrignadoura and Gortín na Coillte on the way back to the village.

Trail · Co. CorkBallintotis Loops - Castle Loop3.7 km1 hr 15 minEasyLoopThis trail follows country roads and laneways from the Church car park and passes Ballintotas National School (built in 1898). It incorporates Ballintotis Castle (once the possession of the Fitzgeralds of Munster)…

Trail · Co. MayoBallycastle Sralagagh Loop Walk8.2 km3 hr 30 minModerateLoopStarting in the village of Ballycastle and rising to pass through bogland, this pleasant trail follows country roads and firm bog roads as it crosses the lower slopes of the hill at Ballyknock, bringing the walker past…

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. WexfordCarnachCarneWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsCarne is a level sandy beach adjacent to Carne pier that faces east towards the Irish Sea. There is a dune system to the west of the beach.

Beach · Co. KerryDoire Fhíonáin (Derrynane)Water quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsDoire Fhíonáin (Derrynane) is a south westerly facing sandy beach backing onto sand dunes. It is exposed to Atlantic wave action and westerly winds. The beach is backed by a sand-dune system, and beyond this is a…

Beach · Co. DonegalFintraWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsFintra beach consists of a long sandy beach; confined in a small inlet to the West of Killybegs Harbour, with hills and small cliffs to the west and the estuary of the Fintragh River to the East. Fintra Beach has a wide…

Beach · Co. CorkInchydoney West BeachWater quality: Excellent (2025)Blue FlagLifeguards in seasonToiletsInchydoney West Beach is a relatively gently sloping, sandy, south facing beach located at the north east of Clonakilty Bay. The beach is backed by sand dunes and is quite open to rough weather conditions. This beach is…

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. LimerickCurragh Chase Forest ParkForest park · 311 ha4 trailsParking

Forest · Co. SligoCoolaney MTB TrailsForest park · 1070 ha3 trailsMountain bikingParking

Forest · Co. WicklowBaile na FuinseoigeBallinafunshoge4 trailsParking

Forest · Co. DublinCruagh Wood10 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. GalwayCalafort Ros an Mhíl (Rossaveel Harbour)IslandRossavealWander down to Rossaveel Harbour (Calafort Ros an Mhíl) in County Galway and watch the colourful boats sail in and out.

Nature spot · Co. MayoCliaraClare IslandBeachClare IslandClare Island was once home to the famous pirate Queen Grace O'Malley and is the largest and highest of Clew Bay's many islands, with dramatic coastal cliffs and spectacular views of one of Ireland's best known peaks, Croagh Patrick.

Nature spot · Co. MayoCross, Louisburgh BeachBeachCrossCross Beach forms part of the Lough Cahasy, Lough Baun and Roonah Lough Special Area of Conservation (cSAC) proposed National Heritage Area (pNHA).

Nature spot · Co. KerryTrá FhormaoileachFermoyle StrandBeachOne of the longest beaches in Ireland, Fermoyle Strand makes up part of the sweeping curve of Brandon Bay on the northern side of the Dingle Peninsula. It is the perfect base for watersports enthusiasts, or those simply looking to soak up the sound of the waves.

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. WicklowAghowle ChurchChurchAghowle Lower (Shillelagh By.)The ancient church at Aghowle is associated with St Finnian (who died in 549), and he is supposed to have established a church at Aghowle before founding his more famous site at Clonard, Co. Meath. The name Aghowle…

Heritage site · Co. WicklowBaltinglass AbbeyReligious houseBaltinglass EastBaltinglass Abbey stands on the banks of the River Slaney on the outskirts of the small town of Baltinglass. The abbey was founded in 1148 by the king of Leinster, Diarmait MacMurrough, as a daughter house of the…

Heritage site · Co. TipperaryCahir Castle, CahirCastleTownparks (Caher Par.)Once the stronghold of the powerful Butler family, the castle retains its impressive keep, tower and much of its original defensive structure. It is one of Ireland's largest and best preserved castles. It is situated on…

Heritage site · Co. MonaghanClones High CrossCrossCrossmoyleThe town of Clones owes its origins to an ancient church founded here by St Tighearnach who reputed to have been baptised by St Brigid at Kildare. Apparently St Tighearnach (d. 550) was granted these lands by a…

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