Self-Guided Walking Holidays in Ireland

A self-guided walking holiday is a walk you do independently, on a route we have planned for you. You follow a waymarked trail from one village to the next at your own pace, stay in handpicked B&Bs with breakfast, and your luggage is moved ahead of you every morning. There is no guide and no group, just you, the people you choose to walk with, and us at the end of the phone if you need anything.

Our self-guided tours run from 5 to 10 days on Ireland's best long-distance trails, from the Dingle Way and Kerry Way in the south-west to the Causeway Coast in the north. Most walking days are between 14 and 24 kilometres, and you navigate with our route notes, maps and a GPS app that works offline.

There's a version of Ireland that most visitors never see — the one you only reach on foot. The ancient green lanes worn by centuries of footsteps. The hidden coves below the cliffs. The turf smoke rising from a farmhouse as the evening light turns gold over the hills. A self-guided walking holiday puts you right in the middle of all of it, at your own pace, on your own terms.

We've been organising self-guided walking holidays in Ireland since 2012, and every year we walk the routes ourselves to make sure they're exactly as we describe. When you book with us, you're not dealing with a call centre — you're planning your trip with people who genuinely love these trails.

What's Included in Every Tour

Every self-guided walking holiday we offer includes:

• check_circleAccommodation with breakfast — handpicked B&Bs and guesthouses, personally visited and selected by Cliff and Louise. Warm, welcoming, and always with a proper Irish fry-up to start the day.
• check_circleDaily luggage transfers — leave your main bag at your B&B each morning; we deliver it to your next stop. You walk with just a daypack.
• check_circleDetailed route notes and maps — step-by-step walking directions, printed maps, and GPX files loaded onto your phone for offline navigation.
• check_circleGPS app with offline maps — our walkers get access to a dedicated navigation app so you always know exactly where you are, even without signal.
• check_circlePersonal support before and during your trip — call or message us anytime. We're on hand from first enquiry to last day on the trail.
• check_circleInsider tips and local knowledge — the pubs worth stopping at, the viewpoints the guidebooks miss, the shortcuts that save your knees on a long day.

Which Route Is Right for You?

Ireland's long-distance walking trails each have their own personality. The Kerry Way is Ireland's longest — a 215km circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula, winding through Killarney's ancient oak woods and across the wild shoulders of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks. The Dingle Way loops the dramatic Dingle Peninsula with its prehistoric sites, clifftop paths and sweeping Atlantic views. The Wicklow Way — Ireland's oldest long-distance trail — rolls through the heather moorlands and wooded glens of the Wicklow Mountains, just an hour from Dublin.

We offer all of our tours in multiple lengths — from a 5-day introduction to a full 9 or 10-day traverse — so there's always an option that fits your schedule, your fitness level, and the way you like to travel. Not sure which suits you best? Try our fitness quiz and we'll point you in the right direction.

When to Go

The walking season in Ireland runs from April through October. May, June and September are our favourite months — fewer crowds than midsummer, longer daylight hours than spring, and the landscape at its most vivid. May brings wild gorse flowering golden across the hillsides; September turns the heather purple and the bracken copper. July and August are excellent too, but they're busy — book early to secure the best B&Bs.

As for the weather — it's Ireland. You might get four seasons in a single afternoon, and that's part of the charm. The rain is what keeps the hills so impossibly green. Pack a good waterproof, dress in layers, and embrace it. We'll send you a full kit list when you book so you arrive properly prepared.

Solo Walkers Are Very Welcome

A large number of our walkers travel solo, and Ireland is a brilliant destination for it. The routes are safe, well-marked, and run through communities where strangers are warmly welcomed. Every evening at the B&B you'll likely find yourself swapping stories with other walkers over dinner — the Irish way of doing things tends to make you feel at home very quickly. We've had countless solo walkers tell us their Irish walking holiday was the trip that changed something for them. We'd love for yours to be one of those.

If you enjoy a full day on your feet and like the idea of setting your own pace, self-guided walking probably suits you. It works especially well for:

• check_circleSolo walkers: every bed is booked and the route is marked, so you get the independence without the uncertainty. See our solo walking holidays.
• check_circleCouples: walk together, at a pace that suits the two of you, with no group to keep up with.
• check_circleFriends who walk at different speeds: spread out during the day and meet up at the same B&B every evening.
• check_circleWalkers over 50: take breaks whenever you like and choose gentler tours with shorter days. See our walking holidays for over-50s.
• check_circleExperienced hikers: navigate confidently, push the pace, or add a mountain detour on a long day.

Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing, and include your accommodation with breakfast, daily luggage transfers, route notes, maps, the GPS app and our support throughout. Here are some of our most popular trails:

What to Budget For on Top

• check_circleLunches and evening meals: we will point you to the good pubs and cafés along the way.
• check_circleGetting to Ireland: flights, and travel to your first night's accommodation.
• check_circleWalking alone?: a single room costs a little more. Ask us and we will quote it exactly.

Prices vary by trail and tour length. Browse all our tours to see the current price for each one.