What To Do

The Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark wider offers a number of paths, trails and looped walks that provide excellent hiking, trekking, and rambling over a range of terrains, from bogland and forest to foothills and mountains.

Guided tours

What better way to experience our region than being told its stories while walking in the landscape. There are a number of tour guides working in the region. Check out their contact details at the Galway Tour Guides Association or the Approved Tourist Guides of Ireland.

National Walking Trails in the area 

Click on the different trails to find out more about them, or visit https://www.irishtrails.ie/ to find out more.

1. Murrisk Loop; Murrisk Mountain Loop; Murrisk Pier Loop
2. Killeen Killadoon Beach Loop & Killeen White Stone Bog Loop
3. Inishturk – Lough Coolaknick Loop
4. Inishbofin Island – Westquarter Loop
5. Letterfrack Poetry Trail; Diamond Hill Loop; Connemara National Park
6. Marconi Loop
7. Inis Nee Loop
8. Luibin Mhairois
9. Luibin Garumna – Slí Chonamara
10. Siuloidi na Ceathrun Rua
11. Maigh Cuilinn (Moycullen) Heritage Trails
12. New Village Walk
13. Ard na Gaoithe – Ardnageeha Loop; Cong Forest; Cong Pigeon Loop
14. Clonbur Wood Loop
15. Kilmaine: Church Walk; Killernan Loop; Nature Walk
16. Tourmakeady: Lake Walk; Loop; Nature Walk
17. Moorehall Walk
18. Clogher: Holy Well Loop; Bog Loop; Red Walk

 

The Western Way

The Western Way is a long-distance walking trail of more than 200 km that passes through Counties Galway and Mayo. The trail begins in Oughterard, Co Galway, and finishes in Bunnycibbellan, Co Mayo. The whole trail has integrated the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) in 2023 (more info here)  thanks to the Mám Éan Geotrail development by the Geopark and JCWL Geoenterprise, The distances below focus on the section that passes through the aspiring geopark area, from Oughterard to Westport.

There is a public car park at Oughterard.

Distances and times of trail sections:
Oughterard – Maam: 24 km – 6-8 hrs
Maam – Leenaun: 29 km – 6-9 hrs
Leenaun – Aasleagh: 3.5 km – 1 hr
Aasleagh – Sheeffry: 12 km – 3-4 hrs
Sheeffry – Westport: 25 km – 6-8 hrs

Please note, some parts of the trail pass through private land, so please seek permission from landowners/holders.

 

Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail

The Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail traditionally starts in the village of Balla and ends in the village of Murrisk. The trail is 63 km and does not include the mountain ascent. It is national way-marked the whole way. The difficulty is moderate, though the final ascent is classed as difficult. The terrain varies from woodland, to bog, to minor roads to mountain tracks. The minimum gear recommended is hiking boots, waterproofs, snacks and water.

Distances and times of trail sections:
Balla – Ballintubber: 17 km – 4 hrs
Ballintubber – Aghahower: 27 km – 6 hrs
Aghagower – Murrisk: 19 km – 5 hrs

 

St Patrick’s Causeway

Also known as Tóchar Phadraig, this ancient pilgrim path begins at Ballintubber Abbey and finishes about 35 km away on Croagh Patrick. The minimum hiking gear recommended is hiking boots, waterproofs, snacks and water, as this hike can become difficult, especially in the winter months. In addition to the terrain, there are also about 113 stiles to climb over.

For health and safety reasons, a minimum of two people must walk together. Furthermore, all walkers must register with Ballintubber Abbey and sign a declaration.

Please note, there is a registration fee of €10. For more information, visit https://www.ballintubberabbey.ie/tochar-phadraic/ or email [email protected].

 

Seanbhóthar

Seanbhóthar, The Old Road, is a 10 km paved walk between the villages of Corr na Móna and Clonbur which takes about 2 hrs 30 minutes. The walk has a maximum climb of 80 m and is mostly along the country roads.

 

Practical Info

Walking in Ireland means getting out into the elements, so preparation is key. Wear appropriate clothes for the weather and expect the unexpected; there really can be four seasons in one day in the west of Ireland. Several light layers that are easy to remove on the go are ideal, as is waterproof rain gear like a mac or a poncho. It’s always a good idea to ensure that one of your items of clothing is brightly coloured in case you get lost or become separated (if travelling with a group).

Wear comfortable, broken-in shoes and bring an extra pair of dry socks. Make sure your rucksack is comfortable and not too heavy. Bring enough food and water for your excursion, along with a few extra rations in case of a change of circumstance.

There are no dangerous animals or venomous insects in Ireland, but you should still exercise caution in the wild; never approach or feed any animal, wild or domestic, unless invited to do so by its owner. Biting insects such as midges can be a nuisance; carrying bug repellent is always a good bet.

Always tell someone where you are going before you depart and check the weather forecast and sunset time. Carry a fully charged mobile phone and know the number for mountain rescue if rambling into remote or high altitude areas.

For more walking safety essential tips, visit Ordnance Survey Ireland online.