The easiest hikes in Ireland, by the numbers
Of the 107 trails in Ireland in our dataset, 38 (36 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; these are the 25 with the lowest rating.
Kells Loop Walk has the lowest rating: 57 ft of gain over 1.1 miles, 52 ft per mile.
Across the 25, gain runs from 52 to 276 ft and distance from 1 mile to 5.8 miles; the median gain is 119 ft and the median distance 1.6 miles.
16 of the 25 are loop routes; the rest are out-and-back (9).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kells Loop Walk | 1.1 | 57 | 52 | 4% | 131 to 192 | 11.2 | |
| 2 | Mullaghmeen Yellow Walk | 1.1 | 62 | 56 | 8% | 480 to 623 | 11.7 | |
| 3 | Jenkinstown Loop | 1.3 | 57 | 44 | 9% | 294 to 388 | 12.2 | |
| 4 | Lough MacNean Walk | 1.4 | 53 | 38 | 10% | 163 to 291 | 12.2 | |
| 5 | Rathmichael Walk | 1.1 | 68 | 62 | 9% | 304 to 470 | 12.2 | |
| 6 | Callan Heritage Trail | 1.1 | 84 | 76 | 5% | 203 to 266 | 13.6 | |
| 7 | Mount Hillary - Knightfield Loop | 1.6 | 104 | 65 | 15% | 472 to 634 | 18.2 | |
| 8 | Tymon Park Red Slí | 1.9 | 88 | 46 | 3% | 194 to 247 | 18.3 | |
| 9 | Glendalough Green RouteWicklow Mountains NP | 1.5 | 119 | 79 | 13% | 423 to 509 | 18.9 | |
| 10 | Court Tomb Trail | 1.5 | 122 | 81 | 12% | 286 to 461 | 19.1 | |
| 11 | Dunree Leenan Coastal Path | 1.2 | 167 | 139 | 11% | 167 to 381 | 20 | |
| 12 | Killaspugbrone Loop | 3.9 | 60 | 15 | 9% | 3 to 122 | 21.6 | |
| 13 | Ards Forest - Yellow Route | 1.6 | 148 | 93 | 12% | 66 to 257 | 21.8 | |
| 14 | Glendalough Pink RouteWicklow Mountains NP | 1 | 258 | 258 | 22% | 464 to 789 | 22.7 | |
| 15 | Loughcrew Lake Walk | 1.5 | 172 | 115 | 9% | 367 to 541 | 22.7 | |
| 16 | Lough Ramor Loop | 1.9 | 147 | 77 | 8% | 272 to 363 | 23.6 | |
| 17 | Nore Valley Way: Kilkenny - Bennetsbridge | 5.8 | 52 | 9 | 4% | 108 to 175 | 24.6 | |
| 18 | Tymon Park Purple Slí | 2.8 | 119 | 43 | 3% | 187 to 257 | 25.8 | |
| 19 | Mullaghmeen Red Walk | 2.2 | 168 | 76 | 8% | 523 to 738 | 27.2 | |
| 20 | Old Western Way Route | 3.2 | 128 | 40 | 17% | 13 to 165 | 28.6 | |
| 21 | Ards Forest - Green Route | 1.8 | 248 | 138 | 14% | 65 to 364 | 29.9 | |
| 22 | Western Way | 4.7 | 101 | 21 | 15% | 11 to 176 | 30.8 | |
| 23 | Glendalough Grey RouteWicklow Mountains NP | 2.8 | 172 | 61 | 19% | 427 to 730 | 31 | |
| 24 | Maulin to TonduffWicklow Mountains NP | 2.1 | 236 | 112 | 18% | 1,624 to 2,104 | 31.5 | |
| 25 | Lower Diamond Hill walkConnemara NP | 1.8 | 276 | 153 | 16% | 166 to 504 | 31.5 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Ireland" here means the 107 trails in Ireland in our dataset, not every trail in Ireland.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Kells Loop Walk.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other countries in our dataset.