Trails and Viewpoints in Co. Waterford
10 places
1.Coumshingaun Lake Loop
A glacial corrie ringed by 365m cliffs
A deep glacial corrie lake ringed on three sides by cliffs almost 365 m high, hidden in the Comeragh Mountains. A steep 1.8 km walk gets you to the shore; the exposed 6–7.5 km rim loop is a proper mountain day.
- Highlights
- 365 m cliffs ringing a glacial corrie lake
- Two outings: 1.8 km to the shore, or the 6–7.5 km rim loop
- Narrow, exposed ridge with a rocky scramble
2.Anne Valley Nature And Wildlife Walk
4.4 km of wetlands, castle ruins and beach
A community-built gravel trail following the Anne River from Dunhill village to the coast, threading marshland, ponds and old castle ruins. Flat, buggy-friendly and free, it is one of Waterford's quietest wildlife walks.
- Highlights
- Easy, flat 4.4 km gravel trail along the Anne River
- Otters, swans, herons and deer — an 'Irish safari'
- Dunhill Castle ruins at the mid-point
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
3.Ardmore Cliff Walk
A 4km coastal loop past a shipwreck and round tower
A gentle 4 km loop around Ardmore Head and Ram Head, threading cliff-top paths past a shipwreck, Early Christian ruins and one of Ireland's finest round towers — with breathtaking Atlantic views the whole way.
- Highlights
- Easy 3.9 km loop, about an hour
- 1987 Samson shipwreck on the rocks
- Napoleonic and WWII lookout posts
4.Ballyvoyle Tunnel
A 400m brick-lined Victorian railway tunnel
A perfectly preserved 1878 railway tunnel — brick-lined, 400m long and atmospherically lit — sitting on the Waterford Greenway between Durrow and Clonea. Walk or cycle straight through it on Ireland's longest off-road trail.
- Highlights
- 400m brick-lined tunnel built in 1878
- Dimly lit arched niches and barrel vault
- Ferns, moss and overhanging trees at the mouths
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
5.Colligan Wood Walks
Two riverside loops in a salmon-spawning glen
A mixed Coillte woodland where the Colligan River threads a steep valley north of Dungarvan, with two waymarked loops, a riverside picnic site and free entry.
- Highlights
- Two waymarked loop walks (3.5 km and 6 km)
- Riverside picnic site with tables and benches
- Salmon-spawning River Colligan; dippers and kingfishers
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
6.Copper Coast Drive View point
a free cliff-top stop with Atlantic panoramas
A free roadside lookout on the R675 where the Copper Coast's cliffs fall to the Atlantic, with Dunabrattin Head and Boatstrand Harbour a short walk away.
- Highlights
- Cliff-top views over the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark
- Dunabrattin Head promontory fort and sea-fishing rocks
- Boatstrand Harbour and Kilmurrin Cove minutes away
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
7.Crough Wood
a 5.4 km riverside trail with red squirrels
A quiet riverside woodland in the foothills of the Comeraghs, where the River Mahon tumbles through native trees and conifer forest on the road up to Mahon Falls.
- Highlights
- 5.4 km linear walk along the River Mahon
- Red squirrel, pine marten and dipper habitat
- Waterfalls and a rocky river gorge
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
8.Dunmore East Cliff Walk
7km of clifftop path past hidden coves and caves
A 7km clifftop path from the fishing harbour at Dunmore East, threading red-sandstone coves, sea caves and seabird colonies west to Ballymacaw. Most people walk the easy first stretch to Portally Cove and turn back.
- Highlights
- 7km linear coastal trail from Dunmore East harbour to Ballymacaw Cove
- Easy 2km return leg to Portally Cove
- Rathmoylan sea cave — possibly Ireland's largest at 60m
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
9.Kilclooney Wood Hiking Area
Start of the dramatic Coumshingaun cliff loop
A quiet Coillte forest on the lower slopes of the Comeragh Mountains, and the trailhead for the steep, spectacular climb to Coumshingaun Lough. Once part of the Curraghmore Estate, it is woodland, stream and big mountain views all in one stop.
- Highlights
- Trailhead for the Coumshingaun Lough cliff loop
- Glacial corrie lake ringed by a horseshoe ridge
- Conifer woodland with red squirrels and deer
10.The Doneraile Walk
A free clifftop stroll past an 1816 shipwreck memorial
A short clifftop promenade above Tramore Bay, gifted to the townspeople by Lord Doneraile and lined with maritime history — from a Sea Horse shipwreck memorial to an old coastguard cannon on the cliff.
- Highlights
- Panoramic views over Tramore Bay to Brownstown Head
- Sea Horse memorial — the 1816 wreck that killed over 360 people
- Old coastguard cannon on a cliff outcrop
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Dog-friendly · Wheelchair access