There is nothing quite like strolling through the forest on a clear day, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, and turning a corner in the path to be greeted with a breathtaking mountain vista or sweeping green valley. Moments such as these can be found on a hiking holiday in the rugged wilderness of Ireland.

The picturesque countryside of Ireland is made up of a patchwork of many different types of landscapes, from majestic mountains to rolling green hills, granting the intrepid hiker with a lifetime of views to enjoy. If you love hiking, hop on a flight to Ireland, including direct routes to Dublin, and you’ll be sure to fall in love with the Emerald Isle.

The Wicklow Way

This long distance walking trail was one of the first trails to be formally established in Ireland and connects a wide variety of scenic landscapes throughout Ireland. It is an easy accessible path which will take you past lakes, glacial valleys, mountain streams, farmlands, forests, and more. The trail will also reveal to you many extensive remains of early Christian monasteries in the Glendalough Valley.

The Wicklow Way begins in the southern suburb of Rathfarnham, right outside of Dublin. It stretches towards the south-west across to County Wicklow. The end of the trail is in the village of Clonegal in County Carlow, and the total length of this hiking path is 127 kilometres. To trek the entire trail would take approximately eight to ten days for the experiences hiker of average fitness. More casual hikers might enjoy choosing a section of the trail to complete within one day.

The Dingle Way

Located in south-west Ireland, this hiking trail begins and finishes in Tralee. If you are interested in the ancient history of Ireland, The Dingle Way will take you to some of the best archaeological sites in the country, such as standing stones, beehive huts, and ogham stones. There is also a great deal of spectacular scenery to reward you along your journey, from the view of the Atlantic at Slea Head, the golden beaches on the Maharess, and the gentle foothills of Slieve Mish.

This 179km trail will take the average fit hiker approximately 8-9 days to walk. The many small villages along the trail are not usually more than a couple hours apart, so food and water can be purchased along the way. Keep in mind that the section of trail around the foot of Mount Brandon should be avoided if the weather conditions are bad.

The Causeway Coast Way

If you are inspired by views of the ocean from Ireland’s beautiful beaches, this will be the perfect trail for you. The Causeway Coast Way is an easy walk along the north-east coast of Northern Ireland, which will take the average hiker only 2-3 days to complete. The trail traverses between the popular tourist towns of Portstewart and Ballycastle and will take you past some of the most popular tourist attractions in the area such as the Dunluce Bridge, the Giant’s Causeway, and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The scenery is truly amazing, with cliff sections, beach walking, seafront promenades, and more. This trail is easy to navigate and is suitable for a novice walker.

These are just a few of the best hiking routes in scenic Ireland, so why not strap on your hiking boots and hit the trail!

1. Paris by Train - Paris is one of the easiest destinations to reach from the U.K., thanks to the Eurostar rail service. Take the train from St. Pancras Station in central London and you can be in the French capital in about 2 and a quarter hours.  See famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, visit museums and galleries such as the Louvre, relax in a street cafe in Montmartre, or head out of the city for some magical family fun at the Disneyland Paris resort.

2. Rome by Train – it will take you about 17 and a half hours to get from London to Rome by train, but you’ll be able to enjoy a three course meal, sleep, have breakfast and see some stunning Alpine scenery during your journey. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris Gare du Nord, then travel to the city’s Gare de Bercy and catch the TGV Artesia Night Train, which will take you through Switzerland, into Northern Italy and on to Rome. Visit landmarks such as the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, window-shop at some of the world’s most fashionable stores, or head to the museums in Vatican City to see world-famous works of art.

3. Dublin by Ferry – it’s easy to get to Dublin without flying. Simply take drive or take a train to the port of Holyhead and then catch a ferry to Ireland. Two different companies operate ferries between Holyhead and Dublin: Stena Line and Irish Ferries. Once you’ve arrived in Ireland, you can take a shuttle bus into the centre of Dublin. The city’s attractions include Dublin Zoo, Dublin Writers Museum, Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol,  the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Guiness Storehouse.

4. Copenhagen by Train – you can get from London to Copenhagen by train in about 18 hours. Take the Eurostar from London’s St. Pancras Station to Brussels and then take the high-speed ICE train from Brussels to Cologne. For the final stage of the journey, take the City Night Line sleeper train from Cologne to Copenhagen. Once there, you can take a boat trip on the old canal network, see the world-famous statue of The Little Mermaid, take a tour of the Amalienborg Palace and visit the Tivoli Gardens amuseument park.

5. Geneva by Train – it’s easy to get from London to Geneva without flying. Take the Eurostar from London St. Pancras Station to Paris Gare du Nord and then take the metro to Paris Gare de Lyon. From here, you can catch the TGV Lyria, which will take you directly to Geneva. You can explore the city, see landmarks such as the Jet D’Eau and the Flower Clock, and visit some of the many museums.

Image: Leon Brocard

The airport has two runways and one terminal, although a second terminal is currently under construction. Both domestic and international flights operate from Dublin Airport, with the most popular destination being London. Most of the check-in desks are on the first floor of the terminal, although the check-in desks for Aer Lingus flights to the UK and Germany are on a different level.

You’ll find a number of different services within the airport terminal, including ATMs, Bureau de Change outlets, Internet kiosks, a pharmacy, a business lounge and an E-toll kiosk (from which you can buy a tag enabling you to use the electronic tolling lanes on the M50 motorway in Dublin). After you have checked in and passed through the airport security area, you can also explore the airport’s shopping area, “The Street”, where you’ll find more than 25 shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.

There are many bus and coach operators which serve Dublin Airport, and you’ll find a taxi rank outside of the airport as well. However, there is currently no rail link to the airport. There are also a number of car hire firms with rental offices at the airport, and if you book your hire car online before you travel, you can simply pick it up at the airport when you arrive there.