Walks & Trails in County Clare

The walking here splits into two kinds. The Burren Way runs 118.8 km from Lahinch to Corofin over about five days, past the Cliffs of Moher, Poulnabrone dolmen and the music pubs of Doolin; the East Clare Way is a 168.8 km eight-day loop out of Killaloe through the lakes and bogs of the county’s inland side. Both are honest about their surfaces, with roughly 85% and 53% respectively on quiet local roads rather than open hill.

The short outings cluster on the western peninsulas. Loop Head is the far tip of the county, where the Shannon Estuary opens into the Atlantic, with a lighthouse working since 1670 and cliff walking either side of the point. At Kilkee, Duggerna Reef uncovers its tidal pools only at low water, so that one has to be timed against the tide, and The Flying Alpaca nearby walks its herd along the coast.

Black Head sits at the western edge of the Burren, where the limestone drops into Galway Bay below a small 1936 lighthouse; the loop from there is 26 km over Green Roads and pavement, with a 14.5 km version for most walkers. Ballynacally looks out over the widest reach of the Shannon Estuary, and Doon is a Coillte forest 3.5 km northwest of Broadford with flat unwaymarked tracks by the lough. Between Loop Head and Killaloe this list spans the full width of Clare, so pick by region rather than working down it.