Walking Weekend in Dingle
Experience the Dingle Way Walking Weekend and Dingle Ireland Tours
- Fitness Level : Moderate
- Group: Short Walking Tours
- Suitable for: All age groups
- Duration : Weekend
April 18th -20th 2025 (Easter Weekend)
Staying in Cloughane
Nestled in the heart of the Dingle Peninsula, a walking weekend in County Kerry offers a perfect escape into Ireland’s rugged natural beauty. Base yourself in the charming village of Cloghane, where the majestic Mount Brandon rises as an inspiring backdrop. Known as one of Ireland’s holiest peaks, Mount Brandon provides breathtaking panoramic views of the peninsula, the Wild Atlantic, and beyond—an experience that makes the Dingle Way truly unforgettable.
Experience the best of dingle ireland tours as you explore not only the famed Dingle Way but also the lesser-known trails around the peninsula. The weekend continues with an exploration of the Annascaul Valley, a serene and picturesque landscape steeped in history. This area is closely associated with Antarctic explorer Tom Crean, who was born in Annascaul and later became a legendary figure in polar exploration. Walk in the footsteps of this remarkable adventurer while soaking in the valley’s peaceful charm and dramatic scenery, a perfect complement to dingle ireland tours.
After a day of discovery along the Dingle Way and other local routes, relax and savour the warm hospitality of Cloghane. This idyllic village, situated near the shores of Brandon Bay, offers the perfect spot to unwind, reflect on the day’s adventures, and prepare for more scenic explorations. Whether you’re following the Dingle Way or enjoying curated dingle ireland tours, a walking weekend in Dingle blends challenging hikes, historical intrigue, and local charm, making it a memorable journey for all.
In the morning, we will leave Dublin and make our way towards Annascaul on the Dingle Peninsula. The drive to Ballina takes approx. 4hrs. On the way we can take a break and stop in Adare to visit the beautiful small town and stretch the legs, enjoy a coffee or have a browse. Adare is probably one of the most picturesque towns in all of Ireland with its small thatched roofed cottages, the Adare manor and the surrounding ruins of its abbey and Castle.
Once we reach Annascaul we can have a quick look inside the South Pole Inn (Tom Crean’s Pub). Then we continue onto the start of our first walk at Annacsaul Valley and Lake. This is an incredible walk and a walk from one side of the Peninsula to the other. There may be time to explore some of Fermoyle beach. The walk finishes in Cloughane where we will be staying for the next two nights.
We will be staying in O’Connors Guesthouse which serves food and is a local pub.
This morning after breakfast we travel to the far side of the Peninsula to start our walk on Mt Brandon.
Mt Brandon is one of Ireland’s holiest mountains and many walk up the Pilgrim trail way we will be using on the feast of St Brandon on May 15th. This trail brings us up towards following crosses that mark the stations of the cross. It is a gentle incline from the start then the trail levels a little before curving around the right-hand side of the mountain and makes it final ascent towards the summit.
We will stop for a bite to eat and take in the views before making our way back down on the far side on what is known as the Faha trail towards Cloughane. This is a steep descent from the top be levels out a little giving some incredible views across the northern part of the Peninsula and Fermoyle beach. We eventually follow a long spur down towards Cloughane.
On our return to Cloughane we can freshen up before dinner.
After breakfast we will book out of our accommodation and take a short walk on one of Ireland’s most impressive beaches, Fermoyle. This is approx. 12Km of pure sand stretching out from the northern part of the Dingle Peninsula. If you are brave enough you could take a nice dip here before we make our way back to Dublin.
We will stop again on our way back to Dublin and hope to be back by 5pm.
This trip is open to anyone who enjoys walking, exploring and discovering some of the hidden treasures in this country.
Lough Annascaul, Fermoyle Beach – Cloughane: This is an incredible walk from the lakeside of Lough Annascaul up the side of An Com Dubh into Macha Na Bo and following its river North West to the town of Baile Dubh. Finishing the walk in the small town of Cloughane.
Walk Details: Approx. 12Km incline of approx. 320m. Duration 3.5hrs.
Mt Brandon, Pligrim trail with option to walk back to Cloughane.
This is one of the most iconic and beautiful walks in Ireland. It is also one of the most dramatic walks with a series of incredible view across the Dingle Peninsula and the Wild Atlantic shoreline and Islands.
Starting on the south west starting point of the Pilgrim trail, it is a gentle climb towards the summit. This is the Pilgrim trail of St Brandon, who the mountain is named after. We follow the crosses on this trail to the summit. Here we can a break with of the hard work done and take in the views of the surrounding mountains and shorelines.
Once here we can decide to continue on down the Faha side or back down the way we came up.
Walk Details: Pilgrim trail rtn. 8Km incline of approx. 760m. Duration approx. 4hrs.
Pilgrim trail – Faha back to Cloughane – 10.5Km incline of approx. 960m. Duration approx. 4.5hrs.
N.B. Ireland’s climate is of a moderate type and suited to walking all year round. Although it is quite changeable so starting a walk on a fine clear morning may not be the case for the afternoon.
- Hill walking Boots
- Walking Poles (if you use them)
- Rucksack for walks (25L)
- Walking Trousers (Not Jeans)
- Waterproofs (Just in Case)
- Leg Gaiters ( I would recommend leg gaiters for this weekend)
- Walking Socks
- Thermal top / T-shirt (Not Cotton)
- Sun Cream
We are staying at O’Connor’s Guesthouse in Cloughane.
- All bedrooms are en-suite with bath & shower, tea & coffee making facilities
- Bar and restaurant with seasonal & locally sourced food produce.
- Fresh breakfast with choices.
- Free Wifi is also available
Breakfasts: are included and there is a wide selection to choose from including a Full Irish, fruit, cereals etc.
Lunches for the walks: We can source our lunch for walks in local delis and shops enroute.
Evening Meal: Evening meals are covered in cost and in O’Connor’s Guesthouse.
- There are choices on the walks to suit your ability
- All the walks are taken at a pace to suit the group.
- The groups can have a mixed level of fitness and age usually.
- If the weather is too bad on a certain day to do the suggested walk, then the guide will suggest an alternative one.
- The Guide will have the final say on the day of the chosen walk for the safety of the group.
A deposit of 10% is required to secure your booking.
The balance of the cost of your tour / walk is due not less than 6 weeks prior to scheduled departure.
If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case we shall retain your deposit.
- Loss of deposit applies for cancellations made 6 weeks or less in advance.
- Cancellation fee of 50% applies for cancellations made less than 2 weeks in advance.
- Cancellation fee of 100% applies for cancellations made less than 1 week in advance, or in case of no-show.
Cost
| Price: €465pps |
| Dates: April 18th – 20th 2025 |
Single Supplement €140 Cost Includes
|
Pickup:
| Location: Molly Malone statue on Suffolk Street at 09:00am. Otherwise meet us in Annascaul for 2pm |
Got a Question?
Do not hesitate to give us a call. We are an expert team and we are happy to talk to you.
17 Dodder Lawn, Dodder Valley Park, Firhouse Dublin 24, Ireland
Walking Weekend in Dingle
Testimonials
The sights of Southern Ireland
My husband and I spent a seven-night trip with our guide Hugh and others from an Australian walking group travelling from and returning to Dublin incorporating five walks of varying difficulty. The daily walks were tailored to the varying abilities in the group and lunches pre-arranged. Accommodation and meals were adequate to excellent without a large amount of travel involved and the following sights visited: Dingle coastal walk, Mountain Brandon, Lakes of Killarney, Gap of Dunloe, Cliffs of Moher.
Nothing was too much trouble for the knowledgeable Hugh in who I had plenty of confidence. I can recommend this company who would quickly look after any issues.
It was a really fantastic and unforgettable trip
It was a really fantastic and unforgettable nine days round trip from Dublin to Galway including celebrating even two birthdays!
Terry was amazing and legendary, he showed us the most beautiful places and entertained us with Irish stories, music and songs.
So, we will be back definitely!
BIG THANKS to Hilltoptrek and Terry from the Croatian hiking group!
We've had an amazing time ....
We've had an amazing time walking, trekking and hiking with Hilltop Treks through south west Ireland taking in gorgeous Dingle Peninsula. We travelled as a large group which has its challenges of course but under the care and attention of Terry and Hugh we all had a very memorable trip with many happy moments. Accommodation was very good, and scenery along the way breathtaking. A fair level of fitness IS required especially if hiking up Mount Brandon. Definitely worth it though. Well done and sincere thanks to Terry and Hugh for making our first trip to Ireland so enjoyable.
FAQs for our Walking Weekend in Dingle
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The walks on these tours are of a mixed level with the option on some days to shorten. All the walks are taken at a pace to suit the group. The groups can range from 6 to 16 people in size with a mixed level of fitness and age usually. If the weather is too bad on a certain day to do the suggested walk, then the guide will suggest an alternative one. The Guide will have the final say on the day about the walk for the safety of the group.
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We will be staying at O'Connor's Guesthouse in Cloughane. This is also the local Pub and Restaurant. Its a cosy accommodation and the perfect place to relax after the days walk. There is Free WIFI in all the accommodations we use. All the rooms are en-suite. The accommodations we use are well used to us bringing them guests after a day’s walk and know that they somewhere comfortable to relax and freshen up.
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Breakfasts are included and there is a wide selection to choose from including a Full Irish, fruit, cereals etc. Lunches for the walks: We will visit some local shops to get supplies. Evening Meals: Threes course evening meals at O'Connor's are included in cost.
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