Walks and adventure sports in Clare
Munster
Clare has 51 waymarked trails on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register, covering about 3,343 kilometres in total across walking (35), canoeing/kayaking/paddling (10), cycling (6).
Spots worth the trip
Named on our sport and activity guides.
Lahinch
SurfingThe most beginner-friendly surf town in Ireland. A sandy beach break, several schools, and board hire on the promenade.
Ailladie
Rock Climbing & BoulderingA limestone sea cliff on the Burren coast, climbed above the water on immaculate rock. Tide and swell decide whether you climb.
The Burren
Caving & PotholingIreland's densest cave country. Bare limestone pavement above, and systems including Poll na gColm and the Doolin river cave below.
Doolin Cave
Caving & PotholingHome to the Great Stalactite, one of the longest free-hanging stalactites in the world at over seven metres. Guided, with a stair descent.
Archers of Ennis, Ennis Showgrounds
ArcheryShoots at the showgrounds in Ennis. The nearest affiliated club to the mid-west coast, with Limerick's two clubs the next option south.
North Clare
CoasteeringBurren limestone meeting the Atlantic below the Cliffs of Moher. Steep, sculpted rock and deep clean water.
Lough Derg
Stand-Up PaddleboardingA large Shannon lake with plenty of sheltered bays and shoreline, and a long inland paddling season.
Waymarked trails in Clare
The 25 longest of 51, from the National Trails Register.
EuroVelo 1 Ireland - Atlantic Coast Route
2300 km · 21700 m climb · Very Challenging · LinearStarts at Newtowncunningham or Rosslare Harbour. Directions
Waymarked: blue text on white signs with bicycle symbol and eurovelo logo
East Clare Way
168.8 km · 3060 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Car park ‘Between the Waters’ in Killaloe, near Killaloe. Directions
8 days · Waymarked: yellow arrow on black background
Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun
143.9 km · 1620 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Newmarket on Fergus - Public car park beside the Catholic Church, near Newmarket on Fergus. Directions
6 days · Waymarked: yellow arrow on black background
Burren Way
118.8 km · 540 m climb · Moderate · LinearStarts at Lahinch. Directions
5 days · Waymarked: yellow arrow on black background
Notice of Temporary Closure of Sections of the Cliffs of Moher Trail/Burren Way from August 22nd, 2024 The following sections of the Cliffs of Moher/Burren Way trail will be closed to the general public on a temporary basis from Thursday August 22nd, 2024 for trail safety works. • Access to the trail will be closed for a 5km section, from Hags Head up to 1km south of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre. • Access to the trail will be closed for a short 500m section, 1km north of the Visitor Centre. Please note that there will be no access to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre from Doolin.
Lough Derg Way
68.9 km · 527 m climb · Moderate · LinearStarts at Limerick City Arthur’s Quay, near Limerick City. Directions
3 days · Waymarked: yellow arrow on black background
Doolin Cycle Hub Loop 4
46.4 km · 419 m climb · Challenging · LoopStarts at Car park on Fisher Street in Doolin Village, near Doolin. Directions
3 hours · Waymarked: blue text on white background
Doolin Cycle Hub Loop 3
42.7 km · 256 m climb · Challenging · LoopStarts at Car park on Fisher Street in Doolin Village, near Doolin. Directions
2 hours 40 minutes · Waymarked: blue text on white background
Doolin Cycle Hub Loop 2
37.5 km · 367 m climb · Challenging · LoopStarts at Car park on Fisher Street in Doolin Village, near Doolin. Directions
2 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: blue text on white background
Ballyvaughan - Black Head Loop
24.1 km · 480 m climb · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Fanore Beach mapboard, near Ballyvaughan. Directions
7 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow on white background
Fanore Ballyvaughan Trek
20.8 km · 350 m climb · Strenuous · LinearStarts at Fanore Beach, near Fanore/ Ballyvaughan. Directions
5 hours · Waymarked: green arrows on white background
Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk
19.5 km · 250 m climb · Strenuous · LinearStarts at Doolin Community Centre, near Doolin. Directions
4.5 hours · Waymarked: blue arrow on white background
Notice of Temporary Closure of Sections of the Cliffs of Moher Trail from August 22nd, 2024 The following sections of the Cliffs of Moher trail will be closed to the general public on a temporary basis from Thursday August 22nd, 2024 for trail safety works. • Access to the trail will be closed for a 5km section, from Hags Head up to 1km south of the Visitor Centre. • Access to the trail will be closed for a short 500m section, 1km north of the Visitor Centre. Please note that there will be no access to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre from Doolin.
Doolin Cycle Hub Loop 1
18.2 km · 246 m climb · Challenging · LoopStarts at Car park on Fisher Street in Doolin Village, near Doolin. Directions
1 hour 30 minutes · Waymarked: blue text on white background
Lough Derg Blueway - Twomilegate (Ballycuggeran) to Scarriff via Ballynagleragh
17.3 km · Intermediate · LinearStarts at Twomilegate Pier, near Killaloe/Ballina. Directions
4 hours
Tullaher Loop
16.5 km · 20 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Doonbeg Church car park, near Doonbeg. Directions
4 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: purple arrow on white background
Ballinruan Loops - Gortnamearacaun Loop
14.9 km · 120 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Ballinruan Village, near Crusheen. Directions
4.5 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow
Caher Valley Loop
14.1 km · 300 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Fanore Beach, near Fanore/Ballyvaughan. Directions
3 hrs 30 mins · Waymarked: red arrow on white background
Lough Derg Blueway - Castlelough to Killaloe
12 km · Intermediate · LinearStarts at Castlelough Trailhead, near Garrykennedy. Directions
4 hours
12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Purple Route
11.7 km · 250 m climb · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Belvoir trailhead car park, near Kilkishen. Directions
3 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow on white background
O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop
11.6 km · 10 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Riverside Park in O'Briensbridge, near O'Briensbridge. Directions
3 hours · Waymarked: red arrow on yellow background
Ballinruan Loops - Ballinruan Loop
10.4 km · 60 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Ballinruan Village, near Crusheen. Directions
3 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: green arrow
Cahermurphy Loop
10 km · 100 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Car park in Cahermurphy Forest - White Sands, near Flagmount. Directions
3 hours · Waymarked: red arrow
Carran Loop
9.3 km · 100 m climb · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Cassidys Pub, Carron village, near Carron. Directions
4 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow
Lough Derg Blueway - Scarriff to Holy Island and Mountshannon via Scarriff Bay
9 km · Intermediate · LinearStarts at Scarriff Harbour, near Scarriff. Directions
3 hours
Ballyvaughan - Wood Loop
8.8 km · 15 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Ballyvaughan Town, near Ballyvaughan. Directions
2 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow
The other 26 in Clare
- Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay 8.75 km
- Doonbeg Loop 8 km
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Blue Route 7.7 km
- Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown (Dromaan) to Church Bay 7.6 km
- O'Briensbridge - Errinagh Bridge 7.5 km
- Cloondorney Loop 7.2 km
- Ballycuggaran - Crag Wood Walk 7.1 km
- Lough Derg BLueway - Mountshannon and Cloonoolia Bays 6.6 km
- Ruan - Dromore Wood loop 6.4 km
- Cloontabonniv Bog Walk 6 km
- Lough Avalla Farm loop 5.2 km
- Carran Turlough Loop 5 km
- Lough Derg Blueway - Killaloe to Twomilegate (Ballycuggeran) 5 km
- Lough Derg Blueway - Mountshannon to Holy Island 5 km
- O'Briensbridge - Parteen Weir 4.7 km
- Templecronan Loop 4.5 km
- 12 O'Clock Hills Looped Walks - Red Route 4 km
- Whitestrand Headland Walk 3.5 km
- Kilrush - Mixed Woodland 3 km
- Lough Derg Blueway - Twomilegate (Ballycuggeran) to Annacarriga Loop 3 km
- Kilrush - Riverside Walk 2.9 km
- Lough Derg Blueway - Killaloe Loop 2.5 km
- Lissycasey Cascades Loop 2.1 km
- Cahermurphy - Bleach River 2 km
- Kilkishen Bog Walk 0.8 km
- Kilrush - Multi Access 0.7 km
Coillte maintains 13 forest car parks in Clare. These are the usual starting points for forest walks and mountain bike trails.
Bathing waters in Clare
14 designated bathing waters monitored by the EPA, 8 of them flying a Blue Flag. Water quality below is the EPA's annual classification, which is a verdict on the previous four bathing seasons and not a reading for today.
Bathing restrictions in Clare right now
Live from the EPA's bathing water service. Local authorities post restrictions after heavy rain, sewage discharges and pollution incidents, and they can appear the same morning.
Checking the EPA for current restrictions…
If this doesn't update, check beaches.ie directly before you swim.
Data from the EPA Bathing Water Open Data service, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Ballyallia Lake, Ennis
Excellent Quality (2025)Green Coast · Parking · Accessible
Ballycuggeran
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Accessible
Bishopsquarter
Excellent Quality (2025)Green Coast · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets
Cappagh Pier, Kilrush
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets
Kilkee
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · Accessible · Beach wheelchair
Lahinch
Good Quality (2025)Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · Accessible · Beach wheelchair
Mountshannon, Lough Derg
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Accessible
Spanish Point
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Accessible
White Strand, Doonbeg
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Accessible
White Strand, Miltown Malbay
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Accessible
Bathing water data from the EPA Bathing Water Open Data service, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13. Positions converted from Irish Grid. The EPA publishes the full profile for each water at beaches.ie.
Sports in Clare, in depth
The sports with named spots, accredited centres or registered trails in the county.
31 clubs and schools in Clare
Listed by Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Surfing, Archery Ireland, Diving Ireland and Irish Sailing. Reproduced as each body publishes it, with a link back to the register. Contact details are theirs, not checked by us.
- Website
- 12oclockhills.com/__
- Phone
- 087 7624026
Aloha Surf School
School · Fanore- Phone
- +353 87 21 33 996
- [email protected]
Archers of Ennis
Club · Ennis- [email protected]
Atlantic Powerboating
School- Website
- atlanticpowerboating.ie
- Phone
- 0862258188
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 0872691147
Ben's Surf Clinic
School · Lahinch- Phone
- 086 844 8622
- [email protected]
Celtic Surf School
School · Spanish Point- Phone
- 083 8975321
- [email protected]
Clare Water Sports
School · White Strand- Phone
- 087 4142983
- [email protected]
Cullaun Sailing Club
Club- Website
- cullaunsailingclub.com
- Phone
- 087 6601016
- [email protected]
Gabhair Dall - Burren Climbing Club
Club- Website
- killaloesailingclub.com
- Phone
- 0831351196
- [email protected]
Kilrush Marina
School- Website
- kilrushmarina.ie
- Phone
- 0659052072
- [email protected]
Lahinch Surf Experience
School · Lahinch- Phone
- 0864080363
- [email protected]
Lahinch Surf School
School · Lahinch- Phone
- 087 9956231
- [email protected]
Ollie's Lahinch Surf Centre
School · Lahinch- Phone
- 086 8120400
- [email protected];
- Website
- westernyachtclub.com
- Phone
- 0868619082
- [email protected]
Suas Climbing Club (The Mid West Climbing Club)
Club- Phone
- +353857253002
UL Sport Adventure Centre
School- Website
- ulsport.ie
- Phone
- 061376622
- [email protected]
VHF & Chartplotter Training
School- Website
- vhf.ie
- Phone
- 065 7074565
- [email protected]
- Website
- westclare-walkingclub.com
- Phone
- 087 1173906
White Water Surf Co
School · Spanish Point- Phone
- 086 8625564
- [email protected]
Wild Atlantic Cruising School
School- Phone
- 0862743737
- [email protected]
Adventure centres in Clare
5 of 7 currently hold governing-body accreditation, shown as a badge linking to the register.
Run by Limerick and Clare ETB
Approved here in 2001, and still accredited today.
- Website
- burrenoec.com
- Phone
- 065 7078066
- [email protected]
Approved here in 2001, and still accredited today.
- Website
- ulac.ie
Guides for Clare
Common questions
Where can I go walking in Clare?
35 waymarked walking trails are registered in Clare. The longest are East Clare Way (168.8km), Mid Clare Way - Slí na Mearacaun (143.9km), Burren Way (118.8km), Lough Derg Way (68.9km). Every one has a verified start point and driving directions on its own page.
How many waymarked trails are there in Clare?
51 on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register, totalling roughly 3,343 kilometres. The register records waymarked trails only, so unmarked mountain routes and informal paths aren't counted.
How hard are the trails in Clare?
By register grade: 4 beginner, 13 easy, 15 moderate, 6 intermediate, 7 strenuous, 5 challenging, 1 very challenging. Grades are set by Sport Ireland against national criteria, so they're comparable between counties.
Are there sports clubs in Clare?
31 clubs and schools in Clare are listed by their national governing body: Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Surfing, Archery Ireland, Diving Ireland and Irish Sailing. They cover 6 sports between them, and each listing links back to the register it came from.
Are there adventure centres in Clare?
7 in our directory, 5 of which currently hold accreditation from a national governing body: Burren OETC, My Next Adventure, NEVSAIL Watersports, Rocky River Coach and others. Each accredited listing links to the body's own register so you can check it.
What adventure sports can you do in Clare?
hillwalking & mountaineering, kayaking & canoeing, mountain biking, surfing, rock climbing & bouldering, caving & potholing, archery, coasteering, stand-up paddleboarding, based on the trails registered in the county and the locations named on our sport guides.
Elsewhere in Munster
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Start points from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13. The register records waymarked trails only, so check the trail operator for current conditions and closures. Forest park and car park data from Coillte Recreation Information (CC BY 4.0), snapshot 2026-08-04, with county boundaries from OSi.