Walks and adventure sports in Waterford
Munster
Waterford has 37 waymarked trails on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register, covering about 3,174 kilometres in total across walking (30), cycling (7).
Spots worth the trip
Named on our sport and activity guides.
Tramore
SurfingThe south-east's main surf beach, and the most accessible option from Dublin, Cork or Waterford city.
The Guillamene
Wild & Sea SwimmingA cove at Tramore with a diving platform and steps cut into the rock. The south-east's best-known swimming spot.
Waymarked trails in Waterford
The 25 longest of 37, 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
Sean Kelly Cycle Route - The Kelly Comeragh Challange
166.5 km · 1990 m climb · Very Challenging · LoopStarts at Entrance to Walton Causeway Park on R911, near Dungarvan. Directions
8 hours · Waymarked: white signs with blue text
St Declan's Way
116.6 km · Moderate · LinearStarts at Rock of Cashel Car Park, near Cashel. Directions
6 days · Waymarked: blue arrow on white background
Sean Kelly Cycle Route - The Heritage Route
107.6 km · 912 m climb · Very Challenging · LoopStarts at Entrance to Walton Causeway Park on R911, near Dungarvan. Directions
6 hours · Waymarked: white signs with blue text
Sean Kelly Cycle Route - The Kelly Legacy
106.9 km · 836 m climb · Very Challenging · LoopStarts at Entrance to Walton Causeway Park on R911, near Dungarvan. Directions
6 hours · Waymarked: white signs with blue text
Sean Kelly Cycle Route - The Coastal Route
75 km · 839 m climb · Challenging · LinearStarts at Entrance to Walton Causeway Park on R911, near Dungarvan. Directions
5 hours · Waymarked: white signs with blue text
East Munster Way
69 km · 1375 m climb · Moderate · LinearStarts at Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, near Carrick on Suir. Directions
3 days · Waymarked: yellow arrow on black background
Waterford Greenway Cycling Trail
47.8 km · 373 m climb · Easy · LinearStarts at Grattan Quay in Waterford City, near Waterford City and Dungarvan. Directions
4 hours · Waymarked: waterford greenway signs white logo and arrow on green background
Waterford Greenway Walking Trail
47.8 km · 373 m climb · Easy · LinearStarts at Grattan Quay in Waterford City, near Waterford City and Dungarvan. Directions
9 hours · Waymarked: waterford greenway signs white logo and arrow on green background
Mount Melleray Pilgrim Paths - Byrne's Bridge
12.2 km · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Mount Melleray Abbey Car Park, near Cappoquin. Directions
4 hours · Waymarked: red arrow on white background (with white cross at the centre)
Boolas Loop
9.6 km · 520 m climb · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Curraheen, near Rathgormack. Directions
4 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow
Sean Kelly Cycle Route - The Railway Loop
9.4 km · 43 m climb · Easy · LoopStarts at Entrance to Walton Causeway Park on R911, near Dungarvan. Directions
1 hour · Waymarked: white signs with blue text
Glenpatrick - Glenpatrick Bridge Loop
8.3 km · 310 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Glenpatrick Bridge carpark & picnic area, near Rathgormack. Directions
2 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: green arrow
Nire Valley Trails - Coumduala Loop
8 km · 540 m climb · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Nire Valley Car Park, near Ballymacarbry. Directions
4 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow on white background
Lough Mohra Loop
7 km · 460 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Entrance to Glenpatrick Woods, near Rathgormack. Directions
2 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: red arrow
Nire Valley Trails - Sgilloges Walk
7 km · Strenuous · Out and BackStarts at Nire Valley Car Park, near Ballymacarbry. Directions
1 hour 45 minutes · Waymarked: blue arrow on white background
Waterford Estuary Coastal Path – Dunmore East to Ballymacaw
7 km · Moderate · LinearStarts at Dunmore East Harbour Car Park, near Dunmore East. Directions
2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: red arrow on white background
Nire Valley Trails - Coumlara Loop
6.6 km · 350 m climb · Strenuous · LoopStarts at Nire Valley Car Park, near Ballymacarbry. Directions
3 hours 30 minutes · Waymarked: red arrow on white background
Nire Valley Trails - Gap Walk
6 km · Moderate · Out and BackStarts at Nire Valley Car Park, near Ballymacarbry. Directions
1 hour 45 minutes · Waymarked: green arrow on white background
Crough Wood Walk
5.4 km · 140 m climb · Moderate · Out and BackStarts at Car park at Mahon Bridge, near Mahion Bridge 500m, Kilrossanty 6km, Lemybrien 5km. Directions
1 hour 30 minutes · Waymarked: red arrow on white background
Clonagam Loop
4.6 km · 78 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Black Door' Trailhead - Scrouty Road, near Portlaw. Directions
1 hour 30 minutes · Waymarked: white arrow on green background
Mount Melleray Pilgrim Paths - The Source
4.6 km · Strenuous · Out and BackStarts at Mount Melleray Abbey Car Park, near Cappoquin. Directions
3 hours · Waymarked: purple arrow on white background (with white cross at the centre)
Hussian Gap Loop
4.5 km · 66 m climb · Moderate · LoopStarts at Black Door' Trailhead - Scrouty Road, near Portlaw. Directions
1 hour 30 minutes · Waymarked: white arrow on blue background
Anne Valley Walk
4.4 km · 5 m climb · Easy · LinearStarts at Ballyphilip Bridge, near Dunhill. Directions
1 hour · Waymarked: black arrow on yellow background
Ardmore Cliff Walk
3.9 km · 40 m climb · Easy · LoopStarts at Seafront Car Park, near Ardmore. Directions
1 hour · Waymarked: yellow arrow on brown background
The other 12 in Waterford
- Colligan Wood - Inchadrisla loop 3.4 km
- Glenshelane - Green Trail 3.4 km
- Tower Hill Loop 3.2 km
- Rath Beag Loop 3.1 km
- Ramp Boreen Walk 3 km
- Colligan Wood - Greenane loop 2.8 km
- Mount Melleray Pilgrim Paths - The Grotto 2.3 km
- Glenshelane - Grotto Walk 2.1 km
- Glenshelane - Blue Trail 1.9 km
- Mount Melleray Pilgrim Paths - The Cross 1.9 km
- Mount Melleray Pilgrim Paths - The Well 1.5 km
- Anne Valley Dolmen Access 0
Coillte maintains 23 forest car parks in Waterford. These are the usual starting points for forest walks and mountain bike trails.
Bathing waters in Waterford
18 designated bathing waters monitored by the EPA, 3 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 Waterford 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.
Ardmore Beach
Good Quality (2025)Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · Accessible
Bunmahon Beach
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Green Coast · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · Accessible
Clonea Beach
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Green Coast · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · Accessible
Counsellors' Strand, Dunmore East
Good Quality (2025)Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport
Dunmore Strand, Dunmore East
Good Quality (2025)Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · Accessible
Tramore Beach
Excellent Quality (2025)Blue Flag · Green Coast · Lifeguard · Parking · Toilets · Public transport · 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 Waterford, in depth
The sports with named spots, accredited centres or registered trails in the county.
23 clubs and schools in Waterford
Listed by Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Sailing, Irish Surfing and Diving Ireland. Reproduced as each body publishes it, with a link back to the register. Contact details are theirs, not checked by us.
Bonmahon Lifeguard Club
School- Website
- facebook.com/bonmahon.lifeboat
- Phone
- 051 372525
- [email protected]
- Website
- comeraghclub.ie
- Phone
- 0863663388
- Website
- dhsc.ie
- Phone
- 058 45663
- [email protected]
- Website
- dungarvanhillwalking.org
- Phone
- 0866013000
- Website
- dunmoreadventure.com
- Phone
- 051 383783
- [email protected]
Freedom Surf School
School · Tramore- Phone
- 051 386 773
- [email protected]
- Website
- kilmacthomaswalkingclub.com
- Phone
- 0863835886
Oceanics Surf School & Marine
School · Tramore- Phone
- 051 390 944
- [email protected]
Rathgormack Ramblers
Club- Website
- rathgormackramblers.ie
- Phone
- 0879025144
South Coast Sailing
School- Website
- southcoastsailing.net
- Phone
- 086 2623727
- [email protected]
Tramore Surf School
School · Tramore- Phone
- 051 391011
- [email protected]
- Website
- vecp.ie/boat-club
- Phone
- 086 6021750
- [email protected]
Waterford City Civil Defence
School- Phone
- 0872244324
- [email protected]
WATERFORD HARBOUR SAC
Club · Tramore- Website
- whsc.ie
- Phone
- 051 380320
- [email protected]
Adventure centres in Waterford
All 4 currently accredited by a national governing body, with a link to the register.
- Website
- coppercoastkayakadventures.ie
Approved here in 2001, and still accredited today.
- Website
- dunmoreadventure.com
Guides for Waterford
Common questions
Where can I go walking in Waterford?
30 waymarked walking trails are registered in Waterford. The longest are St Declan's Way (116.6km), East Munster Way (69km), Waterford Greenway Walking Trail (47.8km), Mount Melleray Pilgrim Paths - Byrne's Bridge (12.2km). Every one has a verified start point and driving directions on its own page.
How many waymarked trails are there in Waterford?
37 on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register, totalling roughly 3,174 kilometres. The register records waymarked trails only, so unmarked mountain routes and informal paths aren't counted.
How hard are the trails in Waterford?
By register grade: 11 easy, 15 moderate, 6 strenuous, 1 challenging, 4 very challenging. Grades are set by Sport Ireland against national criteria, so they're comparable between counties.
Are there sports clubs in Waterford?
23 clubs and schools in Waterford are listed by their national governing body: Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Sailing, Irish Surfing and Diving Ireland. They cover 5 sports between them, and each listing links back to the register it came from.
Are there adventure centres in Waterford?
4 in our directory, 4 of which currently hold accreditation from a national governing body: Copper Coast Kayak Adventures, Dunmore Adventure, Oceanics Surf School & Marine Education Centre, Tramore Surf School. Each accredited listing links to the body's own register so you can check it.
What adventure sports can you do in Waterford?
hillwalking & mountaineering, mountain biking, surfing, wild & sea swimming, 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.