East Munster Way
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Tipperary and Waterford
East Munster Way is a 69 km moderate waymarked linear route in Tipperary and Waterford, starting near Carrick on Suir.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 3 days |
Getting there
Starts at Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, near Carrick on Suir.
Finishes at Clogheen.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.34551, -7.40711
- Irish Grid reference
- S 404 217
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheets 74 and 75
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
Public transport
At Start: Expressway bus from Cork, Dublin, Galway, Waterford. Limited local bus (not on Sunday). Check with Bus Eireann. Rail Check with Iarnrod Eireann. At End: Some Expressway buses to Clonmel, Cork and Dublin and very limited local bus (not daily). Check with Bus Eireann.
Before you arrive
Please do not bring dogs onto the privately owned sections of this trail
About the trail
The East Munster Way is a 70km linear walking route of considerable variety, from riverside paths to woodland and from open mountain moorland to quiet country roads and it is part of the European E8 route. It starts in the town of Carrick-on-Suir, at the south east extremity of County Tipperary, and follows the River Suir upstream. The Suir, held by some to be the second-longest river in Ireland, is majestic and slow-moving at this point, overlooked by old castles and churches, and home to otters and herons. At the pretty village of Kilsheelan, the route crosses into County Waterford and ascends into the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains. It soon descends again to follow the Suir into the vibrant county town of Clonmel, which has a lot to offer those who linger. Leaving Clonmel the Way crosses a western outlier of the Comeraghs to reach the northern flanks of the Knockmealdown Mountains where it meanders westwards with spectacular views before descending to reach the town of Clogheen. Terrain consists mainly of forestry tracks, riverside tow paths and quiet tarmac roads: some off-road paths may be a little overgrown. Total aggregate ascent over the route is less than 1700m, but there are some short, steep climbs.
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
Who manages it
South Tipperary Development Company Limited / Waterford City & County Council
John Egan - Rural Recreation Officer | Email: [email protected]
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Suir Blueway - Deerpark to Carrick on Suir 3.7 km away · 1 km trail
- Clonagam Loop 5.3 km away · 4.6 km trail
- Hussian Gap Loop 5.3 km away · 4.5 km trail
- Tower Hill Loop 5.3 km away · 3.2 km trail
- Pilltown - Mountain Grove Loop 7.6 km away · 2.4 km trail
- Tullahought - Kilmacoliver Summit Loop 8.5 km away · 3.8 km trail
Common questions
How long is the East Munster Way?
69 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 1,375 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 3 days.
How hard is the East Munster Way?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the East Munster Way start?
Starts at Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, near Carrick on Suir. The trailhead is at 52.34551, -7.40711 (Irish Grid S 404 217).
Can you get to the East Munster Way without a car?
At Start: Expressway bus from Cork, Dublin, Galway, Waterford. Limited local bus (not on Sunday). Check with Bus Eireann. Rail Check with Iarnrod Eireann. At End: Some Expressway buses to Clonmel, Cork and Dublin and very limited local bus (not daily). Check with Bus Eireann.
Who manages the East Munster Way?
South Tipperary Development Company Limited / Waterford City & County Council. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Tipperary and Waterford
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.