Walking in Northern Ireland
Free walking routes across Northern Ireland — from the Causeway Coast and the Glens of Antrim to the Mourne Mountains and the Fermanagh lakelands.
Northern Ireland has dramatic coast, mountains and lakelands within easy reach of each other, and each county below has its own starting towns and routes.
Coast. The Causeway Coast in County Antrim includes the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with clifftop paths, beaches and harbour villages such as Ballycastle and Cushendun.
Mountains. The Mourne Mountains in County Down hold Slieve Donard, at 850 metres the highest peak in Northern Ireland, with forest parks at Tollymore and Castlewellan close by. Newcastle is the usual base.
Lakes and uplands. County Fermanagh is known for its lakeland walking around Lough Erne and Enniskillen, while the Sperrins stretch across County Tyrone and County Londonderry.
Pick a county to see its starting towns and routes. Take suitable footwear, a map or GPS app and waterproofs, and check the weather before heading onto higher ground.
Where to Walk in Northern Ireland
Causeway Coast
The Causeway Coast Way is usually walked over two days from Portstewart to Ballycastle, passing the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Portrush, Bushmills and Ballycastle make good bases.
Glens of Antrim
Nine glens run down from the Antrim Plateau to the sea between Ballycastle and Glenarm. Cushendall, Cushendun and Carnlough are bases for glen, forest and coastal walks.
Mourne Mountains
Slieve Donard (850 metres) is the highest peak in Northern Ireland. The Mourne Wall, built between 1904 and 1922, crosses fifteen of the range’s summits. Newcastle and Rostrevor are the main bases.
Fermanagh Lakelands
The Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail, nicknamed the Stairway to Heaven, climbs towards Cuilcagh (666 metres) in the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark, on the border with County Cavan. Enniskillen is the main base for Lough Erne walks.
Sperrins and the North West
The Sperrins, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty across counties Tyrone and Londonderry, rise to 678 metres at Sawel Mountain. In Derry-Londonderry, the city walls built between 1613 and 1618 make a circuit of about 1.5 km.
Belfast and County Down Coast
Belfast has hill walks on its doorstep, and the coast of County Down around Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula offers gentle shoreline walking from towns such as Bangor and Portaferry.
Popular Starting Towns
Walks by County
Walking in Northern Ireland: FAQs
What is the highest mountain in Northern Ireland?
Can you walk to the Giant’s Causeway?
What is the Stairway to Heaven in Fermanagh?
What is the Mourne Wall?
Can you walk the walls of Derry?
Walking Elsewhere in the UK