Ireland's Greenways: What Makes Biking and Hiking Tours on the Emerald Isle So Special

Cars prohibited: That's the motto on the Greenways in Ireland. These routes are specially designed for cyclists and pedestrians, allowing you to explore the Emerald Isle at leisure and experience breathtaking nature and history.

Most Greenways follow now-closed railway tracks, but former towpaths along canals or rivers have also been transformed into charming routes. With ongoing new projects and the opening of smaller Greenways, the number of paths continues to grow. The travel bettercities.net introduces you to seven of these idyllic routes.

The 46-kilometer Waterford Greenway captivates nature lovers with its particularly picturesque setting. With the Comeragh Mountains on one side and the sea on the other, the route offers stunning views while cycling. Located in the southeast of Ireland, it follows an old railway line and features highlights such as crossing two viaducts in Kilmacthomas and Ballyvoyle and passing through an old railway tunnel.

The Waterford Greenway connects Waterford, Ireland's oldest city, with the coastal town of Dungarvan. If you spontaneously feel like taking this trip but don't have your own bike, you can rent one in either city. Dining tip: the Coach House Café in the middle of the route.

In 2011, Ireland completed its first Greenway. It was the 42-kilometer Great Western Greenway, which follows an old railway line built in 1895. Starting in the colorful small town of Westport, the destination is Achill Sound on Achill Island.

Along the way, you'll encounter sheep, cows, and horses, as well as the green landscapes of Ireland and views of Clew Bay, where the route mostly winds along and where you can count 117 islands. On the Great Western Greenway, it's worth making stops in the towns of Newport and Mulranny before reaching Achill Island to enjoy natural beauties like the stunning beach at Keem Bay, framed by cliffs.

Always along the Carlingford Lough in northeastern Ireland, the seven-kilometer Carlingford Lough Greenway leads you on a shorter Irish Greenway with a unique panorama of the bay and views of the Mourne Mountains, making it a special experience.

The Carlingford Lough Greenway also follows an old railway line. The starting point is the harbor town of Carlingford on the Cooley Peninsula, and at the destination, the village of Omeath, the old railway station still stands as an old cottage. An extension of the Greenway is planned.

Following an 18th-century waterway and through the four counties of Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, and Longford, the Royal Canal Greenway stretches 130 kilometers, making it the longest of the Irish Greenways. It starts in Maynooth, approximately half an hour from Dublin.

The canal along which the route runs was once an important trade route, and along the way, you will find untouched landscapes, old industrial heritage, blooming riverbanks, horses, cows, sheep, and colorful butterflies. The current endpoint of the Royal Canal Greenway is in Cloondara, County Longford.

Instead of following the coast, the Old Rail Trail Greenway leads through the heart of Ireland, letting cyclists and hikers experience the country's core. In this landscape paradise, you'll find grounding tranquility, birdsong, and the 43-kilometer route follows a disused railway line, as the name suggests.

The trail starts in Athlone, where Sean's Bar, Ireland's oldest pub, is located. People have been drinking here for over 1,100 years. The route runs through County Westmeath, passing restored farms and bridges, and ends in Mullingar.

Fans of historical buildings will enjoy the Limerick Greenway, which runs along an old railway line, dotted with ruins of Norman castles, medieval abbeys, and abandoned stations. A highlight is the Norman fortress Desmond Hall in Newcastle West from the 15th century.

The 40-kilometer stretch runs from Rathkeale through Newcastle West to Abbeyfeale, with shorter loop trails available in each town to explore the area. Notable features of the route include passing through the 100-meter long Barnagh Tunnel and a section that goes through the trees of Tullig Wood forest.

The name makes it clear: The Suir Blueway is not a pure Greenway, but a combination of a 21-kilometer walking and cycling trail (technically a Greenway) from Carrick-on-Suir to Clonmel, and then continues as a waterway (Blueway), covering 32 kilometers by canoe or kayak on the Suir River, from which it gets its name.

The route runs through County Tipperary, and the views from land and water explain why Tipperary is nicknamed 'the Golden Vale.' Attractions along the route include Cahir Castle, a medieval fortress from the 13th century, which you may recognize from the film 'Excalibur' or the series 'The Tudors.'

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