ROUTES FOR FELLOW RUNNERS ON THE HEART OF IRELAND TOUR
Hi! This is a bonus page from Jenna!
I am an avid runner, while I do not go particularly fast, I do love to go far, having completed 5 marathons, many half marathons, and other smaller distances. One of my favorite things to do when travelling is planning out the run routes. This trip was no exception.
If you are also a runner (walker or hiker) and want to hit the pavement while on tour, I would love to share my experiences with you.
Running in Ireland gave me some of my favorite and most intimate experiences with the landscape. The quiet, the sunrise, the untouched and a little off the beaten path scenes.
First things first, I am a morning runner, but there are some other times during the tour get in a few miles if you are not. I have a bad habit of burning the candle at both ends and wanting to do and see all the things, so the morning fits the bill for me. Especially in rural parts of the isle, mornings are great because you avoid the crowds and especially the car traffic on the windy roads, which I am sure could get a bit perilous later in the day.
Ask your tour guide for their recommendations on routes. It might differ depending on where in a particular town you are staying at. Example, my hotel (Benners) in Dingle was perfect for hitting the Conor Pass. However had we stayed farther west in town, it would have added a few more miles, or I might have tried to aim for a hike up to Eask Tower.
I am an avid runner, while I do not go particularly fast, I do love to go far, having completed 5 marathons, many half marathons, and other smaller distances. One of my favorite things to do when travelling is planning out the run routes. This trip was no exception.
If you are also a runner (walker or hiker) and want to hit the pavement while on tour, I would love to share my experiences with you.
Running in Ireland gave me some of my favorite and most intimate experiences with the landscape. The quiet, the sunrise, the untouched and a little off the beaten path scenes.
First things first, I am a morning runner, but there are some other times during the tour get in a few miles if you are not. I have a bad habit of burning the candle at both ends and wanting to do and see all the things, so the morning fits the bill for me. Especially in rural parts of the isle, mornings are great because you avoid the crowds and especially the car traffic on the windy roads, which I am sure could get a bit perilous later in the day.
Ask your tour guide for their recommendations on routes. It might differ depending on where in a particular town you are staying at. Example, my hotel (Benners) in Dingle was perfect for hitting the Conor Pass. However had we stayed farther west in town, it would have added a few more miles, or I might have tried to aim for a hike up to Eask Tower.
ENNIS:
I did not run in Ennis. We were travel weary and left extra early to hit the Cliffs of Moher.
DINGLE:
Day 1 Run: I asked our tour guide Stephen for some recommendations. He challenged me with the Conor Pass. He was a bit unsure of the exact distance, but I decided to give it a try. The Connor pass is a high point on the Dingle Peninsula, and when you get to the top, its a staggering view of the waters on each side of the peninsula. From our Hotel, the Dingle Benners Hotel, it was almost exactly 4 miles up and 4 miles back, for a total of 8. Its quick a trek up, almost 1,300 feet of elevation gain in those 4 miles. The road is very very narrow, so you have to be watchful of cars (but at 6am, its not a problem). There are sheep wandering the mountainside and crossing the road in front of you. The view was incredible and was a great start to the day.
I did not run in Ennis. We were travel weary and left extra early to hit the Cliffs of Moher.
DINGLE:
Day 1 Run: I asked our tour guide Stephen for some recommendations. He challenged me with the Conor Pass. He was a bit unsure of the exact distance, but I decided to give it a try. The Connor pass is a high point on the Dingle Peninsula, and when you get to the top, its a staggering view of the waters on each side of the peninsula. From our Hotel, the Dingle Benners Hotel, it was almost exactly 4 miles up and 4 miles back, for a total of 8. Its quick a trek up, almost 1,300 feet of elevation gain in those 4 miles. The road is very very narrow, so you have to be watchful of cars (but at 6am, its not a problem). There are sheep wandering the mountainside and crossing the road in front of you. The view was incredible and was a great start to the day.
Day 2 Run:
Today I took the Dingle Lighthouse trail out along the southeast side of Dingle Harbor. Again, getting out early cast some great light from the sunrise. This trail was very flat but scenic. It takes you past a fancy hotel, through some cow pastures and cows (watch for the cow pies, for real), past a tower and the Dingle Lighthouse. The trail goes further, so I continued on, following the trail along the ridge of the harbor, still through pastures and it takes you down to a really cool cove into the water. The cove was a little running dessert as I did not expect that part, and it was pretty sweet. The trail from my hotel to the cove and back totaled 5 miles.
Today I took the Dingle Lighthouse trail out along the southeast side of Dingle Harbor. Again, getting out early cast some great light from the sunrise. This trail was very flat but scenic. It takes you past a fancy hotel, through some cow pastures and cows (watch for the cow pies, for real), past a tower and the Dingle Lighthouse. The trail goes further, so I continued on, following the trail along the ridge of the harbor, still through pastures and it takes you down to a really cool cove into the water. The cove was a little running dessert as I did not expect that part, and it was pretty sweet. The trail from my hotel to the cove and back totaled 5 miles.
Kilkenny:
Kilkenny, known for its opulent castle, also has a beautiful river that runs right past it, as well as a nice crushed gravel trail that runs along it. This trail goes on pretty far south along the river. I set out from my hotel, the Club House Hotel. I ran south past the castle, its grounds do not open until later morning, and found the trail just south of the Castle, through a little neighborhood. I ran south along the river, which was very serene and felt pretty safe. There are several bridges down river where you can cross, depending on how far you would like to go and head back north on the other side. I crossed about 2 miles down and I found a really cute wooded area a little south of one of the bridges on the east side of the river. After exploring a bit, I went back up the river towards the Castle and past some ruins. It was beautiful to see the Castle from this angle. My only problem was trying to figure out how to get back into town from this part of the trail. It should have been more simple than it was, but I hit several dead ends before I was able to get back to the other side of the river past the castle (I didn't have time to go back down river to cross the bridge and get back). I did run into town to get a picture of the bar that had the best Craic I experienced yet in Ireland. This trail felt a little more like a trail I would find home in the Midwest, except for the Castle part. This route took about 5.6 miles.
Kilkenny, known for its opulent castle, also has a beautiful river that runs right past it, as well as a nice crushed gravel trail that runs along it. This trail goes on pretty far south along the river. I set out from my hotel, the Club House Hotel. I ran south past the castle, its grounds do not open until later morning, and found the trail just south of the Castle, through a little neighborhood. I ran south along the river, which was very serene and felt pretty safe. There are several bridges down river where you can cross, depending on how far you would like to go and head back north on the other side. I crossed about 2 miles down and I found a really cute wooded area a little south of one of the bridges on the east side of the river. After exploring a bit, I went back up the river towards the Castle and past some ruins. It was beautiful to see the Castle from this angle. My only problem was trying to figure out how to get back into town from this part of the trail. It should have been more simple than it was, but I hit several dead ends before I was able to get back to the other side of the river past the castle (I didn't have time to go back down river to cross the bridge and get back). I did run into town to get a picture of the bar that had the best Craic I experienced yet in Ireland. This trail felt a little more like a trail I would find home in the Midwest, except for the Castle part. This route took about 5.6 miles.
Dublin:
I slept in one morning. The other, per instructions from my guide, I headed east along the river Liffey towards the Irish Sea and by what he called "Googleland". An area of Dublin that is growing rapidly with condos and industry as major corporations are taking root in Dublin. I wasn't entirely sure I was going in the right direction at first, but the route I took was interesting nonetheless. Dublin is relatively flat and only went about 4 miles. Sadly I did not take any pictures on this run but I do have my Garmin.
I slept in one morning. The other, per instructions from my guide, I headed east along the river Liffey towards the Irish Sea and by what he called "Googleland". An area of Dublin that is growing rapidly with condos and industry as major corporations are taking root in Dublin. I wasn't entirely sure I was going in the right direction at first, but the route I took was interesting nonetheless. Dublin is relatively flat and only went about 4 miles. Sadly I did not take any pictures on this run but I do have my Garmin.
Howth:
I am adding Howth because I could have run in Howth, but did not. We did walk and hike the crap out of Howth though. While not officially part of the Rick Steves tour, we extended our Ireland stay by one day and decided to venture into Howth. Howth did not disappoint. It is an easy easy 30 minute trail ride, a little peninsula that juts out into the Irish Sea.
There are multiple routes to take through Howth and with some elevation. My favorite hike was the cliff walk. Its about 6km. You could run it, but would only do so in the morning, as it can get pretty crowded with tourists during the day and as it is a cliff walk, its a pretty steep fall if you make a misstep. No barrier between trail and sea. It is insanely beautiful.
Additionally there is a nice trail system to walk around Howth. But another favorite was a hike around Irelands Eye, a bird sanctuary island just off of Howth harbor. If the ferries are running there on a nice day, it is absolutely worth the trip. I could have hiked that Island for many hours.
I loved every minute of every run in Ireland. Its a beautiful place to explore in running shoes and cannot wait until our next adventure there,
I am adding Howth because I could have run in Howth, but did not. We did walk and hike the crap out of Howth though. While not officially part of the Rick Steves tour, we extended our Ireland stay by one day and decided to venture into Howth. Howth did not disappoint. It is an easy easy 30 minute trail ride, a little peninsula that juts out into the Irish Sea.
There are multiple routes to take through Howth and with some elevation. My favorite hike was the cliff walk. Its about 6km. You could run it, but would only do so in the morning, as it can get pretty crowded with tourists during the day and as it is a cliff walk, its a pretty steep fall if you make a misstep. No barrier between trail and sea. It is insanely beautiful.
Additionally there is a nice trail system to walk around Howth. But another favorite was a hike around Irelands Eye, a bird sanctuary island just off of Howth harbor. If the ferries are running there on a nice day, it is absolutely worth the trip. I could have hiked that Island for many hours.
I loved every minute of every run in Ireland. Its a beautiful place to explore in running shoes and cannot wait until our next adventure there,