The initial idea for this guidebook came from Tom Lawton, who was working on an 'Exploring' series of guidebooks with Ward Lock. Initial discussions swung from the idea of publishing a single guidebook for the whole of Ireland to a series of four guidebooks covering the four historic Provinces of Ireland.

Unfortunately, while the first book in the series was being researched, a decision was taken at Ward Lock to publish only a single volume covering the rest of Ireland. The southern volume nevertheless takes in 36 rich and varied routes around a large part of Ireland. The route research took a month of walking to complete.

This guidebook provided an opportunity to showcase a variety of popular walks from around the country, while also presenting some less well-known routes and areas to readers. In effect, the routes are located roughly around the edges of Ireland, taking in several mountain ranges and occasional stretches of coast. A couple of walks are further inland, heading towards the centre of Ireland.

See Also: Exploring the North of Ireland