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The Irish Coast to Coast Walk

AuthorPaddy Dillon
PublisherCicerone Press (out of print)
ISBNISBN-10: 1 85284 211 3 (First Edition)
ISBN-13: 978 1 85284 433 2 (Second Edition)
Price£14.95
Overlooking Luggala Lough from the Wicklow Way in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains.

Overlooking Luggala Lough from the Wicklow Way in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains.

The Knockmealdown Mountains rise above pleasant countryside near Clogheen.

The Knockmealdown Mountains rise above pleasant countryside near Clogheen.

Walkers on the Blackwater Way between Co Cork and Co Kerry.

Walkers on the Blackwater Way between Co Cork and Co Kerry.

After watching the development of waymarked trails in Ireland over the years, it was apparent that certain trails, when linked end-to-end, would stretch from coast to coast across Ireland. The idea for a guidebook was put to Cicerone.

The Irish Coast to Coast, when it was first walked, was made up of the Wicklow Way, South Leinster Way, Munster Way, Avondhu Way, Duhallow Way and Kerry Way. Short links and extensions were needed to stretch the route all the way from coast to coast, and that formed the basis for the first edition of the guidebook. Some high-level alternative routes were included over nearby mountain ranges. In a review in Irish Mountain Log, Jean Boydell said, "This is a neat pocket-sized book, clearly written... It will be useful for linking any of the ways included."

Some of the original waymarked trails used in the guidebook were later altered or extended. The Avondhu Way and Duhallow Way, for example, were merged to become the Blackwater Way, and there was a suggestion for the Irish Coast to Coast Walk to be recognised as an extension of the trans-European E8 walking route.

The time came for the route to be walked and checked all over again. The Irish Coast to Coast Walk guide has been completely overhauled and re-written, being published in full colour, featuring new mapping and an updated accommodation list.

This book is now out of print, though copies are sometimes available on Amazon. The first stage is available in a completely updated form in a new guidebook covering the Wicklow Way.

Walk Contents

The Wicklow Way

Day 1 Dublin to Marlay Park
Day 2 Marlay Park to Knockree
Day 3 Knockree to Laragh
Day 4 Laragh to Glenmalure
Day 5 Glenmalure to Tinahely
Day 6 Tinahely to Clonegal

The South Leinster Way

Day 7 Clonegal to Borris
Day 8 Borris to Inistioge
Day 9 Inistioge to Mullinavat
Day 10 Mullinavat to Carrick-on-Suir 

The East Munster Way

Day 11 Carrick-on-Suir to Clonmel
Day 12 Clonmel to Newcastle
Day 13 Newcastle to Clogheen

The Blackwater (Avondhu) Way 

Day 14 Clogheen to Araglin
Day 15 Araglin to Fermoy
Day 16 Fermoy to Killavullen
Day 17 Killavullen to Bweeng

The Blackwater (Duhallow) Way

Day 18 Bweeng to Millstreet
Day 19 Millstreet to Shrone
Day 20 Shrone to Muckross

The Kerry Way

Day 21 Muckross to the Black Valley
Day 22 The Black Valley to Glenbeigh
Day 23 Glenbeigh to Cahersiveen
Day 24 Cahersiveen to Bray Head

High Level Alternative Routes

The Lug Walk
The Blackstairs Mountains
The Comeragh Mountains
The Knockmealdown Mountains
The Derrynasaggart Mountains
MacGillycuddy's Reeks
The Coomsaharn Horseshoe