Outdoor Groups in Ireland

Before you go

Outdoor groups are the largest category in the directory, and the easiest to join on a whim. Most hillwalking and running clubs will take you on a trial walk or run before you pay anything, and a good number never charge at all beyond an annual insurance contribution.

Grade matters more than fitness when you are picking a walking club. A B grade walk is typically four to six hours over rough ground with real ascent, while a C grade is a few hours on tracks and lanes. Clubs publish grades for each outing, and turning up to the wrong one is the usual reason people do not come back.

Bring boots with ankle support, a waterproof layer regardless of the forecast, and more water than you think. Irish hill weather changes inside an hour, and most club walks go ahead in rain as a matter of course.

Looking for parkrun?

Ireland's 161 parkrun locations are listed separately, because at a free timed 5K every Saturday morning they work differently from a club you join.