The best hiking routes in County Cavan

County Cavan is defined by its drumlins, a dense network of small, rounded hills formed by retreating glaciers that now shape every view. This is not a region of high peaks or dramatic mountain passes, but rather a low-lying maze of farmland, lakes, and heavy clay soils. Walkers will mostly find themselves on quiet tarmac lanes, gravel forest tracks, and occasional grassy paths that follow the shorelines of the county's many interconnected waterways.

For those seeking a distinct change in terrain, Cuilcagh Mountain Park on the northern border offers the main exception to the rolling lowlands. Here, the landscape rises into a gritstone plateau where the underfoot conditions shift to wet peat and a dedicated wooden boardwalk designed to protect the fragile bog. In contrast to the sheltered, tree-lined lanes of the south, this northern edge feels open and exposed, with limestone pavements and gritstone cliffs visible from the path.

Choosing where to walk depends on whether you prefer the enclosed, undulating labyrinth of the lake districts or the steady, linear climb onto the northern bog. In the lowlands, the views are constantly interrupted by hedges and small hills, keeping the horizon close. By contrast, a walk on the boardwalk of Cuilcagh Mountain Park in October reveals the stark, uniform browns of the dying heather stretching across the wide upland shelf.