Updated September 2024–Are you looking for sustainable experiences to enjoy in Ireland?
Perhaps you are conscious of leaving your carbon footprint on Ireland's natural landscape.
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For those of you planning a trip, one of the best ways to do that is to venture into Ireland’s natural green environment and then seek out the lesser-known spots around the island.
Traveling in the off-season ensures that you won’t encounter as many people and as a result, there’s less waste around, keeping Ireland’s 40 shades of green as pristine as possible.
Eating food that is sourced a couple of miles down the road and engaging in activities like walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, and sailing are just some of the activities that go a long way to keeping your trip as sustainable as possible.
Here are the top 5 sustainable attractions and experiences that you can avail of in Ireland these days.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see some additional experiences.
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1. Devenish Island, County Fermanagh
If you love the outdoors, there are a number of sustainable experiences in County Fermanagh, a county that is known for its pristine lakes, beautiful landscape and an abundance of rich wildlife.
Kayaking and canoeing are favorite activities among the locals, and visitors are beginning to avail of the opportunities as well that often lead to historic landmarks like Devenish Island, a 6th-century monastic site founded by Saint Molaise.
It is considered one of the finest monastic sites in Northern Ireland.
There are a couple of companies/activity centers in the region that offer canoe and kayak rental.
They include the Corralea Activity Centre and Four Elements Adventure, or you could make it part of a longer vacation experience at places like the Share Discovery Village in Fermanagh.
If kayaking is not your thing, you can get to the island thanks to the silent all-electric, eco-friendly pontoon boat called Island Discovery, which is run by Erne Water Taxi.
Once you get to Devenish Island, there's a lot to discover there.
Learn about the ancient beliefs of the people who lived on the island, including their devotion to Érann, the water goddess who was the inspiration for the naming of the lake and the Erne Waterway.
While the Vikings tried to plunder the monastic community (like they did with so many others across Ireland), a perfectly preserved 25-foot-high round tower withstood the damage.
You can climb all five stories of it by using its internal ladders.
An Augustinian abbey and the house of St. Molaise are also evident, as well as the 13th-century church built in honor of the saint and called St. Molaise’s Church.
Beside the ruined abbey is a beautifully carved high cross.
See the Fermanagh Lakelands on a Segway
Experience the Fermanagh Lakes on a HydroBike or eBoard
Have you tried hydrobiking or using an eBoard?
Both are available for hire in Enniskillen, the main town in County Fermanagh.
At Erne Adventures, you can explore this island town as well as the wider Lower Lough Erne.
You can go as slow or fast as you want on a hydrobike, a cool suistainable way to see the region.
You can also explore the town at night by renting a hydrobike with lights.
The sustainable vehicles are safe to ride and come with carry compartments and drink holders. You must be at least 11 years old to ride one on the water.
eBoards are an electric-powered water scooter that are also stable and easy to use, even for those who have balance issues as they are quite wide and have sturdy handlebars.
The eBoards are suitable for ages 8 to 85 years old.
2. The Burren, County Clare
The Burren Ecotourism Network in County Clare has long been a vocal proponent of sustainable tourism, making the region one of the 5 sustainable experiences in Ireland you shouldn't miss.
It’s no surprise of course given the unique landscape that is on its doorstep.
The Burren along with the Cliffs of Moher is part of a UNESCO Global Geopark that covers an area of about 530 square kilometers (204 square miles).
It is located on the Wild Atlantic Way and includes villages and towns such as Corofin, Kilfenora, and Lisdoonvarna.
Tourists are encouraged to explore the region on foot or by bicycle.
In her Burren Experience guided walk native Marie McGauran, a Heritage Studies scholar, will take you on a journey, bringing you to some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the Burren, including historical landmarks.
The Burren Farm Experience is another eco-friendly attraction in the Burren region that focuses on the work that the O'Rourke family does on its 500-acre beef farm, helping to preserve this unique landscape.
Take a guided walk, do some wild cooking on a fire pit, participate in yoga by the lake, or even stay in a bell tent on the property.
Book an experience on the Burren Farm Experience website.
The Burren Food Experiences Trail will give you an opportunity to explore the region’s farmers' markets, cafes, restaurants, and gastropubs, in addition to exploring its unique and ancient farming system.
The trail includes The Market Garden Trail, The Farm to Fork Trail, and the Taste of the Ocean Trail.
You’ll find opportunities to taste the best of locally grown ingredients in various B&Bs and hotels in the area, as well as wild food walks on land and along the shore, in addition to oyster shucking and more.
If you’re looking for accommodation that practices daily sustainability, you’ll find it in this region of Ireland.
Check out the Falls Hotel and Spa, which has been awarded carbon-neutral status by Green Hospitality Ireland.
The hotel is using a number of waste reduction efforts, such as taking water from its own well, harnessing power from the nearby River Inagh, and planting 350 native Irish trees on the grounds.
No chemical cleaning products are used there and compostable cups and straws are frequently in use.
This means that as a guest, you'll leave no carbon footprint during your stay.
In addition, you'll be encouraged to do your part by reusing towels, using less water, turning off lights and heat, as well dividing garbage into separate bins in your hotel room.
Another County Clare accommodation that does its part to be eco-friendly is the Lodges at Sea View House Doolin, which is known for its use of locally sourced, home-grown ingredients.
Discover More Eco Tours in Ireland
3. Exploring Northern Ireland’s Hiking Trails
Whether you have a few hours, a full day, or a weekend, you can experience the beauty of Northern Ireland in a sustainable way by taking a guided hike with The Inside Trek.
There are many different hikes to choose from, which vary in length from 2 to 10 hours, depending on your enthusiasm and fitness level.
Here’s a brief look at three of them.
- Runkerry to Giant’s Causeway: start this 5 ½ to 10-mile trek at Runkerry Beach along the Coastal Causeway and meander along the jagged cliff tops, across an old steam engine railway line, and through the dunes above the beach.
- Murlough Bay and Fair Head: a 9-mile trek that takes in Northern Ireland’s tallest cliffs and a gorgeous bay, with views out to Rathlin Island and across to Scotland.
- Glenarrif: a 6-mile jaunt through the Queen of the Glen (part of the Glens of Antrim) where you’ll be immersed in forest and then open ground, with more amazing views of the County Antrim coast.
Owners Andrew Magowan and Michael Laverty, both lifelong hikers, are proud of the fact that all of their hikes are carbon conscious.
And you don’t need a car to avail of them.
They can collect you from literally anywhere in Ireland, drive you around and then drop you back, all in the comfort of their 5 or 7-seater vehicles.
On longer hikes, they can arrange accommodation and suggest quality take-out food to bring with you on your journey.
The history and legends of the areas you’ll be walking in are all explained while you’re on the hike, in addition to information on the region's flora and fauna.
Half-day hikes start at £50 per person, with one-day hikes costing £85 per person. Multi-day guided hiking vacations (accommodation included) for a group of 4 start at £999 per person (5 days/4 nights) and £1,549 per person for 8 days/7 nights.
The cost of the tours includes all equipment, transportation, food, and drink. There is no minimum group size either.
All in all, these hikes are an affordable and worthwhile vacation activity and one of the 5 sustainable experiences in Ireland that I would highly recommend.
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4. Discovering Sustainable Adventures in County Leitrim
Sustainable attractions across Ireland come in many forms and one of them can be found in County Leitrim where slow travel means more than just eco-friendly accommodation, healthy food, and leisurely activities.
Ireland’s emerging slow travel tourism specialty is also shining a spotlight on a part of the country that might be off the beaten track but is the perfect place to enjoy rural Ireland's sustainable attractions.
Here are some sustainable experiences that you may want to check out while traveling through Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.
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- Adventure Gently offers guided tours of the waterways of Leitrim in Canadian canoes. Locations include Lough Gill, the Shannon Blueway, The River Bonet, the Boyle River, Lough Key, and more.
- Explore Angling with Fish Tracker – let UK native and now Leitrim resident Dave Price of Fish Tracker help you discover the secret loughs, lakes, and rivers across Leitrim and neighboring Roscommon, Longford, and Cavan. Boat hire (fully insured) and equipment are included in the price of this sustainable adventure.
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- An Immersive Island Slow Adventure – Escape by canoe to a secluded island and once you get there sustainably, soak in the beauty around you by practicing deep breathing and engaging in a guided yoga session under a natural canopy of trees. This is ideal for groups of between eight and 10 people.
- The Slow Adventure Jackalope Cycle Tour – embark on a guided e-bike (or regular bike if you wish) journey along the beautiful Shannon Blueway courtesy of Electric Bike Trails. Guide Seamus Gibbons, a former lockkeeper and Jackaloupe extraordinaire, leads this tour. You’ll complete this sustainable adventure at The Shed Distillery, the home of the famous Gunpowder Gin.
5. Experience the Ulster-Ireland Section of the International Appalachian Trail
Fancy walking on part of the world’s largest trail network?
The Appalachian Trail brings to mind hiking from Maine to Georgia, but did you know that it extends from the U.S. to Canada, Iceland, and across to the island of Ireland?
Of course, there are no mountains between those countries today, but before the earth’s continents were defined, the earth was one big landmass, and their mountain ranges were similar.
The newly upgraded trail begins on Donegal’s west coast, starting at the Sliabh Liag cliffs, and then passes through the Sperrin Mountains into areas hugged by the Coastal Causeway and across the beautiful Glens of Antrim.
The trail finishes at the port of Larne in County Down.
Spanning 279 miles, the route isn’t for novices, but it’s safe to say that you could do at least part of it, and what a sustainable adventure that would be.
In fact, there are several sustainable experiences to avail of on the Ulster-Ireland International Appalachian Trail. Here are just a few of them.
- The Ulster American Folk Park Experience – follow in the footsteps of emigrants who left Northern Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries in this sustainably-friendly tourist attraction.
- Hillwalking in Rural Southwest Donegal – explore the Sliabh Liag Peninsula while learning a few words of Irish (Gaeilge). Suitable for both novice and experienced hikers.
- The Emigrant’s Walk – walk in the footsteps of an emigrant leaving Ireland during the Great Famine. Local famine expert Cathy O’Neill will guide you up Carntogher Mountain, where many famine emigrants were known to have walked on their journey to the New World. An optional lunch is available at Friel’s Bar & Restaurant, the site of an original soup kitchen and where you will see an authentic famine pot.
Other Sustainable Adventures
Travel in style — and sustainably too — along Ireland's longest river, The River Shannon, on the Carrick Day Boats that are 100 percent electric vehicles.
The attraction is based in Carrick-on-Shannon.
The boats are designed to be safe and easy to drive, providing the perfect stress-free boating experience to enjoy in the midlands region of Ireland.
Journey past the picturesque Jamestown, Cootehall, and the village of Leitrim. Feel free to moor up at the quays in any of these towns and stop for a bite to eat.
In County Cavan, you can hop on a water bike at the Carafin Activity Park.
The hydro bikes are 100% pedal-powered, non-polluting, easy to ride, lightweight, and safe and stable with up to 400 pounds of flotation capacity.
Anyone can ride these fun bikes and explore County Cavan’s Carafin Lake and the surrounding area.
Would you be interested in these 5 sustainable experiences in Ireland? Let me know in the comments below.
