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Slieve Bloom Trekking

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Ireland – one hell of a place for adventure
If you find that the ideal way to switch off is to turn on your adventure and activity mojo, Ireland offers the perfect natural playground. Get a fresh view of our mountains, lakes and coastline with easy-going options like hiking, biking, sea kayaking and angling. Or unleash that inner adrenalin junky with pursuits ranging from white-water paddling to wake boarding and sky diving to surfing. Why not visit one of Ireland's many outdoor adventure centres...

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Precious Gems
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Trekking in Slieve Bloom

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A pony trek in the Slieve Bloom Mountains is something you’ll remember forever. Along with the Massif Central in France, these mountains are the oldest in Europe and what they lack in height, they make up for with charm and gentle picture-perfect scenery.

A web of rivers, waterfalls, valleys, glens, woodlands and mountains, this is like the land that time forgot. As you travel along boreens and over rolling hills with your trusty steed, you’ll get to absorb incredible peace and tranquillity.

Trekking highlights include trotting along disused roadways dating back to pre-famine Ireland, passing vast expanses of wild blanket bog strewn with bog cotton and heather, and meandering through lush forests. The higher ground has been declared a special area of conservation and on a fine day, you can see into all four Irish provinces.

Other ‘don’t miss’ locations are the stunning Glenbarrow waterfalls, located just a few miles from Clonaslee, and Kinnitty Forest, a 60,000 acre preserve. This forest is home to deer, pheasants, badgers, song birds and foxes. A gentle pace will reveal the natural beauty of this ancient place. 

Several operators can make sure you realise your riding dreams in the Slieve Blooms. Choose to spend just a few hours in the saddle or make a week of it and stay in whatever accommodation suits your budget and style. You might like a cosy B&B or country house, or a castle on the historical lands of the great O'Carroll Clan might be more your style. If you are a horse owner, you could even bring your animal and allow a local guide to look after you.

From the excitement of cantering up winding forest trails to the quiet joy of walking along deserted roads, a trek in the Slieve Bloom Mountains is, quite simply, a magical experience.