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Outdoor Trails

Discover the great outdoors on Ireland's best walking trails

Donal Hickey: Skelligs an outstanding area for viewing seabirds
Donal Hickey: Skelligs an outstanding area for viewing seabirds
Each summer, the Skellings area hosts some mammoth seabird breeding colonies, some of which are of international importance

Thu, 07 May, 2026

Blue Moon
Sky Matters: Astronomical events that come along ‘once in a blue moon’
From meteor storms to exploding stars or supernovae, there are a myriad of rare or once-in-a-lifetime events that take place in the universe all around us... but the rarest and most unique event of all is us

Sun, 03 May, 2026

Age-old question: What are the factors behind a long life?
Age-old question: What are the factors behind a long life?
Why do some individuals die much sooner than others, despite belonging to the same gene pool and facing similar life challenges? What lifestyle factors, if any, influence life-expectancy?

Sat, 02 May, 2026

The marsh iris (Iris pseudacorus) feels most at home at the edge of the water.
Ireland's May Day traditions: Welcoming summer with wild flowers and ancient Bealtine customs
May is immersed in traditions relating to nature, growth and the outdoors in general. More than anything else, perhaps, it’s when we welcome summer

Fri, 01 May, 2026

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands  and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions
Michelle McKeown: Peatlands  and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions
Peatlands may not be glamorous landscapes. They are muddy, waterlogged and often difficult to access. But they are among the most important ecosystems on Earth for tackling climate change

Fri, 01 May, 2026

Solar power: Sunny April weather sees butterflies take flight
Solar power: Sunny April weather sees butterflies take flight
Whether on the farm, in the garden, or the council-owned and managed open spaces, every patch of green space can play a role in helping butterflies and biodiversity, mainly by facilitating native flowering plants

Sat, 25 Apr, 2026

rain is falling in a puddle in the garden
Michelle McKeown: The smell of rain and the science behind it
This smell of rain is a real physical thing that can be explained by science. In Ireland, where rain is a regular feature of daily life, this phenomenon is easy to overlook. But it is worth pausing to notice next time it rains

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Abstract Weather Concept - Sun In Serene Sky With Flare Effect
Donal Hickey: April a capricious month as we move from showers to flowers
People in medieval times depended on weather lore for their forecasts with many people in rural Ireland still mindful of the old proverbs

Wed, 22 Apr, 2026

Short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) in the thickets of sea grass Zostera. Black Sea. Odessa bay.
Anja Murray: Ireland’s seahorses and the seagrass meadows they call home
A rarely-sighted seahorse washed up on Ballynamona Strand recently is a small reminder of the richness of our coastal waters and the urgent need to protect habitats while there’s still something to protect

Sat, 18 Apr, 2026

Donal Hickey: Glorious weather — but will we be hit by the Scairbhín?
Donal Hickey: Glorious weather — but will we be hit by the Scairbhín?
The anglicised version of the phenomenon is 'scaraveen' and it has been known to strike between the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Paradisical tropical beaches, islands and islets on Vanua Levu island near Savusavu, the hidden paradise of Fiji, Fiji, South Pa
Michelle McKeown: An island in the Pacific built from ancient waste
At first glance, this small island in Fiji looks like many others in the South Pacific. But beneath the surface, it tells a very different story

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Everything you need to know about Wander Wild outdoor festival taking place in Killarney this weekend
Everything you need to know about Wander Wild outdoor festival taking place in Killarney this weekend
There is something for every pace and every passion at Wander Wild Festival

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

I went to Ireland's largest outdoor festival alone in search of new connections — this is what happened
I went to Ireland's largest outdoor festival alone in search of new connections — this is what happened
In today’s world, it has become increasingly difficult to make ‘real’ connections. To have like-minded people put down their devices and come together in nature proved to be a real eye-opener for Breda Graham

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

King of the hills: Going wild about our old Irish goats
King of the hills: Going wild about our old Irish goats
A romantic outlaw from farmed civilisation, the Irish goat has managed to survive and maintain its identity for six thousand years

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

Seaweed surrounding a tidal pool at Amble in Northumberland
Growing benefits: Developing a sustainable seaweed industry 
The expanding seaweed industry is an asset for coastal communities, however the challenge will be to develop it further in a sustainable manner

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

Take a stroll to discover the religious history intertwined with Ardmore trail
Take a stroll to discover the religious history intertwined with Ardmore trail
Embarking on the trail, you might reflect that monastic life as practiced centuries ago in Ardmore, with its emphasis on simplicity, mindfulness and humility, still has lessons to offer

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Driver survey
Does our climate policy have inequality by design?
The Climate Action Plan targets a significant increase in EVs, with an original ambition approaching one million zero-emission vehicles by 2030

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), adult, Pantanal wetland, Brazil, South America
The world's largest and friendliest rodent can be visited at Fota Wildlife Park
The size of large dogs, Capybaras are found in the wild along forested rivers, ponds and marshes, endearing cuddly creatures resembling pigmy hippos with coats of brown hair

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026

Stroudwater Canal otters
Anja Murray: How community-driven conservation action can help Irish otter populations
Right now, otters are birthing their tiny cubs in sheltered, underground natal dens, sometimes near the waters where they normally live, though natal dens can be as much as a kilometre away from the waterway

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026

Cuckoo Bird
April arrivals: Cuckoo among signs of the advancing summer
Many regular spring/summer visitors to Ireland are already here. Swallows, swifts and house martins, are all getting busy having returned to Ireland where they nest, lay eggs and raise their chicks.

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026

Night Map of Ireland with City Lights Illumination
Sky Matters: Artificial light at night is adversely affecting our planet
Despite a growing awareness of the issues around artificial lighting, there is no sign that action is being taken on the scale at which it needs to occur

Sat, 04 Apr, 2026

Portrait of an American Mink ((Mustela vison) in the Rain
Being cruel to be kind: Rathlin Island finally a ferret-free zone
Introduced to the island to control the rat population there, the alien ferrets became more rat-like than the rats and took to killing seabirds

Fri, 03 Apr, 2026

Underwater coral bleaching of critically endangered species Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis)
Hot topic: The impacts of El Niño in a warmer world
El Niño years tend to push global temperatures higher, not because they cause climate change, but because they amplify it

Fri, 03 Apr, 2026

Summertime and the gorse is budding yellow flowers along the country road.
Reading between the lines: Hedgerows enrich the lives of everyone
As well as providing safe nesting for birds, hedges have many other important benefits for plants and animals. The huge loss of this habitat has serious consequences for nature

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026

Curled Octopus in a Rock Pool, Wicklow, Ireland
Unfurling the changing fate of octopuses in Irish waters
In recent years, the less frequently encountered common octopus has been showing up more in Irish waters, an influx that may spell changes in Ireland’s marine areas

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026

Young tabby domestic cat hunting in the green grass at summer
Paws for thought: Cats might just be the purr-fect predator
Cats are not just companions; they are, ecologically speaking, small but highly effective predators and we need to take their impact seriously

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026

Illegal Fly Tipping by a Farmers Gate on a Quiet Rural Lane
Messaging being lost under piles of unlawfully dumped rubbish
Despite all the anti-littering appeals, many people still don’t get the message, with unauthorised dumping  accelerating as a fundamental cause of litter pollution

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Bumble Bee
The many ways to be a wild bee — and what we can do to help them 
Taking action for wild bees and other wildlife is a powerful way to engage with the wondrous world of wildlife all around us

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Hedgehog
Spike in numbers: Sounds good for hedgehog survival rates
Hedgehog numbers are falling all over Europe. But new research shows there’s a ray of hope for this ancient beast

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Humpback whales take more mature approach to mating
Humpback whales take more mature approach to mating
Researchers have found that humpback whales clearly exhibit 'age-related sexual selection', with older males fathering more offspring than younger aspirants

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Uluru Road Sign
What’s in a place name? Lots of human fingerprints as it happens
Place names on maps are not fixed truths. They are human decisions, shaped by language, power and, quite often, misunderstanding

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

large school of mackerel
Mackerel boats ‘full to the chin’ no more as quota down by over 70%
Foreign fishers are usually blamed for gross over-exploitation of our stocks. As with many other species, mackerel around our coast are also diminishing because of overfishing

Thu, 19 Mar, 2026

wetland scenery
For peat's sake: We cannot afford to let the damage to our wetlands continue
Amid widespread calls for extensive peatland restoration, that horticultural peat mining is continuing unabated in Ireland is a baffling scenario and one which cannot be allowed continue, writes Anja Murray

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026

Want to see the Northern Lights? Meet the Mayo man behind Aurora Feed
Want to see the Northern Lights? Meet the Mayo man behind Aurora Feed
As we enter a period when the Northern Lights may be visible again in Ireland, Jenny McEntegart talks to a Mayo man who wants to unite fans of the phenomenon

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Step back in time to explore the island stronghold of Mayo’s warrior queen
Step back in time to explore the island stronghold of Mayo’s warrior queen
Check out Clare Island’s many defensive structures and its harbourside castle while taking in expansive views over a pristine wilderness dotted with picturesque lakes

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Wolves versus cougars... adapting to survive alongside one another
Wolves versus cougars... adapting to survive alongside one another
If you live among wolves, you must act like a wolf — Nikita Khrushchev Big herbivores used to rule the roost in Yellowstone Park, home of Old Faithful. Bison herds roamed the forests and pastures.

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Close-up image of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) perched on seaside black, hard plastic dumpster refuse bin, scavenging fish a
Same species, different city: Is nature losing its local accent?
Human activity is reshuffling biodiversity globally, allowing a relatively small group of adaptable species to spread widely, while more specialised species decline

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Fresh Potato Harvest
Spring is in the air — here's how you can take biodiversity action from your garden
With spring in the air, more people are getting out into the garden and keeping wildlife in mind by opting for eco-friendly and organic products

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Undervalued and overlooked: Scrub is nature’s way of rewilding — here's how
Undervalued and overlooked: Scrub is nature’s way of rewilding — here's how
Whatever the type of landscape, scrub habitats are just as  significant as more celebrated hedgerows, offering a similar suite of benefits

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Winter weather Feb 16th 2026
Ireland’s seasonal identity crisis — what is it and how can we adjust?
It’s March. The daffodils are out, the evenings are getting longer, and winter is officially over.  Or is it ...?

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Cainism may help restore eagle numbers in Ireland — here's how
Cainism may help restore eagle numbers in Ireland — here's how
Eagles can’t afford to raise two siblings here and so a form of siblicide observed in youngsters may ironically help Irish restoration

Thu, 05 Mar, 2026

dirty double wheels of agriculture tractor on dirt road at sunny summer day with green field in the background
Is there any truth in the weather lore around the month of March?
One common belief amongst previous generations was that if March was preceded by dry weather, the month itself would be wet

Thu, 05 Mar, 2026

Country Diary Archive : Western European hedgehog
Hedgehogs are waking up from their long winter slumber but they cannot move about as they need
In March, hedgehogs are waking up from hibernation and will soon begin venturing out from their cosy nests in search of food

Wed, 04 Mar, 2026

Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors on this cliffwalk along an old railway track with views over Dublin Bay
Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors on this cliffwalk along an old railway track with views over Dublin Bay
Today, Howth is mainly a tourist area, offering a fine selection of accessible walks, beginning conveniently from Howth Railway Station. One of the best of these is the Tramline Loop

Sun, 01 Mar, 2026

Google Sky launched
Sky Matters: The universe still challenges our understanding of it as we get to know it
We should not despair that we live in a universe which is beyond our understanding. We can in fact be confident that we do understand much about how the universe works

Sun, 01 Mar, 2026

Nesting woodpecker
The percussion of the great spotted woodpecker — a forgotten sound after such a long absence
The woodpecker’s place in Ireland isn’t a closed chapter with a neat conclusion. It’s an unfinished story

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

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