Blow away those cobwebs — wonderful winter walks

Here's a handy link to lots of long and short walks suitable for varying skills 

Bright sunshine but cool temperatures at Owenahincha, West Cork. Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

If the weather is any way reasonable over the rest of this festive season, we'll be out in our thousands, walking on beaches, through parks and forests and, perhaps, mountain climbing.

Undoubtedly, coastal areas of the south-west offer premium places for healthy, outdoor activity, with some in West Cork being personal favourites.

On a sunny, frosty day in late November, I revisited Warren Strand, Rosscarbery, to find just a few other people there. Tthe lovely soft sand was an underfoot delight and the sea was calm.

The short, clifftop walk to nearby Owenahincha beckoned. Though quite steep in places, it’s not that difficult and a glorious vista soon opened up with Galley Head Lighthouse in the distance. You simply have to pause awhile to savour the sights.

The beach in Owenahincha was deserted except for a woman on horseback, accompanied by a few men in yellow vests proclaiming ‘horse in training’. Then back to Warren Strand, with a walk of a few kilometres to Rosscarbery village recommended.

Click here for a guide to Ireland's best waymarked trails

Search by county or search by grade — ranging from 'easy' through 'moderate' and 'multi-access' to 'strenuous'

Moving inland, peaceful Gougane Barra and St Finbarr’s Oratory are popular year-round, with bracing upland air and hillside trails to work off seasonal excesses.

In Kerry, Carrauntuohill is always testing, particularly in winter, but that doesn’t stop hundreds of people venturing onto the slopes every St Stephen’s Day, especially. A warning: be careful up there, especially if conditions are slippery. The advice is: don’t go alone, be properly shod, clothed, and fed, and make sure you’re down before dark.

Getting lost, or worse still, falling and sustaining injuries on the hills, could spoil Christmas and put more demands on the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team which can be busy responding to call-outs at this time of year. Remember to follow well-trodden paths and stay in groups.

Killarney National Park will attract walkers in their droves, with many out for leisurely strolls. If you really want something more demanding, however, the old mountain road from Killarney to Kenmare could be just the thing.

Starting from the upper Torc car park, this is a splendid 16-kilometre trail that’s rough in places, so good footwear is essential. Winding its way through the uplands of the national park, it brings you past fields marked by potato ridges, and ruined villages dating to the Famine era. You’ll see wildlife, deer especially, and, possibly, eagles.

Finally, for those looking for a shorter, yet strenuous, walk, try the aptly-named Cardiac Hill, with a starting point from the lower Torc car park, on the Killarney/Kenmare road. Stretching for around four kilometres, it includes a steep set of stones, with ropes being a help, and the reward is sublime lake and mountain views.