Carl and I moved to the north-west of Ireland in 2021 to escape the expense of city life. What I’ve found in this time is the true meaning of hidden gems - a landscape littered with lakes; hills that are shaped like cresting waves or crowned with cliffs; and wandering woodlands that offer pockets of reprieve from the world at large.

Here are two such places I explored in the autumn 2023: Glencar Waterfall and the Devil’s Chimney. If you’re a waterfalls fan then right now (26th of August 2024) would be an amazing time to visit these places (a not so subtle nod to the face that we’ve been living through a lot of rain the last while).

Overview - Glencar Waterfall:

Distance: 1km
Time: 10 - 30 minutes
Parking:
Ample parking at Glencar Lough Car Park
Trail difficulty: Multi-Access / Easy
The trail to the base of the waterfall is multi-access. To create a short loop in the woods, there are stairs.
Read about trail grading in Ireland here.
Trail quality: 5/5
If you are looking for a very accessible trail, this is perfect. It is very managed and manicured, so not a wild retreat if that is what you’re looking for.
Views: 4/5
Brings you to a lovely view point of the waterfall, and the loop through the woodlands is nice.
Buggy/Wheelchair friendly: Yes
Accessible to the waterfall base (some small bridges en route)
Dogs allowed: Yes (according to Discover Ireland, however some other reviews online say otherwise)

Arriving to the car park at Glencar I was taken aback by the infrastructure surrounding me. While I know that I studied the poetry of Yeats at some point in my schooling career, I hadn’t truly understood how well known he was internationally - and from that, how well known some of the places he wrote about have now become.

Glencar Waterfall is a gorgeous, dramatic plunge that is as beautiful as the pictures make it look. It is also a maximum 1km loop from the car to the falls and back along the forest boardwalk. The path through to the waterfall is paved, with small bridges crossing the steam that leads from the falls down to the lake. As I walked, families flowed in and out, children running and grandparents tottering. There would be moments where the viewing platform was full - but wait five minutes, and you’re alone once more.

Continuing up from the waterfall along the wooden walkway, the trail is pretty with the lush greens of moss and ferns. It’s a relaxing walk, and once I was past the waterfall I didn’t meet a single other person.

If you’re visiting the area and want to tick off a beautiful waterfall, or have friends or family who you’re introducing to the outdoors, this might be a nice stop-off for you. If you’re looking for a walk that’ll take an hour or two, the next waterfall might be more up your street (or cliff, as it were).

Overview - Devil’s Chimney Waterfall:

Distance: 2.5 km
Time: 30mins - 90mins (depending on route, fitness, and how long you want to take in the views for)
Parking:
Space available for about 5 cars at the road-side car park.
Trail difficulty: Easy
The trail is well kept and waymarked. The climbs and descents can be steep in sections.
Read about trail grading in Ireland here.
Trail quality: 5/5
Lovely loop for such a small area
Views: 5/5
Great views of the waterfall and cliffs throughout, as well as over Glencar Lough itself.
Buggy/Wheelchair friendly: No
This trail contains steps and steep sections that would not be buggy or wheelchair accessible.
Dogs allowed: Yes. Make sure to follow signage as some areas require dogs to be on lead.

After the business of Glencar, pulling into the parking lay-by of The Devil’s Chimney felt much more like the quiet trails I was used to. Pulling my bag on, I headed up the track towards the trees and cliffs.

The hills in this area are known as the Dartry’s. The most famous of their peaks is Benbulben, a table-top mountain of cliffs and a plateau summit. However, Benbulben isn’t the only visually striking hill in the range. So many of these hills undulate in ways you would never expect, making them look far more lofty than they are. In true Dartry style, this trail is short but steep, twisting and turning with the erratic flow of the land.

The Devil’s Chimney name in Irish is Sruth in Aghaidh An Aird, which roughly translates as “stream against the height”. The Irish name reflects the fact that when a strong southerly wind blows, the water can sometimes be blown back up over the cliff-face, looking like its defying gravity. And like all things rural and out of the way, there is a sign designating that this is officially Ireland’s tallest waterfall at 150m (492ft). I’ve seen this designation quietly disputed, as the Devil’s Chimney doesn’t flow during dry weather - and even when I visited after a few days of rain, it was a gentle flow. However, none of these debates take away from what is a gorgeous way to spend an hour or two exploring.

The land that these trails go through, as well as the Devil’s chimney itself, is all privately owned, and I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the landowners who’ve developed such a lovely trail and have it open to the public for free. Like anywhere we go outside - please make sure to respect any signage you see while on the trails.

The route I took around the trails here felt the most intuitive to me, however I think there are some paths I didn’t explore. In comparison to Glencar, I met one other family group as I arrived and they finished up their walk, and I had my time at the waterfall base to myself.

While still not a challenging hike, this was a lovely walk and offered great views out across the valley.