Connemara National Park

This was the highlight of our trip. (We were with a large family with very different tastes so we didn't do much farmland/countryside things to compare). My husband and I took a detour to see this area, the drive was gorgeous, there was sheep everywhere (there's a super cool sheep farm i would've loved to have gone to had we time) and there's an adorable little town (we couldn't stop due to time with meeting everyone up but we will be back) and we saw lots of oyster traps so I'll have my heart set on some fresh oysters haha. We DID get to do the diamond trails upper and lower. It was such a beautiful hike. We were there in Sept and it was not crowded. The hike on the upper can be difficult if you aren't fit/don't have proper foot wear/are afraid of heights and it's not recommended to do it if wet and I Def see why. We got lucky and it was a gorgeous sunny day so we could see all the lakes, ocean, hillside, farms for so far off. I actually cried a little in the park because it was just so beautiful. The hike itself only took about 2 to 2.5 hours and I am so happy we did it. And the drive is great too.

Free parking. Well signposted locally. Clean toilets and small cafe. Plenty of outside seating in courtyard. Small play area for children. Sculptures around trails. Good paths, well cared for and signposted. Staff very friendly and genuine- as with all the locals we've met in Connemara so far. Saw a stunning stag just meters from the blue sign posted pathway. Great walk.

Beautiful park for nice scenic walk or hike the more challenging steeper paths. Several trails at different experience levels all clearly marked. Bring windbreaker & wear sturdy grippy shoes, gets pebbly & very windy/cold further up. Cafe & restrooms on site. Well worth a visit.

A great easy walk, well paved. Some stunning views from the trail (we did the 3km Blue walk). Just be aware the steps could get slippery in wet weather. There are a lot of steps so this is not a walk for everyone. Parking at the visitor centre is easy and there is a nice cafe at the visitor centre.

Beautiful! The hike is divided into three sections, so you can turn back at any time, but it's definitely worth going all the way up the mountain. Later on, it gets quite steep with many stairs. Just a little warning: bring insect repellent!!! At the top, there are tiny gnats, and our arms were covered with over 50 bites per arm—it was a nightmare. Unfortunately, no one mentioned that beforehand.

Really beautiful park extremely well organised. Nice visitor centre with restaurant, playground and toilets. The walking paths are very well signed and kept. You can choose within 3 different itineraries with different lengths. The one arriving at the top of Diamond Hill offers magnificent 360 degrees view on the see, the surrounding hills, lakes and Killymore Abbey.

Visited the park to do the Diamond Hill hike and it was stunning! Quite steep with rocks creating the path, but worth it to experience the exercise and the views. It’s possible to do a shorter easier hike and am sure that is lovely as well. 360 views of the entire valley!

The Diamond Hill trail is great. It's a moderate hike but in a few places the drop to the sides is steep enough to cause some anxiety if you have a fear of heights.

This was the highlight of our trip. (We were with a large family with very different tastes so we didn't do much farmland/countryside things to compare). My husband and I took a detour to see this area, the drive was gorgeous, there was sheep everywhere (there's a super cool sheep farm i would've loved to have gone to had we time) and there's an adorable little town (we couldn't stop due to time with meeting everyone up but we will be back) and we saw lots of oyster traps so I'll have my heart set on some fresh oysters haha. We DID get to do the diamond trails upper and lower. It was such a beautiful hike. We were there in Sept and it was not crowded. The hike on the upper can be difficult if you aren't fit/don't have proper foot wear/are afraid of heights and it's not recommended to do it if wet and I Def see why. We got lucky and it was a gorgeous sunny day so we could see all the lakes, ocean, hillside, farms for so far off. I actually cried a little in the park because it was just so beautiful. The hike itself only took about 2 to 2.5 hours and I am so happy we did it. And the drive is great too.

Free parking. Well signposted locally. Clean toilets and small cafe. Plenty of outside seating in courtyard. Small play area for children. Sculptures around trails. Good paths, well cared for and signposted. Staff very friendly and genuine- as with all the locals we've met in Connemara so far. Saw a stunning stag just meters from the blue sign posted pathway. Great walk.

Beautiful park for nice scenic walk or hike the more challenging steeper paths. Several trails at different experience levels all clearly marked. Bring windbreaker & wear sturdy grippy shoes, gets pebbly & very windy/cold further up. Cafe & restrooms on site. Well worth a visit.

A great easy walk, well paved. Some stunning views from the trail (we did the 3km Blue walk). Just be aware the steps could get slippery in wet weather. There are a lot of steps so this is not a walk for everyone. Parking at the visitor centre is easy and there is a nice cafe at the visitor centre.

Beautiful! The hike is divided into three sections, so you can turn back at any time, but it's definitely worth going all the way up the mountain. Later on, it gets quite steep with many stairs. Just a little warning: bring insect repellent!!! At the top, there are tiny gnats, and our arms were covered with over 50 bites per arm—it was a nightmare. Unfortunately, no one mentioned that beforehand.

Really beautiful park extremely well organised. Nice visitor centre with restaurant, playground and toilets. The walking paths are very well signed and kept. You can choose within 3 different itineraries with different lengths. The one arriving at the top of Diamond Hill offers magnificent 360 degrees view on the see, the surrounding hills, lakes and Killymore Abbey.

Visited the park to do the Diamond Hill hike and it was stunning! Quite steep with rocks creating the path, but worth it to experience the exercise and the views. It’s possible to do a shorter easier hike and am sure that is lovely as well. 360 views of the entire valley!

The Diamond Hill trail is great. It's a moderate hike but in a few places the drop to the sides is steep enough to cause some anxiety if you have a fear of heights.

We stopped here on our way to Kylemore Abby. It was breathtaking and worth the side trip. Beautiful views, and make sure you watch out for the sheep!

The park itself was quite small from what we are used to in the US but the hike up Diamond Mountain was great! The trail was very well maintained and the views from the top are spectacular. We had a couple sandwiches from the tea room. They were ok, but nothing to brag about. I would recommend the upper or lower diamond hike for sure.

On our way to Kylemore Abbey we passed Connemara National Park and so we took a pit stop to see what it was all about. I was pleasantly surprised. The visitors centre is just lovely, a nice setup. There is a exhibition on the park, with one section describing bogs and turf making. There is also a Tea Room, a picnic area and a playground. There are three walks from the visitors centre up the nearest hill, Diamond Hill. All at different degrees of distance and difficulty. We decided on the quick walk as we didn't have a lot of time. Definetly worth a look if you are in the area.

My husband and I chose to do the second smallest hike, the yellow route on the map, and we were not disappointed! The views from here were amazing! I wish we had more time to spend so we could have gone further! We arrived just after the visitor center closed so I can't speak to that, but go for the views!

This is one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on! My husband and I opted to hike to the summit, which wasn't terribly difficult and was very rewarding when we got to the top! There are several things that I loved about hiking Diamond Hill: 1. Admission/parking is FREE! Can't beat that. 2. Helpful and kind staff handing out maps and discussing which hike would suit you best. 3. Clear, well-marked paths to lead you up and down the mountain. There is no confusion about where you are supposed to be and where your current path will lead you. 4. Additional amenities: playground for the kiddos, restrooms that are clean, horses & sheep to see. This was a fantastic way to spend our Sunday in Connemara! The drive alone is worth the trip.. breathtaking!

Connemara NP - hard to discern - you drive into/along it, never quite sure where it actually might be - no doubt, there are beautiful vistas and lakes everywhere, and plenty of places to pull-off and enjoy the view up close. In fact, driving in Ireland practically means any spot is a potential parking pull-off. I got a laugh out of a hotel clerk later in the trip when I mentioned illegal parking -- I suppose that concept doesn't really occur here. And yes, you should definitely drive yourself around this Island -- we saw tour buses along the way and I can't imagine being told when to stop and what to see -- ultimate freedom comes from driving. Take the chance like I did and just do it. It'll all be okay. Anyhow, back to the National Park -- there are Lots of sheep. Not lots of cars. Quiet. Beautiful countryside in Ireland. We had sunny weather making it especially spectacular. Mountains and meadows. Lakes. Ocean. We came across the famous abbey that everyone will know, who has ever been there - it looks like a medieval castle in the foothills of a huge mountainside. Worth a short or a long visit, depending on your time. After lunch in an oceanside park, we found an official Connemara visitor center complete with a choice of three walking trails up the hillside. Being american, we chose the shortest route, because, of course, we didn't have much time to spend here. Our short 30-minute walk along the hillside was well worth it. We took lots of pictures of the mountains and ocean views. It was free. It was worth the stop. Was it as spectacular as US National Parks. Yes and No. Was it nice and worth a visit? Yes. Yes, it was.

Put the sturdy hiking boots on and be overjoyed and overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of this Oasis in the wild west of Ireland. Friendly, knowledgeable staff explain the trail options - yellow (leisurely loop stroll), blue (intermediate climbing) and red (about loop including summiting Diamond Hill). I suppose you can do the yellow sans the boots, but if it's the blue and certainly the red trails you are advised by this recent climber to tie those boots extra tightly. The trail is often narrow and your ascent angle approaches 45 degrees. In good weather the red is a tough climb; in inclement weather the park has the prerogative to cancel ascents. We thought we would be able to make it all the way but alas, we had to bail out at a wisely-designed spur. The planners of the red trail must have thought this through...basically a last chance to call it a day...and yet not be disappointed because the view at this level is magnificent. All the way up you are treated to a 360-degree panorama of Connemara. If it's the red trail for you be advised...a strenuous ramble. Afterwards treat yourself at the care located in the Visitor Centre or take in the lovely atmosphere of Letterfrack. Do not bypass Connemara National Park.