Waterford: Greenway, Coast and Heritage

The Waterford Greenway and Copper Coast Drive take you through Waterford in very different ways: one is a traffic-free route between Waterford City and Dungarvan, while the other is a drive from Tramore to Dungarvan. Together with historic sites, gardens and landscapes, they offer useful starting points for deciding what to focus on during your trip.

Routes through Waterford

The Waterford Greenway is a 46-kilometre walking and cycling trail along the former Great Southern and Western Railway line. Eleven bridges, three viaducts and a 400-metre tunnel shape its route. When planning your trip, you can use its two endpoints, Waterford City and Dungarvan, as reference points; the route connects the two places.

The Copper Coast Drive runs from Tramore to Dungarvan. It offers a different way to explore than the Greenway: here, the focus is on a drive between the named towns, while the Greenway is a traffic-free route for walking or cycling. For planning a trip, this distinction is more useful than a broad comparison of the two routes.

Saint Declan’s Way offers another perspective. The 115-kilometre pilgrimage route connects Cashel in County Tipperary with Ardmore in County Waterford. This also makes it possible to see Ardmore as the endpoint of a longer pilgrimage route, while the Ardmore Cliff Walk explores its own coastal and historical themes.

Coast, mountains and wetlands

The Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark stretches for 25 kilometres along the coast of County Waterford, from Fenor to Stradbally. Dunhill Castle is a geosite within the geopark. Access to the castle is via a grassy path from the car park at its base. In the coastal village of Bunmahon, the Copper Coast Global Geopark Visitor Centre houses an exhibition on mining and geological heritage.

Inland, the Comeragh Mountains offer walking experiences around glacial lakes, misty cliffs and high ridges with sweeping coastal views. The bog in Waterford Nature Park is centred on the St. John’s River. Its habitats include reedbeds, freshwater marsh, wet grassland and willow swamp woodland. Here, the place and landscape names point to different themes: the coast and geopark on one hand, and mountain scenery and wetlands on the other.

The Anne Valley Walk connects Dunhill with the coastal village of Annestown and passes through wetlands and woodland. The trail is fully accessible to buggies and wheelchairs. You can spot herons, kingfishers and otters along the Anne Valley Walk.

Gardens and heritage

Mount Congreve House and Gardens is located in Kilmeaden, County Waterford, and is described as one of the “Great Gardens of the World”. The estate includes 70 acres of densely planted woodland, a four-acre walled garden and 16 kilometres of paths. These figures convey three different aspects of the site: its woodland area, enclosed garden and network of paths. The restored Tack Room serves afternoon tea amid gardens, trees, birds and wildlife; details of the offering may vary.

In the centre of Tramore, the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens cover 2.5 acres and overlook Tramore Bay and beach. They tell Hearn’s life story through landscapes and rock formations that reflect the cultures and mythologies of the places where he lived. The focus in Tramore is therefore on the life story being told, while the description of Mount Congreve emphasises its size and garden areas.

In Waterford City, Reginald’s Tower, Ireland’s oldest urban building, houses an exhibition on Waterford’s Viking origins and medieval past. Waterford Treasures: Medieval Museum is located in the Viking Triangle. It displays the Cloth of Gold vestments, considered Europe’s only fully intact pre-Reformation collection. The two sites thus explore different chapters in Waterford’s history.

Ardmore also combines a coastal walk with heritage. From the Ardmore Cliff Walk, you can see the shipwreck “Samson” and two watchtowers: one dates from the Napoleonic era, while the smaller one is from the Second World War. The trail also passes St. Declan’s Well, a well-preserved round tower and a 12th-century cathedral.

In Lismore, Lismore Heritage Centre offers a range of guided walks through the streets from Monday to Friday. If you plan to join one, check the times in advance. The Lismore Castle Experience is a virtual reality tour of privately owned Lismore Castle in Lismore.

Festivals and planning your stay

The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival is Ireland’s summer opera festival and takes place annually in the Blackwater Valley, County Waterford. It combines opera and classical music with curated culinary experiences at historic venues, including Lismore Castle and Dromore Yard. The Comeraghs Wild Festival is an annual celebration of nature, culture and community in County Waterford. Its programme includes outdoor adventures, guided walks, music, art and cultural experiences.

Discover more destinations: Dunmore East, Waterford, Dungarvan, Tramore, Cappoquin, Aird Mhór, Ballymacarbry, Woodstown, Lismore, Harrylock, Bunmahon, Rathgormack, Ringville.

For the regional travel overview: Munster.