Route: St. Declan's Way (Ireland)

Saint Declan's Way is a 115km pilgrim walking route linking Cashel in County Tipperary with Ardmore in County Waterford. It follows the route that Declan took when going to Cashel to meet Saint Patrick in the fifth century. In turn, it is the way that Pilgrims have taken to visit St. Declan's monastery, holy-well and grave in Ardmore for the past one and a half thousand years.

The trail starts at the Rock of Cashel and passes Cahir Castle and Lismore Castle. It finishes at the early Christian monastic site at Ardmore.

St Declan's Way utilizes paths along two of Munster's greatest rivers, the Suir and the Blackwater. The trek over the Knockmealdown Mountains, taking in Mount Melleray Abbey, offers great vistas north and south and is one of the highlights of the trail.

The majority (85%) of this trail is graded Moderate, however the section over the Knockmealdown Mountains (the remaining 15% of the total route) is graded Strenuous. The entire route of St. Declan’s Way, through South Tipperary and West Waterford, is now fully waymarked. It can be freely walked by anybody who wishes. It is a recognised trail by Sport Ireland: https://www.sportireland.ie/outdoors/walking/trails/st-declans-way

The official map and website can be found here: http://www.stdeclansway.ie/maps/