The Emerald Isle is fringed by beautiful blue seas and run through with rivers and lakes. If you want to discover the secrets of this island, which so often seems shrouded in mystery, the best way is by getting up close and personal with the remotest corners and quietest zones of the country. What’s the best way of exploring Ireland? The answer has to be in a kayak. These boats can carry you down rivers, across lakes and around the coastline in the most intuitive way possible, combining peaceful paddling with breathtaking views, glimpses of local wildlife and unforgettable adventure. Wherever you are in Ireland, you’re never far from a kayaking location that will leave you speechless, so read on to find out where the journey will take you.

Where are the best places to go kayaking in Ireland?

East Coast: We’ll start with Dublin, the capital city. The River Liffey winds through the city to the Irish Sea, and you can take a tour along this historic waterway to learn about Dublin’s past, including its musical heritage. The Grand Canal is another place to go kayaking, or you can get out onto the Irish Sea in the suburb of Dalkey. Apart from Dublin, there’s great kayaking to be found in County Wicklow, including at Broad Lough and Blessington Reservoir in the Wicklow Mountains.

• Southern Ireland: The three counties that make up the south coast - Wexford, Waterford and Cork are full of kayaking opportunities. The Hook Peninsula is a real beauty spot that’s best enjoyed by kayak, and around Ardmore is another top location. Inland, the rivers Barrow and Blackwater offer a different kind of kayak experience. And in County Cork, there’s an endless coastline to explore, from Cork Harbour and Oysterhaven, to Garretstown, Skibbereen, Sherkin’s Island and Crookhaven. Some of the highlights are seal watching at Adrigole and a night time trip to the bioluminescent waters of Lough Hyne.

• Wild Atlantic Way: This is a route which runs from the southwest of the island up its most exposed coast. If you brave the Atlantic swells here, you can enjoy the Dingle Peninsula, Kerry Head and Tralee Bay, take a tour of the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara or the tidal pool outside Belmullet Town, or explore the sea loughs of county Sligo. There are also routes away from the coast, such as the Falls of Ennistymon on the Inagh River and the Fergus River that joins Ballyalla Lake in County Clare, the River Corrib in Galway and the River Moy in Mayo. Or you can go for an urban paddle through the centre of Limerick.

• Donegal: In the remote northwest, almost cut off from the rest of the Republic, Donegal is a sparsely populated region bordered on three sides by the Atlantic ocean. There are islands with seal colonies to visit in the Dungloe Bay, routes around the rugged coast and protected inlets of the sea at Gaoth Dobhair, Broad Water, Downings and Mulrow Bay. Sea kayaking will only ever be as good as the coast where you do it, and you can’t get much better than Donegal.

• Inland: But kayaking paradise isn’t just to be found on the coast. There are numerous opportunities to go kayaking in the hidden heartland of the country that are enough to leave you speechless. Why not try white water kayaking on the rapids of the River Nore, or the River Inny, explore the lakeland of Lough Ree or take a trip down the longest river in the British Isles, the river Sharron?

Options for organising an experience

- While some of the locations and routes in Ireland have to be enjoyed in the company of a guide or instructor, it’s always possible to find kayak hire around the island where you can get out onto the water and have some fun. Hire is usually available on flatwater, where it’s unlikely that you’ll get into trouble. Flatwater locations, like rivers, lakes or inlets of the sea, are also fantastic places to take lessons. If it’s your dream to go on a voyage of discovery around the island by kayak, you need to learn some of the skills and safety procedures and. Lessons usually last around 1.5 or 2 hours, and are a fun and informative way to enjoy this watersport.

- To reach those less accessible places, you need to sign up for a tour. Guides here can take you anywhere your heart desires, from a trip through time through Dublin city centre, to a white water ride on a river, to a fascinating night tour of Lough Hyne, where microorganisms release light under the water. There are too many routes that follow the rugged Atlantic coastline to mention, all of them full of surprises. A tour could last just an hour or two, or several days.

Requirements to do this activity

There’s something for everyone who has the desire to climb into a kayak in this country. You don’t need any experience of kayaking or any other watersports to take your first paddles through the water here during a beginner’s lesson or just by renting the equipment. We recommend that the first time you try it, you choose a lake or a sheltered stretch of coastal water, so that you don’t have to worry about waves or currents. If you’re keen to cross stretches of the ocean, you need to have some confidence in a kayak, and be ready to deal with more intense conditions and more complex kit. Sea modality involves specially designed boats that are longer than normal ones, and they can be a bit more difficult to control. White water is also reserved for those who can handle themselves in rougher conditions.

But when the conditions are right, children can learn how to use a kayak and have a lot of fun at the same time. Some locations are suitable for children as long as 7 years old, but 10 years old is more common. And it can be possible to take younger children, or children below the minimum age in a particular place, on your expedition if you choose a 2 person one and they sit in the front.

The possibilities are endless, and so is the journey. Just take one paddle, and you’ll be hooked!