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festivals · Friday 2 October 2026 · Various, walks run 1.5 to 5 hours, times vary by walk 
Carlow Autumn Walking Festival 2026
At Blackstairs Mountains and locations across County Carlow · Meeting points vary by walk, Co. Carlow
At Blackstairs Mountains and locations across County Carlow · Meeting points vary by walk, Co. Carlow
Every October, Carlow Tourism puts together a full weekend of guided walks through the county’s best walking country, and the 2026 festival runs from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October. Between fifteen and twenty separate walks are scheduled across the three days, graded by difficulty and ranging from about an hour and a half up to five hours, so there is a route for a casual family outing as well as for hardened hillwalkers. The Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Leinster form the backbone of the programme: Saturday alone offers a Scullogue Gap hike, a Blackstairs Peaks walk, a route from Mount Leinster to Kildavin, and a nature-focused walk exploring the area’s flora and fauna led by well-known ecologist Éanna Ní Lamhna. There is even a Friday night hike for anyone who wants to start the weekend after dark. Sunday closes things out with the Blackstairs Circuit and ridge walks linking Drummond, Knockmulgurry, Ballycrystal and Scullogue Gap. Every walk is led by experienced local guides, drawn mainly from Tullow Mountaineering Club and the Blackstairs Ramblers, who know the terrain and its history well, and several walks include refreshments afterwards, a welcome touch after a few hours on the hills.
Walks are based around the Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Leinster in south Carlow, near Kildavin, Borris and the Wexford border, with some routes closer to Carlow town along the River Barrow. Meeting points are confirmed at booking and vary by walk, so check the specific listing before travelling. Carlow town, the festival’s organisational base, is served by Irish Rail from Dublin Heuston and Bus Éireann routes from the south-east; a car is the most practical way to reach the more remote Blackstairs trailheads.
Heading to Blackstairs Mountains and locations across County Carlow in Carlow? Carlow has plenty more to see. Read the Carlow area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.