What are the main stops in Long walks with dogs in the west of Ireland: rules, livestock and what to carry?

This Galway guide covers 3 key stops in order: Nimmo’s Pier & South Park, Barna Woods Trail, Derrigimlagh Bog Boardwalk. Wide grass and stone pier where the Corrib meets Galway Bay.

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Connemara landscape in The Inagh ValleyPhoto : M. P. Whyte, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

L’ouest de l’Irlande offre des paysages grandioses pour marcher avec ses chiens, entre tourbières, forêts et plages sauvages, à condition de respecter les troupeaux et les règles de laisse.

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Étape 1 · Galway City · Estuary walk

Nimmo’s Pier & South Park

Wide grass and stone pier where the Corrib meets Galway Bay.

Détails Y aller

The basic rules in Ireland

Under the Control of Dogs Act, a dog in a public place must be with someone who can keep it under effective control. Every dog needs a licence from the local authority, and must be microchipped and wear a collar showing the owner's name and address. Certain breeds must also be on a short lead and muzzled in public places. Check the rules for your dogs before you travel, especially if you're visiting from abroad.

"Effective control" is the phrase you'll see on signs. Coillte, which runs most public forests, puts it simply: if your dog won't come back the moment you call it, it should be on a lead.

There's no right to roam

Most of the Irish countryside is privately owned, and there is no general right to walk wherever you like. Stick to waymarked trails, national parks, public forests, beaches and paths you know are open. Some trails that cross farmland don't allow dogs at all, so read the sign at the trailhead before you set off. Sport Ireland Outdoors lists waymarked trails across the country.

Practical tip: in both Connemara National Park and Burren National Park, dogs are welcome but must be on a lead at all times.

Sheep, cattle and lambing season

Sheep graze unfenced hillsides across Connemara and Mayo, and in the Burren cattle are moved up onto the hills for the winter. A dog chasing sheep can kill them even without biting, through stress and injury, and in spring it can cause ewes to lose their lambs. Keep dogs on a short lead whenever there may be livestock nearby, and always from late winter to early summer, when lambs are about. Irish law takes this seriously: a farmer has a legal defence for shooting a dog that is worrying livestock, and owners are liable for any damage.

Connemara LandscapePhoto : Sonse, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cattle are different. Cows with calves can be protective of them, and they may approach a dog. Walk calmly around the edge of the field, and if cattle chase you, let go of the lead: your dog will outrun them and so will you.

Walking with more than one dog

Hands-free kit: a waist belt or a lead coupler keeps one hand free for gates, stiles and your camera.
One lead per dog still matters on narrow paths, boardwalks and near roads, where dogs tend to cross over.
Stiles and gates take longer with a pack. Send the dogs through one at a time and close every gate behind you.
Space for everyone: step off the path for other walkers, bikes and horses, and remember that some people are afraid of dogs.

Water, weather and long distances

Don't count on finding fresh water. Limestone areas such as the Burren have very few streams, and dogs shouldn't drink seawater or still bog pools. Carry about half a litre per dog for every couple of hours, plus a collapsible bowl. Build distance up gradually: a dog that copes with an hour around town may be sore after a long day on rock and heather.

Lough Inagh, Inagh Valley, Connemara, IrelandPhoto : Tanya Hart, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The weather changes quickly on the Atlantic coast. Wet, windy days can chill short-coated and older dogs, so a dog coat and a towel in the car are worth having. Warm days are less common, but parked cars still heat up fast, so never leave dogs in the car in the sun.

Ticks

Ticks live in long grass, bracken and heather, and they can carry Lyme disease. Check your dogs (and yourself) after every walk, especially around the ears, the neck, the armpits and between the toes. Ask your vet about tick prevention, and carry a tick remover.

Leave no trace

Bag and bin dog poo, or carry it home if there are no bins, which is often the case in national parks and on the hills. Keep dogs away from nesting birds on beaches and wetlands in spring and early summer, and out of lakes and rivers where signs ask you to.

Connemara sheepsPhoto : G.Mannaerts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What to pack for a long dog walk

A lead per dog, plus a spare, and a waist belt or coupler.
Water and a collapsible bowl, and treats for recall.
Plenty of poo bags and a sealable bag to carry them in.
A tick remover, a small first-aid kit and your vet's number.
A waterproof layer for you, a coat for a short-coated dog and a towel for the car.

Référence et outils :

Galway through the year

Galway averages 18 rainy days in Oct and highs of about 14°C. The driest month is usually Apr.

Days with 1 mm of rain or moreAverage high (°C)

Show the numbers

Month	Rainy days	Rain	Average high	Sunshine	Sunset
Jan	16	111 mm	9°C	3.6 h/day	16:46
Feb	17	116 mm	9°C	4.8 h/day	17:45
Mar	16	117 mm	10°C	6.3 h/day	18:38
Apr	13	70 mm	13°C	8.5 h/day	20:34
May	15	79 mm	16°C	10.2 h/day	21:27
Jun	16	87 mm	18°C	9.7 h/day	22:05
Jul	17	116 mm	18°C	9 h/day	21:58
Aug	19	142 mm	18°C	8.6 h/day	21:07
Sep	16	105 mm	17°C	6.8 h/day	19:55
Oct	18	132 mm	14°C	5.4 h/day	18:43
Nov	16	121 mm	11°C	3.9 h/day	16:42
Dec	19	146 mm	9°C	3 h/day	16:18