11 Things To Do in the Beautiful and Overlooked County Waterford Ireland
County Waterford gets overlooked by many travelers to Ireland.
Yes, many folks think of Waterford crystal and may make a trip to the city of Waterford.
But mostly we drive through it without stopping to really spend time here.
I have to admit, I’ve only spent a few nights here.
However, this county is one I plan to spend some time exploring in the very near future.
Because it is beautiful!
And there is quite a bit to do here — from historical sites to a stunning coastline to a gorgeous interior filled with mountains, rivers and hills dotted with sheep.
I’m guessing when you get to the bottom of this post, you’ll be putting County Waterford on your Ireland itinerary.
So let’s start where we always do and place County Waterford on the map.
Where is this forgotten county?
County Waterford is located in the southeastern piece of the Republic of Ireland.
It’s just west of County Wexford and borders the über popular County Cork.
The county is fairly small ranking 20th in land mass out of the 26 counties in the Republic of Ireland.
Interestingly, it has the same rank in terms of population.
It has a diverse landscape with a beautiful coastline, rolling hills, a few mountain ranges and some important rivers.
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how lovely this county is.
So on to the good stuff.
11 Things to do in County Waterford
I’m quite sure there are more than 11.
But I’d say these are some of the best.
And there’s something for everyone!
Admire the historical Waterford City
One of the things I have yet to do is to explore the fascinating city of Waterford.
I think I resisted visiting here on my first couple of trips because all I could think of was the crystal.
It seemed like such a touristy thing to do.
And it is.
Especially since they no longer make the crystal in Waterford.
But as I learned more about the history of Ireland through the amazing books by Edward Rutherford — The Princes of Ireland and the Rebels of Ireland — I realized the role Waterford City played in shaping Ireland.
You see this is the oldest city in Ireland.
Waterford was founded in 914AD by the Vikings from Norway.
The name Waterford is derived from its Viking name Vadrarjfordr which means either ‘haven from the windswept sea’ or ‘fjord’ of the rams’.
The city was captured by the Anglo Normans in 1170.
The Vikings were promptly kicked out which meant things began to look quite a bit different.
A few years after it was captured, Waterford was escalated to the status of Royal City which owed allegiance to the Anglo Norman King of England, Henry II.
Today, Waterford City still has a Medieval feel to it with narrow alleyways that spur off of the main streets.
The lively waterfront is lined with shops, pubs and cafes.
And there are some interesting museums to peruse.
It’s definitely a destination worthy of some time in County Waterford.
Spend some time in little Dunmore East
Dunmore East is a delightful little town along the sea in the southeastern piece of County Waterford.
It’s popular with the Irish because of its seaside location with a couple of small sandy beaches.
Dunmore East is actually one of the top fishing ports in all of Ireland so you will get some of the best and freshest seafood here.
I spent one night here on my very first trip to Ireland and was impressed by the town.
There is an upper village and a lower village.
In the Upper Village you’ll find the harbor and an area known as the Flat Rocks where you’ll find a lot of anglers (fishermen).
There is also a walk that stretches for 2km from the West end of the town to Portally Cove.
In the Lower Village there are a number of sandy beaches and coves that are great for swimming and diving.
Dunmore East does have a few hotels and restaurants but has a bit more in the way of holiday homes to rent.
One of my favorite memories is watching the sun rise.
You have a view of Hook Head Lighthouse which is in County Wexford.
I got a few pics of the gorgeous sunrise and the lighthouse.
I highly recommend spending some time in this County Waterford harbor town.
In fact, I’d stay a night or 2 as it’s the perfect place to unwind and relax.
Cycle or walk the Waterford Greenway
Ireland has built a few of these paved trails over the past decade or so.
They’re quite nice.
And the Waterford Greenway is one of the most scenic.
It’s a 46km trail that begins in Waterford City and ends in Dungarvan.
You can cycle it in a couple of hours.
Or you can walk it — or part of it.
At 28.6 miles it’s pretty close to marathon length for any of you distance runners.
Just a thought — a marathon along the Waterford coast!
Anyway.
It skirts along a lot of the coast so it’s really beautiful.
I like the idea of finding a spot to park along it then getting out and walking for maybe an hour in one direction then turning around and returning to your car.
Even though you’re covering the same ground, I always find things look different in the opposite direction.
This is one of the experiences I would love to have in County Waterford.
So I guess I need to go back — soon!
Wander around Dungarvan
Dungarvan is definitely not off the tourist track.
But it’s certainly not one of the über popular destinations like the Ring of Kerry or Kinsale or Galway City.
I’ll admit that I have not visited this harbor town of 9200.
Since it is either the beginning or the end of the Waterford Greenway, it’s definitely a good spot to visit or even base yourself.
Dungarvan has a reputation for having some of the best food in County Waterford so do eat at one of the restaurants.
There are sites to take in such as the Dungarvan Castle museum, the Waterford County museum and a couple of churches.
You’ll also find some lovely parks and beaches nearby.
Personally, I think strolling about the waterfront looks to be one of the best thing to do in Dungarvan.
It looks like a wonderful spot to while away an afternoon — and take some pics!
Do put this pretty harbor town in County Waterford on your list.
Drive the Copper Coast
One of the best things to do in County Waterford is to drive the route known as the Copper Coast.
This is the R675 — the main road — along the coast that runs between Tramore and Dungarvan
The piece between Fenor in the east and Stradbally in the west is actually the part that is a UNESCO Geopark.
Established in 2015 the Copper Coast gets its name from the copper mining that was prolific in the 19th century.
While this stretch of coast is not as dramatic as some of the coastline in the west of Ireland, it is still incredibly beautiful with sandy beaches, rocky headlands and some sea arches.
The Copper Coast is a not-to-be-missed destination in County Waterford.
And it’s one of my personal favorite parts of this overlooked destination and it’s one of my picks for the best drives in Ireland!
Explore the Ring Peninsula
The Ring Peninsula is not too far from Dungarvan — about 11km.
And this area is a Gaeltacht area — an Irish speaking area.
There’s not much to do here except drive the rural roads and take in the views, stop at one of the beaches or one of the pubs.
It looks beautiful!
If you’re up for it, you can drive out to Helvick Head, the tip of this peninsula for amazing panoramic views of County Waterford.
Do drive out to Toller Meerblick which is an observation deck on the southern side of the Ring Peninsula.
I have to admit, I’m sorry I haven’t done this drive because it looks like one of those awesome off-the-tourist-track spots I love.
Stroll around Ardmore
One of the not-to-be-missed towns in County Waterford is Ardmore.
I actually stopped here on my very first trip to Ireland.
It’s a delightful little town.
And it happens to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland.
Ardmore was founded by St Declan in 416AD before the arrival of St Patrick.
There is a monastic site with ruins and a round tower to wander about.
I love sites like this.
Unfortunately my stop was short so I only spotted the tower.
I did walk a bit of the beach and did wander through town which is charming.
There is a magnificent cliff walk that my friend has taken and highly recommends.
It sounds fab!
While Ardmore is quite small — a village really — there is a nice array of places to stay, eat and drink.
One of the poshest places in Ireland, the Cliff House Hotel, is located in Ardmore.
So if you want a splurge in County Waterford, this would be a fabulous option.
Explore the Nire River Valley and the Comeragh Mountains
This is a 4-fer as there is so much to do here in the Nire River Valley/Comeragh Mountains.
First of all, the Nire River is known for excellent fishing.
As a result, many anglers come to this interior piece of County Waterford for fishing trips.
If you follow the Nire River Valley drive or the Comeragh Mountain drive (I think it is posted as the latter) you’ll get deep into this beautiful landscape.
These are rural roads so be prepared.
But what a drive!
I’ve been on a wee bit of this road and it’s simply stunning here.
If you follow the road to the end, you will end up in a parking area where you can pick up a few trails including to some lakes.
So you can get out and do some hiking in this gorgeous landscape.
See, it’s a 4-fer — fishing, hiking, river and mountains plus a fabulous drive!
A 5-fer??
Stay at Hanora’s Cottage
And as you head out into the landscape of the Nire River Valley and the Comeragh Mountains you will come to Hanora’s Cottage.
This is an incredible place to stay.
Hanora’s Cottage is a small country guesthouse with beautiful rooms that are comfortable, warm, cozy and spacious.
There is a full service restaurant so you’ll get a tasty breakfast and a delicious dinner.
You’ll find a lovely common room to sit and read or have a spot of tea or chat with other travelers.
I think the best thing about this accommodation in northern County Waterford is the tranquility.
The river flows just out front.
Birds flit about.
Sheep graze in the hills.
It’s bliss.
You will have the best sleep of your life — after you’ve filled your tummy, of course.
Stay at Glasha House
It’s amazing how spoiled you are for accommodation choices in County Waterford.
Glasha House is another country guesthouse that I highly recommend.
This lovely house sits close to the border with County Tipperary and is a bit outside the Nire River Valley.
But it’s not too far from the main settlement of the NIre River Valley, Ballymacarbry.
Glasha House has warm, comfy, cozy and spacious rooms.
There is a beautiful sitting area as well as a lovely conservatory for reading or mingling with fellow travelers.
Just like Hanora’s Cottage, Glasha House has a restaurant so you get incredible meals at breakfast and dinner.
The food is outstanding!
And the hospitality is first rate.
Explore Lismore
I’m pretty sure I’ve driven through Lismore.
But I didn’t stop.
It was the trip with my folks and we were on our way to Hanora’s Cottage.
We were pressed for time.
This little town of 1300, on the Blackwater River, has a gorgeous castle.
Unfortunately you can’t tour it because someone actually lives there.
That’s right.
The 12th Duke of Devonshire actually lives there.
You can, however, visit the beautiful gardens of the castle.
And, get this, you can actually rent out the castle at certain times for your group.
It looks impressive — and I’m sure the price tag matches.
But, a girl can dream.
Anyway…
Lismore is a charming town to wander about.
There are 2 St Carthage’s churches — one is the cathedral and dates back to 1630.
The other is the parish church which is not quite as old, dating to 1884.
There’s a Sunday farmers’ market you may want to check out.
Do stop by Lismore for at least a half day.
It’s definitely worth it.
Final thoughts on County Waterford
I really want to spend more time in this amazing part of Ireland.
I have spent a total of 3 nights here — 1 in Dunmore East, 1 at Hanora’s Cottage and 1 at Glasha House.
Three different trips.
There is a lot to experience in County Waterford.
What I love about it is that the interior is just as intriguing as the coast.
High on my list are the Greenway, Ardmore and the Nire River Valley/Comeragh Mountains.
Oh, and Waterford City!
What about you?
Where would you go in County Waterford?
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Ireland is such a beautiful country and I really want to explore it properly. I’m definitely adding Waterford County to my future road trip itinerary. Copper Coast looks absolutely stunning.
County Waterford is a bit of an under rated and under visited area but packed with a lot of beauty!
Excellent post! I studied abroad in Dublin a few years ago and it was the best experience. I also tried exploring a bit off the beaten path, and it led me to some gorgeous places! I can’t wait to get back to Ireland one day.
All of Ireland is gorgeous!
What a beautiful area of Ireland to explore! I would love to go for a drive along the coastline and take some photos.
The coastline is beautiful. Not as dramatic as places in the West of Ireland, but still beautiful (and less crowded)!
I loved Ireland so much that I hope to return someday. And when I do, now I know I need to stop in Waterford!
Please do! I think you’ll love it!
I would totally agree that Waterford is a totally overlooked County. people always flood to Cork, Dublin, Killarney (which I am guilty of) however I have not heard of Waterford but it looks completly up my street. I’ll have to check it out the next time im in Ireland.
County Waterford does get overlooked, but I love it and highly recommend it.
I thought Waterford was incredible when I visited. Of course I was attracted by the crystal but ended up loving the countryside.
They don’t even make the crystal there any more. I really think the countryside of Waterford is what makes it so special.
I love what Ireland but haven’t been to Waterford yet. Id love to bike on the Greenway.
me too!