Over the course of the 6 Nations, considered by many to be rugby's greatest championship, we will be comparing some of our favourite walking and cycling tours in the competing nations: Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France & Italy.

Italy: Amalfi Coastal Trails

Positano, the "Pearl of the Amalfi Coast"

Ireland: The Wicklow Way

Take a journey through the Irish countryside on the oldest way-marked trail in Ireland, brought to the attention of the public by the famous hill walker J.B. Malone who developed an extremely detailed knowledge of the Wicklow Mountains and worked tirelessly to bring his vision of a walking trail to fruition.

The picturesque Wicklow mountains with Lough Tay in the distance.

Beginning in Dublin, a lively city that has plenty of centuries-old monuments and welcoming pubs, the start point for the Wicklow Way is in Marlay Park. The Glenmalure Valley grants some of the most impressive scenery as well as plenty of opportunities to spot the varied wildlife in the area. Other highlights include Ireland's highest waterfall, Powerscourt, and the tranquil Lough Tay known as 'Guinness Lake'. The lake is surrounded by mountains and on the northern side there is a beach of pristine white sand, appearing slightly out of place, the sand was imported by the Guinness family who own an estate in the area.

Lough Tay otherwise known as Guinness Lake

The Wicklow Way is an achievable walk for anyone with a decent level of fitness and by visiting the capital, Dublin, as well as passing through stunning scenery this is a great introduction to the beautiful emerald isle.

In the Wicklow hills looking towards Greystones.

For more information on our range of self-guided walking tours in Italy or Ireland, contact a member of our team on info@macsadventure.com or if you would like to receive adventure travel tips and advice straight to your inbox sign up for our newsletter!

*This is an updated version of a post from 2017