The beautiful scenery of the Wicklow Mountains is barely an hour's drive from Dublin. There are 28 national waymarked ways in the country, including the Kerry Way, the Beara Way and the Wicklow Way, and these are inspected annually. There are many gentle walks for the less energetic. The guidebook, 'Walking Ireland - The Waymarked Ways', available free of charge from the Irish Tourist Board, gives more information. Although some of Ireland's coastal parts are mountainous, the sheltered valleys and the gently undulating central plain are excellent for easy cycling.
Roads are well maintained and most are very quiet.
Inland, the landscape is dotted with small farms, and one is never too far away from some form of civilisation if one requires it. The Boyne Valley alone contains over 300. There is no closed season for freshwater angling , but March to October are the most suitable months for bream, rudd, roach, dace and perch. Game fishing requires a licence and, generally, also a permit. The brown trout season is usually from mid-February or March until 30 September.