Outsider Irish Outdoor Experience - Outsider Awards Nominees

Celebrating adventure, community, and the power of real moments outdoors, this award shines a light on the events, festivals, and experiences that are redefining how we connect with Ireland’s wild places. Across mountains, coastlines, forests, rivers, and small rural towns, these nominees create opportunities for people to step outside, push boundaries, and discover things they may never have known existed.

The Outsider Awards will take place on 11 February 2026 at The Helix, Dublin, and we’re thrilled that the Outsider Awards will be supported by Sport Ireland, Craghoppers, Outwest Clothing, Mountaineering Ireland, and NowCoco Drinks.

Read all about this year’s nominees below.

VOTE NOW

The Irish Outdoor Experience Of The Year Award is decided by public vote, so cast your vote below and help crown the 2026 Irish Outdoor Experience Of The Year Award!

BOOK TICKETS NOW

Gravel Ride Series

VOTE NOW

When it comes to redefining adventure on two wheels, Tarja Owens and Niall Davis, the couple behind biking.ie, are in a league of their own. Their Gravel Ride Series (GRS) is their latest venture. Born from a simple idea, that cycling should be inclusive, social, and fun, the GRS invites riders of all levels to explore Ireland’s landscapes in a way that’s adventurous, yet approachable.

Tarja and Niall, both former top-level cyclists, wanted to create a day on the bike that anyone could enjoy. From the twisting gravel roads of the Slieve Blooms to the serene forests of the Slieve Aughties and the epic climbs of Glenmalure in Wicklow, each event combines stunning scenery with camaraderie, great food, music, and the buzz of a relaxed festival atmosphere.

Since launching, the GRS has grown into a celebration of exploration over competition, attracting riders from across the country to connect with nature, with each other, and with Ireland’s hidden gems. With fully marked routes, feed stations, photography, and GPS tracking, the series brings professional organisation and thoughtful detail to every ride.

The Gravel Ride Series proves adventure doesn’t have to be elite; it can be shared, social, and unforgettable.

Outwest Fest

VOTE NOW

Outwest Fest may not look like a festival in the traditional sense, no wristbands, no stages, no queues, but in 2024, it became one of the most exciting experiences on the Irish outdoor calendar. Dreamed up by endurance athlete and community-builder Shane Finn, the idea came from something beautifully simple: bring people to the landscapes that inspired the creation of Outwest in the first place.

Set on the Dingle Peninsula, Outwest Fest sells out months in advance, not through marketing hype, but word of mouth among people who want something real. Participants climb Mt Brandon, soak up trail-running views over Cnoc a Cairn, swim off Ventry Beach, and sit shoulder-to-shoulder in saunas as waves thunder outside. It’s rugged, raw, and full of heart.

But what makes Outwest Fest truly special isn’t just the trails or the scenery, it’s the people. The festival attracts walkers, runners, and new adventurers who aren’t chasing records; they’re chasing belonging. Many arrive solo and leave with friends. They come for mountains and leave with confidence.

Outwest sees itself not as a brand, but a bridge. They connect people to landscapes, to each other, and to the version of themselves that feels most alive outdoors.

In a world where “community” is often just a slogan, Outwest proves what it looks like in action.

Ballyhoura Walking Festival

VOTE NOW

Gristin Bog and Ballyhoura Outdoor Classroom, Ballylanders, Co Limerick.
Photo by Diarmuid Greene

VOTE NOW

The Ballyhoura Walking Festival, Ireland’s longest-running walking festival, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026. Founded by the Ballyhoura Bears Walking Club. It grew from a simple idea: to share the Ballyhoura landscape through guided walking while fostering a strong sense of community. What sets the festival apart is its continuity and grassroots spirit. Over nearly three decades, it has evolved but never lost its heart, and in recent years, it has partnered with the Joyce Brothers Music Festival to blend outdoor adventure with Ireland’s rich musical and cultural traditions, creating an experience unlike any other in the country.

The festival attracts a wide range of participants. Seasoned hillwalkers taking on long challenge routes, families, gentle ramblers, and newcomers to organised walking. Visitors come from across Ireland and abroad, while locals return year after year. What they take away is a deep sense of connection. Connection to the land, to local culture, and to each other. Whether it’s the satisfaction of a sunrise summit, the calm of a morning stroll, or shared music in the evening, the festival is about wellbeing, belonging, and lasting memories.

Gap of Dunloe Traditional Boat Tours

VOTE NOW

Gap of Dunloe Traditional Boat Tours brings visitors on a timeless journey through the lakes and mountains of Killarney, guided by the Dux family’s multi-generational connection to the region. From the hand-rowing traditions of their grandfather to the expertise of Donal Dux Jr today, the tours offer a unique way to experience Ireland’s landscapes slowly, respectfully, and with rich storytelling rooted in lived local knowledge.

Guests travel through the Gap of Dunloe and across the Upper, Middle, and Lower Lakes of Killarney, discovering hidden islands, ancient woodlands, and quiet corners of the lakes that are only accessible by traditional boat. Along the way, visitors may occasionally step out at low water levels, gaining rare insight into the lakes’ natural rhythms. The tours combine gentle travel, authentic storytelling, and a focus on calm, reflective enjoyment, leaving guests with lasting memories of nature, heritage, and personal connection.

At its core, Gap of Dunloe Traditional Boat Tours is guided by respect for nature, pride in local culture, and responsibility to the community. Every trip honours a tradition passed down through generations, preserving Ireland’s heritage while sharing the beauty of the outdoors in a way that is personal, educational, and unforgettable.

Wander Wild Festival

VOTE NOW

Wander Wild Festival is Ireland’s premier outdoor and wellness celebration, set in the heart of Killarney National Park. The festival brings together adventurers, nature lovers, families, and wellbeing enthusiasts for a weekend of exploration, connection, and personal renewal against the backdrop of UNESCO‑protected mountains, lakes, and ancient woodlands.

Participants are invited to experience the outdoors in every way imaginable, guided hikes, kayaking, cycling, mountain climbs, sunrise lake swims, paddleboarding, and bat walks. For those seeking mindful adventure, the expanded Wellness Hub offers yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound baths, eco‑therapy, and mindfulness sessions designed to nourish body, mind, and soul. Evening talks, live music, and community gatherings extend the connection beyond daylight hours, creating a shared sense of adventure and well-being.

In 2025, the festival focused on inclusion, sustainability, and accessibility, featuring sensory-friendly climbs, autism-inclusive walks, and a family-friendly Wildlings area. The festival’s ethos ensures people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can enjoy the outdoors meaningfully and safely.

Celebrated for blending adventure, wellness, and community spirit, Wander Wild Festival not only showcases the magic of Killarney but inspires visitors to reconnect with nature, explore with curiosity, and embrace wellbeing in the outdoors.

Saltwater Festival Ireland’s First WSL Junior Pro

VOTE NOW

The Saltwater Festival is Ireland’s celebration of surf, saltwater spirit and coastal life, a multi-day, multi-town event that sweeps across the northwest surf coast, from Bundoran to Strandhill, Rossnowlagh and Easkey. Now a flagship for Ireland’s surf community, the festival brings together everyone who feels at home near the water. Surfers, families, beachgoers, food lovers, artists and ocean athletes.

In 2025, Saltwater made history. The festival hosted the first-ever World Surf League Junior Pro event in Ireland, welcoming more than 100 of Europe’s top under-21 surfers to compete on the world-class waves of The Peak. Backup sites like Tullan Strand and Strandhill reflected just how deeply embedded surfing is in the region, and how ready Ireland is to welcome world-tour competition. Events like the Liquid Therapy Open Day in Rossnowlagh ensure the festival remains accessible and inclusive. Championing the belief that the ocean is for everyone.

By pairing world-class surfing with grassroots participation, Saltwater elevates Ireland’s place on the European surf map while celebrating the communities who have lived, worked and played along this wild coast for generations. It’s a festival driven by heritage, powered by people, and shaped by the Atlantic itself.

Hike West Fest

VOTE NOW

Hike West Fest is Westport’s celebration of walking, wilderness and community, a weekend-long gathering created by the team behind Westport Sea2Summit and the Westport Marathon. Set against the rugged backdrop of Mayo’s Atlantic edge, the festival invites people of all experience levels to lace up and explore the wild west under the guidance of some of Ireland’s most experienced mountain leaders.

Across beginner-friendly lowland trails, windswept ridges and big open mountain days, participants choose their challenge, from the gentle Keenagh Loop to the steep pull of Ben Gorm or a full-immersion journey into the Nephin Wilderness. Each hike is fully supported, with local experts sharing route knowledge, safety and stories from the hills.

But the event is about far more than kilometres covered. The festival blends adventure with connection, a shared meal, live entertainment, and time to swap trail tales back in Westport’s warm hotels and pubs after a day on the hills. By Sunday morning, aching legs give way to easy rest, sea swims, spa sessions or slow coffee before heading home.

Hike West Fest is quickly becoming a cornerstone of Ireland’s walking calendar. In this place, first-timers earn their confidence, seasoned hikers find new ground, and a community grows step by step across Mayo’s most spectacular landscapes.

Kiwi Girl Mullaghmore

VOTE NOW

Kiwi Girl Mullaghmore brings the magic of the northwest coastline to life from the deck of the M.V. Kiwi Girl, a 12-passenger adventure vessel helmed by local skipper Declan Kilganon. Departing from Mullaghmore Harbour in Co. Sligo, the experience carries guests out into Donegal Bay and the open Atlantic, where dolphins surf the bow wave, seabirds wheel overhead, and sea cliffs guard one of Ireland’s wildest horizons.

Offering everything from family wildlife cruises to serious big-game fishing, Kiwi Girl blends ocean exploration with deep local knowledge. General sea angling, blue shark and bluefin tuna trips attract both seasoned anglers and first-timers, with equipment provided and guidance always on hand. Those keen to stay dry can take in the coastline instead. Visiting hidden coves, scanning for seals and basking sharks, or circling Mullaghmore Head beneath Classiebawn Castle.

Signature offerings make every outing feel special, while private charters open the door to birthdays, family gatherings and weekends away with a saltwater twist.

Melody’s Brew

VOTE NOW

Nicole O’Malley of Melody’s Brew runs outdoor experiences around Louisburgh and Westport, Co. Mayo, bringing people into the wild west of Ireland to connect with nature, themselves, and each other. Growing up with the Atlantic, islands, and hills outside her window, she has always known the west of Ireland is a special place.

In 2021, Melody started hosting Saturday morning hikes and outdoor sessions. The first three weeks had no participants, but she persisted, and by week four, a single early attendee joined, sparking the growth of a local community. Today, her events draw people from across Mayo, Ireland, and beyond, offering a mix of physical, social, and mental wellbeing benefits in hidden-gem locations that few others know, from Killadoon Hill to Cross Beach, Carrowniskey Strand, Silver Strand, and the Tine Sauna.

Her mission is simple: to make the outdoors a place for everyone, to build a community that didn’t exist, and to improve the health and well-being of people through immersive, accessible, and inspiring experiences in Ireland’s wild west.