Rural walks nearish to Dublin

It's coastal, but how about Howth?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNtvsxil2Mc&t=1760s
Here is some information about walking in the Boyne Valley (Drogheda has good access):
https://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/guided-and-self-guided-walking-trails-boyne-valley-2023

Thanks for the links! They both look good.

You mention Glendalough. In 1999 over seven days, I walked the 100-mile-long Wicklow Way trail (https://www.wicklowway.com/) that goes through Glendalough. You could access the trail and go either south or north from Glendalough: https://glendalough.ie/. As you head south, there are two glacial trenches any fit hiker could handle and then it becomes farmland. Also, you could start the trail in Dublin at Marlay Park (https://www.dlrcoco.ie/parks-outdoors/parks/marlay-park) and walk for four to six hours.

I did part of the Howth walk a few months ago. (I only did part of it because when I got to the top it was so windy it was raining sideways). There are a number of trails/walks of varying lengths. One of the longer ones starts right opposite where you come out of the DART station. It takes you up and through a residential area and then puts you out in the area by the cliffs. You can also walk through Howth from the DART station, past the harbor, up Balscadden Road, and start the cliff walk there (which is what I did). Even with gray, drizzly weather the views were beautiful. This walk is mostly coast, so it may not be what you're looking for. But it's super convenient to Dublin.

Thanks to you both for your input. Wicklow thru Glendalough does look like a good option. Do you think I'd have a problem getting a taxi back around sunset from one of the small towns along the way?

Howth does look enchanting. I might be able to fit it parts of it on another day. Fingers crossed.

I believe you could get a cab, but that's only a guess. The reason is because Glendalough is a top -- and worthwhile -- tourist draw. In addition to the natural beauty, Glendalough, an ancient monastic site, features amazing antiquities. St. Kevin founded the monastery more than a millennium ago. Structures like an ancient Celtic church called St. Kevin's Kitchen are incredible. On a more practical level, Glendalough is roughly 25 miles from Dublin. I know for a fact that public buses run between the site and the city because I saw them, so cab service is likely. And tourist agencies charter buses from the city and back throughout the day. The Dublin tourist information office in the center of the city not far from Grafton Street would know for sure about cab service.

Addendum: You asked about getting a taxi in the small towns along the way near Glendalough:

I believe you could get a taxi in those towns because of the popularity of Glendalough and closeness to Dublin. Otherwise, you could backtrack to Glendalough and get a taxi there, but I imagine you wouldn't want to backtrack because you wouldn't see as much.

Good tip about checking in with the Tourist Office about taxis! Thank you.

For finding taxi service in small towns, I have used Google and Facebook. It never hurts to contact a company ahead of time via email or FB Messenger to determine if they serve the area you are visiting and what kind of lead time they need on, for example, a weekday afternoon. If you have any ability to set a time, you can book them ahead and agree on a price. Here is what the Glendalough visitor center recommends:

GLENDALOUGH CABS
Glendalough
Co. Wicklow

Contact: John Preston
Mobile: +353 (0)87 9729452
E: [email protected]

W: www.glendaloughcabs.ie

A friendly and reliable service around Glendalough, Wicklow and the entire East Coast area. At Glendalough Cabs we provide a full range of services for both individuals and groups including Airport transfers, Ferry port service, Sight seeing tours, Hotel transfers etc… Pre-book to avoid disappointment.

My partner and I did a climb up Carrickgollogan Hill - this was a really interesting area to us: https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/carrickgollogan-forest-walk/